# Costs for hiring npc as advenutres



## Guilberwood (Nov 2, 2005)

Hi,

I have a quick question:

Is there an oficial (WOTC or third party) cost for hiring npcs as aventures. 
I saw a lot of costs for hiring npcs as specialists or artisans etc., but no to hire them as adventures

It is just that my party wants to hire some adventures to scourt a princess back to her kingdom (since they cant do it themselves), and so I wanted to have an ideia of how much it would cost.

It would be nice to have a table, because I wanted to let the party choose the avarage level of the party they're hiring. So I could know the price no matter what level they chose.

Thanks a lot

Guilberwood


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## Corbert (Nov 2, 2005)

I just dealt with that in my last game session.  The players hired a 1st level fighter at 144 GP per level per year.  I used Table 5-2 in the 3.0 DMG, p.149, Prices for hirling services.  Where it says Mercenary 1 SP per day.  I figure any NPC hired would count basically as a mercenary.  Hope this helps.


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## nittanytbone (Nov 2, 2005)

The NPC costs are for NPC classes.  An NPC warrior has 4.5 HP, nonelite array, and 1 feat.  This is opposed to a Fighter with 10 HP, possibly elite array, and 2 feats.  The latter should obviously be more expensive.

Likewise, an alchemist is listed at 1 GP/day.  Seeing as how alchemists are spellcasters, this must mean that a level 1 adept costs 1 GP/day.

I'd figure that an NPC with 1 PC level would be AT LEAST 1 GP/day if not more.

In 1st edition AD&D, the MINIMUM salary per day was 3.5 GP/day/level.  This would get you a minimum loyalty that only treasure shares/gifts/magic items would enhance.  That seems like a decent guideline at a minimum to me.

If the players really want elite muscle, they should take the leadership feat.


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## dcollins (Nov 2, 2005)

Guilberwood said:
			
		

> Is there an oficial (WOTC or third party) cost for hiring npcs as aventures.




Answer to this is "no". As stated earlier, if you want classed followers, the core-rules way is to take the Leadership feat.

One thing: Consider the PHB spellcasting prices (10 x spell level x caster level). It costs 10 gp just for one casting of _cure light wounds_, and that's if you go to the spellcaster's home! (As the PHB says, if you want the caster to go into any danger, that's a separate negotiation: maybe x3 or x5 or something). If you add up all the daily spells for a caster plus danger, it gets overwhelming really fast.

But I've been tinkering on this subject for fighter-types, at least, recently. Consider mercenary War1 in D&D to be 3 sp/day average. For each +2 levels, double the price. Add more if they have good equipment, double if they're Fighter instead of Warrior, multiply more if expecting significant danger, add more for any extra equipment or supplies or food. That's my ballpark.

Another way you could look at it is consider the NPC Gear Value table. Like maybe take the average NPC Gear Value for the appropriate level, and divide by 10 for annual salary as a start (about the same as the previous method)?


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## Elder-Basilisk (Nov 2, 2005)

Well, here's the thing. You're not hiring them as adventurers. (If you were, I'd suggest one equal share of the treasure or 5 gp/level per whichever is more for adventurers of similar stature to the hiring PC with possibilities of more shares or half shares for stronger or weaker adventurers). Instead, you're hiring mercenaries or guards. In that case, I'd use the 1e DMG prices for mercenary troops.


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## Scharlata (Nov 2, 2005)

Guilberwood said:
			
		

> Is there an oficial (WOTC or third party) cost for hiring npcs as aventures.




Hi!

I don't have my books around here, but have you checked the *Arms and Equipment Guide * ("3.25"). I think there are some tables for hirelings and stuff... 

Kind regards


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## Pinotage (Nov 2, 2005)

Scharlata said:
			
		

> Hi!
> 
> I don't have my books around here, but have you checked the *Arms and Equipment Guide * ("3.25"). I think there are some tables for hirelings and stuff...
> 
> Kind regards




Yes, that's worth a look at. I believe it states something like 2 gp per day per level for a mercenary with a PC class. It also gives details on hiring exotic creatures, such as minotaurs or hill giants. But I think the above rule is probably what the original poster is after.

Pinotage


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## shilsen (Nov 2, 2005)

The Sharn book for Eberron lists prices for hiring mercenaries from House Deneith (a mercantile house that provides mercenary services across the continent) as follows:

Warrior1 - 2.5 sp per day
Warrior2 or Fighter1 - 4 sp per day
Warrior3 or Fighter2 - 6 sp per day
Warrior4 or Fighter3 - 1 gp per day


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## Guilberwood (Nov 2, 2005)

Thanks Guys

Just checked the arms and equipmente guide, which was a good thing...it has good uses I had forgotten about.

After reading the book, I've decided to come with the following formula: 2Gp x level x days

It's a little expensive, but they'll be hiring npcs with real classes (a fighter instead of a warrior).

You guys think it's too much?

Thanks a lot
Guilberwood


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## Li Shenron (Nov 2, 2005)

Guilberwood said:
			
		

> After reading the book, I've decided to come with the following formula: 2Gp x level x days
> 
> It's a little expensive, but they'll be hiring npcs with real classes (a fighter instead of a warrior).
> 
> You guys think it's too much?




I don't think it's too much, I think it's quite cheap. You can hire a party of 5 adventurers for 10Gp x level every day... at least I think that the players themselves may not easily accept such a job for that low price


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## TheGogmagog (Nov 2, 2005)

Guilberwood said:
			
		

> After reading the book, I've decided to come with the following formula: 2Gp x level x days
> 
> It's a little expensive, but they'll be hiring npcs with real classes (a fighter instead of a warrior).
> 
> You guys think it's too much?



to complile the prices given in this thread for a 1st level classed character (Sharn .4gp, Arms and Equipment 2gp, 1st edition 3.5gp).  I would vary the cost depending on setting and situation.

Not to complicate things, but I would also not use 'x level'.  Character wealth is not linear, and higher level characters are going to be more rare.  I'd use 'x level^2'

No matter which of the above pricing methods you use, It seems to be cheaper to just hire a low level caster than to pay for a low level spell.


Have they considered buying a scroll of teleport?


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## Patryn of Elvenshae (Nov 2, 2005)

dcollins said:
			
		

> Answer to this is "no". As stated earlier, if you want classed followers, the core-rules way is to take the Leadership feat.




We're not discussing followers (being fanatically loyal people who will follow you for no coin at all).  We're discussing hirelings (being mercenaries who will work so long as you pay them and they want to).

Different subjects entirely.


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## Patryn of Elvenshae (Nov 2, 2005)

TheGogmagog said:
			
		

> Not to complicate things, but I would also not use 'x level'.  Character wealth is not linear, and higher level characters are going to be more rare.  I'd use 'x level^2'




It would also fit better with the way magic items are priced (being, generally, bonus^2 * a constant).


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