Hirelings for DangerousDelves
Hirelings
You can purchase any Hirelings you can afford up to a maximum of 3 Hirelings per Hero.
They have only one type of Fatigue and take all three forms of Fatigue Costs using that same Fatigue.
Don't forget to buy Rations for each of your Hirelings or they will suffer whenever you get an Encounter that says "A Long Time Passes".
After the initial cost to purchase a Hireling, you must pay them each 1 Gold to stay with you when you begin a new Delve. If you dismiss them in Town, or can't afford to pay them when you enter a New Delve, you can re-distribute their Gear or sell it for Gold.
The cost for hiring a Hireling increases by 1 Gold for every Hireling that has died in your Hero's service as you gain a reputation for leading people into excessive danger. Reduce this increase in cost by 1 for every three Delves you have completed.
The Warrior and the Archer don't need to keep track of their basic Combat Gear (it is purely abstract). When they die, their basic Combat Gear is lost.
The Warrior can always give a dice for MELEE Challenges. If you give your Warrior a Bow and Arrows (taking up two of their three Gear Slots), they can give a dice for RANGED too, but those items of Gear are treated normally in regards to being affected by Costs.
The Archer can always give a dice for RANGED Challenges and you don't have to worry about them running out of arrows. If you give your Archer a Sword, (taking up two of their three Gear slots) they can give a dice for MELEE too but those Gear slots are treated normally in regards to being affected by Costs.
To keep things simpler to run, you don't make Protection Rolls for Hireling Armour and Shields. The presence of that abstracted Armour is the in-game explanation for why they have higher Max Fatigue.
Feel free to shuffle Gear around between yourself and other Heroes and any Hirelings at any time you are faced with an Optional Challenge or have not yet played the next Card or are in Town.
Hirelings and Costs
Whenever you must take any type of Fatigue Cost (even if you were protected by Armour or Shield) and are using a Hireling to get a dice bonus for their Abilities or using Gear from a Hireling's Gear Slots, that Hireling loses a Fatigue too and dies when they take MORE THAN their Max Fatigue. Using Gear doesn't include the Hireling just holding a Torch for you.
When you take a Cost that is Gear and were using any Hireling Gear...
- If your result is EVEN you can choose to take a slot from any Hireling's Gear instead
- If your result is ODD, you must lose 1 Slot of the Gear one of your Hirelings was using instead
Any Encounter in a Delve that HEALS a Hero (regardless of how many points), heals one point for all other Heroes and all Hirelings too.
In Town you can go to the House of Healing and buy Healing Dice for each of your Hirelings. You should use the Hireling's Notes on the Character sheet to keep track of whether they have been healed already and it resets using the same conditions as it does for your Hero
Hirelings Table
| Type | Cost | Gear Slots and Notes | Max Fatigue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alchemist | 5 Gold | 3 Slots for Gear. Adds a dice to KNOWLEDGE and one School of Magic (roll once on the Schools of Magic table). Once a Hero has rolled a School of Magic for an Alchemist, they can't roll again for a different Alchemist until they have entered or returned to a Delve. After any Encounter and before drawing the next card, or before any Optional Challenge, an Alchemist can use a Gear Slot of Material to repair any damaged Gear slot or to manufacture a Torch or a Club | 3 |
| Archer | 6 Gold | They always have their abstract basic Kit allowing them to add a dice to RANGED Challenges. They have only 3 free slots for carrying Gear. If you equip them with a Sword (2 Slots), they can also add a dice to MELEE Challenges | 5 |
| Cultist | 4 Gold | 3 Slots for Gear. Adds a dice to KNOWLEDGE and ONE SCHOOL OF MAGIC (roll once on the Schools of Magic table). Once a Hero has rolled a School of Magic for a Cultist, they can't roll again for a different Cultist until they have entered or returned to a Delve. Your party may not include both Priests and Cultists | 3 |
| Herald | 3 Gold | 3 slots for Gear. Adds a dice to SOCIAL | 3 |
| Porter | 3 Gold | 9 slots for Gear. No Abilities of their own | 3 |
| Priest | 5 Gold | 3 Slots of Gear. Adds a dice to KNOWLEDGE and SOCIAL and ONE SCHOOL OF MAGIC (roll once on the Schools of Magic table). Once a Hero has rolled a School of Magic for a Priest, they can't roll again for a different Priest until they have entered or returned to a Delve | 3 |
| Warrior | 6 Gold | They always have their abstract basic Kit allowing them to add a dice to MELEE Challenges. They have only 3 free slots for carrying Gear. If you equip them with a Bow and Arrows, they can also add a dice to RANGED | 8 |
| Wizard | 5 Gold | 3 Slots for Gear. Adds a dice to KNOWLEDGE and TWO SCHOOLS OF MAGIC (roll twice on the Schools of Magic table). Once a Hero has rolled Schools of Magic for a Wizard, they can't roll again for a different Wizard until they have entered or returned to a Delve | 3 |
Apart from the Abilities in the Notes, Hirelings do not add dice to any other Challenges but can hold a Torch and a Holy Symbol or similar item if that will protect you from penalties. You can't give a sword to a Porter or a Herald and have them use it for you. You can't give a wand or Wizard Staff to a Wizard Hireling and have them use it.
Schools of Magic for Hirelings
For Wizards roll twice and if you get a duplicate with the second roll, move up one or down one row (your Choice) to get a second.
For Alchemists, Priests, and Cultists roll once.
| 1d6 | Wizard | Priest | Cultist | Alchemist |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Magic Melee | Magic Melee | Magic Ranged | Magic Ranged |
| 2 | Magic Ranged | Magic Melee | Magic Ranged | Magic Ranged |
| 3 | Magic Ranged | Magic Ranged | Magic Knowledge | Magic Knowledge |
| 4 | Magic Mobility | Magic Knowledge | Magic Knowledge | Magic Knowledge |
| 5 | Magic Knowledge | Magic Social | Magic Social | Magic Mobility |
| 6 | Magic Social | Magic Social | Magic Social | Magic Social |
