Category: NPCs

The Alchemy of Potions

Last Updated: 250917

This article is a merge, update, and improvement of two prior articles (Potion Creation and What’s Special About Alchemy)

How do PCs create potions? For years I’ve assumed two stages: a) the mage researches the formula, b) the mage creates the potion. But how does it actually work?

To create a potion the magic-user (or cleric) needs:

  1. to be at least 7th
  2. employ an alchemist (until above 11th level) and a lab/workshop
  3. possess the basic formula
  4. acquire the appropriate special ingredient
  5. accept a chance of failure (optional)

Per the DMG: “In order to find out [how to fabricate magic items], they must consult with a sage (q.v.) or a high-level character of the proper profession, the latter being detailed a bit hereafter.”

The Alchemist

Potions may be made by any magic-user of 7th level or above, if he or she enlists the aid of an alchemist (q.v.). At levels above the 11th, such assistance is no longer mandatory, although it will reduce the amount of money and time the player character must spend making the potion by 50% of the compounding/infusing time normally required [above 11th level], as the alchemist will be so employed instead.

Hiring an alchemist as an Expert Hireling (DMG, p. 29) to assist the magic-user requires employment for at least a year (10 – 100 gp hiring bonus plus 300 gp / month), as well as a workshop (DMG, p. 116). Constructing a workshop costs 200 gp – 1000 gp, based on the relative availability of the tradesmen and goods necessary to complete the work room and stock it properly. In addition, upkeep requires a further monthly outlay of 10% of the total laboratory cost, exclusive of any special provisions or protections, in order to stock basic fuel and supplies, replace broken equipment, and so on.

The Daily Alchemist (Optional)

What if the DM permits hiring an alchemist short-term as an independent contractor to work with their magic-user? The alchemist’s base monthly rate of 300 gp is a starting point to determine the cost of an independent contractor alchemist. A modern baseline for an hourly rate for hiring a professional is: normal Annual Salary / 2080 hours x 2, where expenses are included in that rate (they do have a lab to maintain!). Let’s assume our medieval alchemists have 10-hour days. Our alchemist costs 3600 gp / year salaried, which would be (3600 / 2600) × 2, or 30 gp / day as a contractor, 150 gp / week, 600 gp / month. Assume our average alchemist works on a weekly rate for any measurement in weeks, and a daily rate for work calculated in days. The alchemist would need to live somewhere large enough to stay in business.

If the alchemist runs their own lab, the cost of lab overhead needs to be considered when determining the cost of hiring short-term. An alchemist’s lab, per Player’s Option: Spells and Magic (S&M), costs 65 gp/month rental for the floor space. The 10% maintenance (to stock basic fuel and supplies, replace broken equipment, and so on) averages to another 60 gp/month. Average monthly operating costs for an alchemist therefore would be 65 gp/month (rental) + 60 gp/month (maintenance), or 125 gp /month, 21% of his monthly rate, close enough to the operating expenses of a modern independent contractor to help validate the math—the lab cost should be included in the alchemist’s short-term rate.

The Formula

In order to avoid the length and complication of separate formulae for each type of potion, the following simple system is given … to concoct the basic formula – with rare herbs and spices and even more exotic ingredients (DMG, p. 116).

While potions can be compounded by magic-user/alchemist teams at a relatively low cost, they must have an actual potion to obtain the formula for each type… (DMG, p. 125).

There aren’t complicated formulas for different potions. Instead, each potion is composed of a basic (e.g. semi-universal) formula, and a special ingredient.

“Both the cost in gold pieces and the days of compounding and infusing are determined by use of the xp award amounts. The xp for a given potion is the amount of gold pieces the magic-user must pay in order to concoct the [initial] basic formula. Each hundred or fraction thereof indicates one full day of compounding time to manufacture the liquid, i.e., 250 xp = 250 gp basic costs and 3 full days of time.”

The weighted average xp value of a potion is 367 xp. Each 100 xp (or fraction thereof) equals 100 gp and one full day of time to brew a potion, i.e., 367 xp = 400 gp average basic costs and 4 full days.

Most important to the manufacture of a potion is the substance of its power, the special ingredient (DMG, p. 125).

The special ingredient is determined from an existing vial of the potion (DMG, p. 116). If not available, Commune or Contact Another Plane could find the formula. It’s far cheaper to have the potion on hand given the cost of NPC spell casting (1000 gp + 500 gp / question for Commune, 1000 gp for Contact Another Plane (UA)), especially since someone also has to be found willing to cast those spells. Clerics can only cast Commune infrequently, and NPC mages are unlikely to desire risking insanity or death!

The DMG does not define the cost of this ingredient. The PCs gathering the special ingredient(s) themselves is the most obvious solution. There’s an obvious correlation of the gp value of a potion and the special ingredient(s) required to construct it. We’ll return to this cost after considering potion economics.

The cost and time required to brew the potion:

  • Each 100 xp (or fraction thereof) indicates 100 gp and one full day of time to brew a potion;
  • The cost of the alchemist and lab for each day (150 gp/week contractor rate for a 5-day week);
  • The as-yet-unknown cost of the special ingredient.

Failure (Optional)

The DMG suggests “alternatively, a 5% to 20% failure percentage can be assigned to all potion manufacture, and those which are failures become delusion potions of the sort which was being attempted…” How to know exactly what specific chance of failure to assign for a particular potion? Looking at the cost of potions, a 2% chance of failure for each 100 xp value (or part thereof) provides a failure rate of 4% to 20%. With a weighted average xp value of 367, that works out to be an average 8% failure rate.

Here’s another alternative to all failed potions are delusion, based on the Potion Miscibility Table (DMG, p. 119) (see also White Box: Men & Magic and Dragon #130):

01 EXPLOSION! Those in a 10’ radius take 4-24 hit points, no save.
02-03 A poison gas cloud of 10’ diameter; all within it must save versus poison or die.
04-08 Mild poison which causes nausea and loss of 1 point each of strength and dexterity for 5-20 rounds, no saving throw possible.
09-15 Potion totally destroyed.
16-25 Potion ruined (potion of delusion).
26-35 Potion at 50% normal efficacy.
36-90 Ruined.
91-99 Potion has 150% normal efficacy (You must determine if both effect and duration are permissible, or if only the duration should be extended.)
100 DISCOVERY! The potion will be permanent (with harmful side effects).

 

The Special Ingredient

There are suggested special ingredients in the DMG (pp. 116-117) and Dragon #130, without any means of calculating their value. In summary so far:

  • Average cost to create potion (with an alchemist and lab): For each 100 xp (average 367 xp), 1 day and 100 gp (materials) + 30 gp/day (alchemist), or an average of 520 gp.
  • Average gp value of potion: 924 gp.

At this point creating the average potion has an average net profit of 404 gp, or 44%! However, we haven’t accounted for the cost of the special ingredient, nor considered an average 8% failure rate when creating potions.

Presuming an alchemist can’t stop mid-potion, if working 5 days a week in a 52-week year, our alchemist can only produce 52 potions / year that take 4 days. Taking into account the average 8% failure rate, they will produce an average of 48 successful potions / year.

Assuming a 10% return on the investment, the average cost formula becomes (assuming an average failure rate of 8%):

(Sales Price × 48) – ((Material Cost + Alchemist Cost + Special Ingredient Cost) × 52) = 10% (Material Cost + Alchemist Cost + Special Ingredient Cost)

OR

( 924 × 48 ) – ( ( 400 + 120 + Special Ingredient ) × 52 ) = 10% × ( 400 + 120 + Special Ingredient )
44352 – ( ( 520 + Special Ingredient ) × 52 ) = .1 × (520 + Special Ingredient)
44352 – ( 27040 ) – ( 52 × Special Ingredient ) = 52 + (.1 × Special Ingredient)
17312 – ( 52 × Special Ingredient ) = 52 + (.1 × Special Ingredient)
17312 – 52 = 52.1 × Special Ingredient
17260 = 52.1 × Special Ingredient
331 gp = Special Ingredient

331 gp is 36% of the potion’s average sale price of 924 gp, providing an average value of the special ingredient (or ingredients) purchased in any potion created: 36% of the sale price.

The special ingredient cost can also be used to determine the street value of the special ingredient. Assume a 50% markup before being purchased by a wholesaler selling alchemical components, or an average of 221 gp.

Final results for manufacturing a potion for a 7th level MU, with the help of an alchemist:

Cost to create potion, assuming a 10% profit margin for the alchemist hired to create the potion: xp value in gold [Average 367 gp] + 36% of the average sale price of the potion (special ingredient) [333 gp] + 30 gp/day (alchemist). Takes 1 day / each 100 xp of potion [average 4 days], average cost 820 gp.

Chance of failure for each potion: 2% for each 100 xp value of the potion.

The standard sale price for a potion is, of course, in the DMG.

The cost of the special ingredient if available: 36% of gp cost of potion in the DMG. If not purchased, it’s up to the PCs to acquire. Extending that data to components required for other magic items, a baseline of ~36% of the cost of magic item creation is the materials.

Alchemist Summary

  • 10-100 gp hiring bonus + 300 gp / month for at least a year plus building a lab: 200-1000 gp + 10% of the cost / month
  • Alternately, hiring an alchemist for 30 gp / day, 150 gp / week
  • Manufacturing: 1 day for each 100 xp (or fraction thereof), at a cost in gp of the xp value, + 36% of the gp value of the potion (the special ingredient).
  • Chance of failure: 2% for each 100 xp value of the potion.

Bibliography

Dungeons & Dragons, Vol. 1: Men & Magic, 1974.
Dungeon Masters Guide [1e], 1979.
Dragon Magazine #2, August 1976. “A new D&D Character Class: The Alchemist”.
Dragon Magazine #46, January 1981. “…and one who seems the perfect mix”.
Dragon Magazine #49, May 1981. “A recipe for the Alchemist”.
Dragon Magazine #130, Feb., 1988. “Better Living Through Alchemy. Poison and Potions: The alchemist NPC class”.
Player’s Option: Skills & Powers, 1995.
Player’s Option: Spells & Magic, 1996.

Appendix

In addition to the Alchemist expert hireling in the DMG, Dragon magazine includes not one but four different variations of the alchemist (#2, #46, #49, #130). The alchemist is also discussed in the 2e Player’s Options (Skills & Powers, Spells & Magic):

Dragon #2, 1976 (D&D)
Lists potions by level of difficulty to create.
Potions require 200 gp + 1 week/level of potion to produce.
Research costs are the same as that for a MU researching spells.
40% more likely to create a potion formula with an example.
Lists potions by level, and several new potions.

Dragon #46, January 1981
Specialist alchemists.
Monthly salary of 30-120 gp + 10,000 gp for the lab.
Potion identification costs 100-150 gp/day, identifying potions (at xp/100 hours) with ~95% accuracy.

Dragon #49, May 1981
Lists potions by difficulty to create.
Alchemists as a spell-casting class.
Substituting ingredients increases chance of failure.
Various effects of failed potions.

Dragon #130, Feb. 1988
An extended article on the Alchemist class, which divides the potions into “levels” for a different method of determining the cost of the potion formula. The article includes other suggestions, such as: an expanded list of special ingredients for particular potions; a different Failure Table; a much higher rate of potion creation (one level of potion/day per alchemist level); and limiting the level of potion creation by the level of alchemist.

Player’s Option: Skills & Powers, 1995.
Alchemist

Potion Creation

Last Updated: 221011…240621

(This article has been supplanted by The Alchemy of Potions)

How do PCs create potions? For years I’ve assumed there’s two stages: a) the mage researches the formula, b) the mage creates the potion. But is that really how it works?

In addition to the Alchemist expert hireling in the DMG, Dragon magazine includes not one but four different variations of the alchemist (#002, #046, #049, #130). The alchemist is also discussed in the 2e Player’s Options (Skills & Powers, Spells & Magic). Several include the research component:

  • Dragon #002: “Research costs are the same as MUs for Spells”
  • Dragon #130: “The DM adjudicates the alchemist’s success in research. The costs for research is at least 50-300 GP per level of the potion desired.”
  • Skills & Powers: “The alchemist must first research the potion’s formula, as if conducting normal spell research.”

Yet per the DMG: “In order to find out [how to fabricate magic items], they must consult with a sage (q.v.) or a high level character of the proper profession, the latter being detailed a bit hereafter.” where the only item that requires consulting with someone “of the proper profession” is potion creation and the alchemist. The only requirement for a 7th level magic-user (or presumably 7th level cleric in the case of healing potions) to concoct a potion is hiring an alchemist (and even that requirement is removed when the magic-user reaches 12th level).

So, the magic-user needs:

  1. an alchemist
  2. a lab/workshop
  3. the appropriate special ingredient
  4. manufacturing

An Alchemist

Hiring an alchemist will cost a 10d10 GP hiring bonus plus assurance of 300 GP / month for a minimum of 1 year.

Lab/Workshop

Initial outlay for the creation of a workshop costs 200- 1,000 GP, based on the relative availability of the tradesmen and goods necessary to complete the work room and stock it properly (and keep it stocked). In addition, upkeep of the laboratory requires a further monthly outlay of 10% of the total cost of the place, exclusive of any special provisions or protections, in order to stock basic fuel and supplies, replace broken equipment, and so on when the laboratory is in use.

The Appropriate Special Ingredient

There are lists of suggested special ingredients in the DMG (pp. 116-117) and Dragon #130. Per the DMG, there’s no need to figure out what the special ingredient is. Some overly complicated math suggests that the average cost of the special ingredient, if available on the open market, would be 24% of the GP value of the potion. Otherwise, it’d be up to the PCs to acquire.

That said, I really like the idea of specific formula determination as a rate limiter on potion creation. That research would require 1d3+1 weeks at a cost based on the potion’s XP value per week (in addition to any costs for an alchemist), but if the character uses a commune or contact other plane spell to speed his research, they automatically succeed in the minimum time. Otherwise, at the end of this period, successful potion creation requires a roll as per the chance to learn a spell, -2% for each 100 XP (or fraction thereof) of the potion. If the character has a full dose of the potion in question to use as a sample, the research takes one less week with no penalties. If unsuccessful, research continues week-by-week until successful.

Manufacturing

Both the cost in gold pieces and the days of compounding are determined from potion’s XP (default 200 XP otherwise). The XP for a given potion is the cost in GP to concoct the basic formula sans the special ingredient. Each hundred XP (or fraction thereof) indicating one full day of compounding time to manufacture the liquid, i.e., 250 XP = 250 GP basic costs and 3 full days of time. The cost of the special ingredient if available: 24% of GP cost of potion in the DMG.

The DMG suggests: “Alternatively, a 5% to 20% failure percentage can be assigned to all potion manufacture, and those which are failures become delusion potions of the sort which was being attempted, i.e., animal control, flying, etc.” where you either require a special ingredient, or assign a chance of failure.

Where’s the fun in automatic success? So instead, let’s assign that range of failure: 2% for each 100 XP (or fraction thereof). What happens when upon failure to create a potion? The DMG suggests that these failures are simply the source of the potion of delusion, but that’s uninteresting. The Potion Miscibility Table provides some guidance, and can be readily adapted by adapting the wording (see also Dragon #130):

 

Failure

01 EXPLOSION! Those in a 10’ radius take 4-24 hit points, no save.
02-03 A poison gas cloud of 10’ diameter results, and all within it must save versus poison or die.
04-08 Mild poison which causes nausea and loss of 1 point each of strength and dexterity for 5-20 rounds, no saving throw possible.
09-25 Potion ruined and inert.
26-35 Potion at 50% normal efficacy.
36-90 Ruined (potion of delusion).
91-99 Potion has 150% normal efficacy (determine if both effect and duration are permissible, or if only the duration should be extended.).
100 DISCOVERY! The potion’s special formula will cause its effects will be permanent upon the imbiber with potentially harmful side effects.

 

Summary

  • Alchemist: 10-100 GP hiring bonus + 300 GP / month for a year
  • Lab: 200-1000 gp + 10% / month (for a year)
  • Research: d3+1 weeks at XP value / week
  • Manufacturing: Requiring 1 day for each 100 XP (or fraction thereof), at a cost in GP of the XP value, +25% of the GP value of the potion (the special ingredient).
  • Failure: 2% per each 100 XP.

Bibliography

TSR 2011, Dungeon Masters Guide [1e], 1979.
Dragon #2, August 1976. “A new D&D Character Class: The Alchemist”.
Dragon #45, January 1981. “…and one who seems the perfect mix”.
Dragon #49, May 1981. “A recipe for the Alchemist”.
Dragon #130, Feb., 1988. “Better Living Through Alchemy. Poison and Potions: The alchemist NPC class”.
Player’s Option:  Skills & Powers, 1995.
Player’s Option: Spells & Magic, 1996.

Taking the Thyme (Sages)

Last Updated: 200217…200702

[DMG] “In order to find out, they must consult with a sage”

Sage-o-matic Calculator

Although all classes can consult with a sage, nowhere are details on how to find one! Finding one sage isn’t good enough—the PC might want more than one. The DMG states: “any sage is capable of carrying on a discussion in any field of knowledge,” yet the costs and time for sagery are directly linked to the sage’s area of knowledge. The PC is best off starting with general questions to determine if the sage is knowledgeable in the area they care about, before they get heavily invested in a research project where they’re paying to teach the sage something the sage otherwise knows nothing about!

Of course, there could be a variety of “right” sages. If one is seeking information about an artifact or unidentified object, an expert in mushrooms might know that an item like the one asked about is known to help mushrooms grow. A historian might know of a kingdom that flourished because of an item as described that made mushrooms grow, etc.

So how does a PC find a sage? I use the chances of hiring henchmen as the baseline to fill in some of the gaps.  Information here also reordered to be (hopefully) more usable.

The chance of a sage knowing the answer to a question depends on the competence of the sage in the area of the question and the nature of the question: general, specific, or exacting. Many different fields could apply depending on the nature of the question, learning from the history of a culture, their nature of the planes, etc. But how to determine the nature of the question is more complex.

For the “default” case—”What does this magic item do?”—the PC has created the most exacting of questions. However, the nature of the item can be considered based on the commonality of the item in question. A fairly common item might be only specific. A unique item that shaped the entire culture might be answerable in the general sense.

Step 1: How Many Sages Are There?

The number of henchmen normally interested in employment is 1 in 1000, varying from 1 in 200 in an active adventuring area to a settled/staid area of 1 in 5000. Given the requirements about sages and libraries, we can assume the sage ratio is more likely the inverse—more of them in a settled/staid city, and less in an active/adventuring area (with Jane Goodall out there somewhere). There are likely fewer sages for hire than henchmen. How many? I don’t have a by-the-book reference except to use the most rare of henchmen hiring rates: 1 in 5,000, and then using the same 5-factor used for henchmen (1 in 1,000 in towns with at a research university, to 1 in 25,000 in agrarian areas). In a city of 25,000 there might be up to five sages present and interested in talking to the PCs if the PCs can find them.

Step 2: How Many Can Be Found?

1E provides insight on the hiring from henchmen. The PC can make but one attempt each month to locate a sage. Per henchmen, it will take 2-8 days for all information about available sages to flow back to the PC.

The more gold the PC spends, the more likely they are to find the sage they seek. They may try any or all of the below:

  • Hiring agents to seek prospects: 150 gp, effectiveness 20-50% (d4+1 * 10%)
  • Posting notices: 50 gp, effectiveness 10%-40%
  • Spreading the word in places where one might find or hear of sages. The cost is 10 gp for each 1% – 4% chance of finding a sage (50 gp maximum per establishment, up to ten establishments). For each additional establishment, the effectiveness of the others is reduced by 1%. Example: If the PC visits 10 places @ 50 gp each, then each establishment causes -9%, or (5d4-9)% chance per establishment, cumulative.

 

Multiply the total % effectiveness against the number of available sages to determine how many nearby sages (see Step 1) are available to query.  The PC can then go ask their questions.

Step 3: Who Are They?

While you can calculate the ability scores and spells of the sage (normally unnecessary), of more importance could be the sages’ alignments:

01-05 CHAOTIC EVIL 41-60 LAWFUL NEUTRAL
06-10 CHAOTIC GOOD 61-80 NEUTRAL
11-20 CHAOTIC NEUTRAL 81-90 NEUTRAL EVIL
21-30 LAWFUL EVIL 91-00 NEUTRAL GOOD
31-40 LAWFUL GOOD

 

How that affects the answers likely depends on the questions!

Step 4: What Do They Know?

Determine the fields of study for each sage. Each sage will know one major and one or two minor fields, and also specialize in a number of subcategories under their major field.

Dice Score Special Fields in Major Field Minor Fields
01-10 2 1
11-30 3 1
31-50 4 1
51-70 2 2
71-90 3 2
91-00 4 2

Roll for the major field, and the proper number of special categories within that field. Then roll for the indicated minor field(s) (with no specialization). See Appendix A for those details.

Worth considering that all sages believe they know what they need to answer questions, so the fields and categories of each sage won’t be evident.

Step 5: What Do You Want To Know?

The PC then presents their question(s). The DM needs to determine:

  1. Whether each question is: General, Specific, or Exacting
  2. What field from the sage’s knowledge is the closest match.

Step 6: How Long Will It Take

It will take a sage a relatively short period of time, and no additional costs to speak of, to discover information of a general nature, but as questions became more difficult, the time and cost to give an answer becomes a factor. This is shown on the following table:

Information Discovery Time

Question Is General Specific Exacting
Out Of Fields 1-6 r. 2-24 d. —
In Minor Field 1-4 r. 2-20 d. 5-40 d.
In Major Field 1-3 r. 1-12 d. 3-30 d.
In Special Category 1-2 r. 1-10 h. 2-12 d.

Note: A sage will only work for the PC for a maximum of 7 days each month. An answer that requires 14 days will take at least 1 month + 7 days. The sage will only bill for those days he’s working for the PC.

All durations assume that the sage is in a position to conduct research and obtain necessary equipment within a day or two of the discovery of the need, and the costs shown assume these activities.

Step 7: How Much Will It Cost?

The sage has to charge full cost up front, as the sage doesn’t know how long it will take (or have one heck of a collections team), with a refund of funds left over. The sage should be able to indicate (even if only for game mechanics), “This could take up to [d] days, and cost up to [x] gp. I charge regardless of whether I find an answer or not”. The PC could also choose to pay in advance for only [y] days of research, and if no result is returned, the PC is out of luck!

There is a fixed cost of 100 gp / day, as well as the potential for Additional Cost(see below).

If a town or city is not nearby, double times and costs (or compute the sojourn expenditure necessary to arrive at a locale where the needed materials are to be had, and determine other expenses also).

As DM you must also use judgment as to related questions, so that if a closely-related query is made following one for which an expenditure was necessary, determine whether or not the further question or questions would be answerable from the some materials source which was formerly obtained. Naturally, all costs are NOT for materials, some accruing as payments, fees, and bribes, or offerings.

Step 8: What’s the Answer

Fields of Study and Special Knowledge Categories:

  Chance to Know the Answer
Question Is General Specific Exacting
Out Of Fields 30%+d20 10%+d10 —
In Minor Field 45%+d20 30%+d10 10%+d10
In Major Field 60%+d20 56%+d10 25%+d10
In Special Category 80%+d20 75%+d20 60%+d20

Each time a particular question is asked, use the above table. First roll to determine the sage’s base percentage chance (within the range shown) to know the answer. Then roll percentile dice again against that number to determine if the sage knows the answer.

Eureka!

Rolling ≤ the chance to know the answer indicates the sage knows the answer. If the roll for knowing the answer is in the lower 20% of the spread there will be no additional costs, as the material is on hand. Thus, if a sage has a 30%+d10 chance of knowing an answer, and the dice indicate a 32% chance of knowing it, rolling 32% or less indicates knowledge, but a roll of 06% or less indicates that the sage has the information about the question available, and there will be no additional cost. Furthermore, in the special category of study, any spread within the lower 80% has no additional cost.

Potential Additional Cost

Question Is G.P. Costs
Out Of Fields 100/d.
In Minor Field 1,000/d.
In Major Field 500/d.
In Special Category 200/d.

Reply hazy, try again

Unknown information will always require from 51% to 100% of the maximum time shown to determine that the knowledge is beyond the ability of the sage. If the sage fails to find the answer, all costs (including the base 100 gp / day) will be halved.

Oops!

No one’s perfect. On a failure that is 6% or less over the chance of knowing the answer, the sage will return a result that will be incorrect. Costs and duration will be calculated without additional costs. From the above example, a roll of 33%-38% indicates that the sage followed a false trail.

Appendix A: Sage Fields of Study

Roll Percentile for the Field of Study, and then roll again to determine any Specialization.

Humankind 01-30

  1. Art & Music
  2. Biology
  3. Demography
  4. History
  5. Languages
  6. Legends & Folklore
  7. Law & Customs
  8. Philosophy & Ethics
  9. Politics & Genealogy
  10. Psychology
  11. Sociology
  12. Theology & Myth

Demi-Humankind 31-50

  1. Art & Music
  2. Demography
  3. History
  4. Languages
  5. Legends & Folklore
  6. Law & Customs
  7. Philosophy & Ethics
  8. Politics & Genealogy
  9. Psychology
  10. Theology & Myth

Humanoids & Giantkind 51-60

  1. Biology
  2. Demography
  3. History
  4. Languages
  5. Legends & Folklore
  6. Low & Customs
  7. Sociology
  8. Theology & Myth

Physical Universe(s) 61-70

  1. Architecture & Engineering
  2. Astronomy
  3. Chemistry
  4. Geography
  5. Geology & Mineralogy
  6. Mathematics
  7. Meteorology & Climatology
  8. Oceanography
  9. Physics
  10. Topography & Cartography

Fauna 71-80

  1. Amphibians
  2. Arachnids
  3. Avians
  4. Cephalopods & Echinoderms
  5. Crustaceans & Mollusks
  6. lchthyoids
  7. Insects
  8. Mammals
  9. Marsupials
  10. Reptiles

Flora 81-90

  1. Bushes & Shrubs
  2. Flowers
  3. Fungi
  4. Grasses & Grains
  5. Herbs
  6. Mosses & Ferns
  7. Trees
  8. Weeds
  9. Biology

Supernatural & Unusual 91-00

  1. Astrology & Numerology
  2. Cryptography
  3. Divination
  4. Dweomercraft
  5. Heraldry, Signs 8 Sigils
  6. Medicine
  7. Metaphysics
  8. Planes (Astral, Elemental & Ethereal)
  9. Planes (Outer)

 

The Making of Henchlings

Last updated:  190201, …. 240624

Hirelings are 0-level NPCs. Most hirelings (and expert hirelings) are low-salary, paid only a few gp 2-4 gp / month. Hirelings don’t count against the Charisma limit for henchmen. As PCs gain levels, standard hirelings become VERY vulnerable because, by the book, 0-level characters can’t gain levels.

A potential path to more durable minions is hiring henchmen. Yet replacing many hirelings (such as a ship’s crew) with henchmen gets expensive and … complicated. There’s a hiring process for henchmen. Henchmen cost 100 gp/month/level in addition to hiring bonus(es) and shares of treasure. Charisma limits prevent PCs from hiring henchmen for an entire ship’s crew, as a standard crew complement is beyond even the most charismatic of characters!

Standard hirelings appear inexpensive before remembering that hirelings recognize hazardous duty. Hirelings might serve as part of a trading ship’s crew for their usual salary, but sailing to a mysterious island (pirate island, etc.) counts as hazardous duty over a normal trading mission. Hazardous duty salaries are calculated per day instead of per month, spanning the salary gap between hirelings (2-4 gp/ month for a 0-level sailor or marine) and henchmen (level 1 is 100 gp / level / month + bonuses). The 0-level hireling sailor serving hazardous duty would be 60 gp / month.

Yet even hazard pay isn’t enough. As the party gains levels, the level-0 hirelings are placed at risk greater than any sane 0-level hireling would accept as a condition of continued employment.

Long-duration hirelings can also have a backstory within the party—the trusted porter or animal handler. In my case, the party not only acquired a ship’s crew worth of hirelings, but, having lost their crew to slavers, made heroic efforts to rescue them. It doesn’t make story sense to replace a trusted loyal crew with “mere” henchmen.

But there’s a hybrid approach. If the PCs increase the monthly wage for hirelings (e.g., sailors and/or marines) to the base rate for henchmen, the hirelings function more like henchmen. That is to say, pay a hireling 100 gp/ month, and their Saving Throws and THAC0 will increase to 1st level. Pay a hireling 200 gp/month, and their HP will increase to 2nd level (2d8). Should the party reach 11th level, hirelings could advance to 3rd level, with increases in HP (3d8), THAC0, and Saving Throws.

PCs are limited in the level of henchman they can retain: at 6th level a PC can hire 2nd level henchmen, and at 11th level they can hire 3rd level henchmen. For this hybrid approach, the most the PCs can pay a “hireling/henchman” would be 200 gp / month for a party averaging 6th level, but less than 11th level. NPCs worth more than that wouldn’t work for the PCs; they’d seek work with even higher-level PCs since that would earn them a correspondingly larger share. The maximum number of these henchmen/hirelings should also be limited by the total party maximum number of henchmen permitted the entire party, minus the number of normal henchmen.

For individuality, the upgraded hirelings can be assigned a proficiency in addition to their core competency (e.g. sailor, archer, etc.), providing an additional sense of story without placing them in the direct spotlight. It also explains the ship’s carpenter and ship’s navigator.

For simplicity, this advancement path is available only to an entire group of hirelings (e.g., a ship’s crew), in order to keep stats uniform for management purposes. And once PCs start paying these henchlings as henchlings, they of course have to keep paying them that way.

This:
-make hirelings more durable to correspond with party level
-make hirelings more useful to correspond with party level
-provide hirelings a somewhat logical progression path, without the burden of tracking XP
-Cause hirelings to have a more solid attachment to the story as a whole.

References

Polyhedron, Issue 12, “Dispel confusion”, Volume 3, Number 3, 1983.

Streamlining Cavalier Minions

Last Updated: 180815, 200616

The cavalier acquires followers and henchmen early and often. All told, there are 17 (!) different types of minions, with differing weapons, armor, armor class, hit points, and THAC0, making management a bit of a nightmare. At the same time, there’s a lot of flavor there, in particular in types of troop; it’s good to maintain at least the distinction between cavalry, infantry, and archers. Time to streamline that a bit.

Followers

The cavalier must go to a locale where such men-at-arms are located in order to attract these followers. Those followers lost are not replaced except by troops gained at higher levels. A cavalier’s followers will not demand wages or salary, but must be fed, cared for, and rewarded as suitable for the conditions. The number is not limited by Charisma.

By the Book Followers

01-50 Light cavalry in ring mail and shield, each with 3 javelins, long sword, and hand axe; or, Heavy infantry in scale mail, with pole arm of choice and club.

51-75 Heavy infantry in splint mail with morning star and hand axe; or, Heavy infantry in leather armor with pike and short sword.

76-90 Crossbowmen in chain mail with heavy crossbow and short sword; or, Crossbowmen in chain mail with light crossbow and military fork.

91-00 Cavalry in banded mail and shield with lance and horseman’s mace; or, Cavalry in studded leather with long sword and horseman’s flail. Either type will be mounted on medium warhorses.

Streamlined Followers

The streamlined minions have a higher than average THAC0, AC, damage, and hit points, to reflect their being a bit better than average.  For simplicity almost all of the damage dice and weapon speeds are the same.

  AC Average
50% 6 3
12.50% 4 0.5
12.50% 8 1
15% 5 0.75
5% 3 0.15
5% 7 0.35
    5.75

 

Average follower AC: 5.75, with bonus AC: 5

Cost: 10 gp / month each.

50% Heavy infantry in chain mail (AC: 5), with pole arm (d8, Weapon Speed: 8) and club (d8, Weapon speed 3). THAC0 19. 8 hp.
15% Crossbowmen in chain mail (AC: 5) with heavy crossbow (3d4, Weapon Speed: 8, Range 8/16/24), and short sword (d8, WS 3). THAC0 19. 8 hp.
35% Cavalry in scale mail and shield (AC: 5), with lance (d8, Weapon Speed 8), 3 javelins (d8, Range 2/4/6), and horseman’s mace (d8, Weapon Speed: 8), mounted on light warhorses. THAC019. 8 hp.

By The Book Leaders

For every group of 20 troops which serve a cavalier, there will be a fighter follower/leader of 5th level, dressed in plate mail and shield with a battle axe +2. For every 60 troops there will be a 6th-level fighter leader (with plate mail + 1 and shield, longsword + 2), and a 3rd-level fighter lieutenant (plate mail, battle axe).

Streamlined Leaders

For every 20 troops, there will be:

  • 5th level leader: AC 1 (Plate mail and shield), 35 HP, Weapon: d8 damage, weapon speed 6. +2 to hit, +2 damage, THAC0 15 Cost: 500 gp / month

For every 60 troops there will be:

  • A 6th-level leader: AC 1 (Plate mail and shield), 35 HP, Weapon: d8 damage, weapon speed 6. +2 to hit, +2 damage, THAC0 15. Cost: 600 gp / month
  • A 3rd level leader (similar to Esquire), for 300 gp / month.

Retainers (Henchmen)

Total number limited by Charisma +3

By the Book Retainers

As soon as a cavalier of good alignment reaches 4th level (Knight Errant), the cavalier must acquire at least one retainer. These retainers can be either Armigers (level l), or Scutifers (level 2), or both. Upon becoming a Knight (6th level), an Esquire (level 3) must be added to the staff. Upon becoming a Grand Knight (7th level), a Horseman (Level  0, d4+1 hp) to act as a herald and a Lancer (Level0, 2d4 +1 hP) to act as a guard must be added. At 8th level, the Banneret must bring at least an additional mounted man-at arms to his staff of retainers. All cavalier retainers will serve for nothing more than care, upkeep, and training, as applicable.

Streamlined Retainers

Retainers cost 100 gp / level / month

  • Level 1: (Horsemen, Lancer , Men-at-arms). Identical to Cavalry.
  • Level 2: (Armigers, Scutifers). Identical to Cavalry, except +1 to hit, +2 when mounted. 16 hp.
  • Level 3: (Esquire). Identical to Cavalry, except +1 to hit, +2 when mounted. 24 hp and THAC0 17.

What’s Special about Alchemy

Last updated: 170513…201006

(This article has been supplanted by The Alchemy of Potions)

Potions may be made by any magic-user of 7th level or above, if he or she enlists the aid of an alchemist (q.v.). At levels above the 11th, such assistance is no longer mandatory, although it will reduce the amount of money and time the player character must spend making the potion by 50% of the compounding/infusing time normally required [above 11th level], as the alchemist will be so employed instead.

As PCs reach 7th level magic use, they approach the ability to create potions.  For my campaigns, most of the questions of item construction typically resolve by the party never having quite enough time to get anything done but leveling, but I still should understand how that works!

Until 12th level, PCs need to hire an alchemist to create potions. In the DMG, hiring an alchemist as an Expert Hireling requires hiring them for at least a year, and building a lab for them (200 gp to 1,000 gp + 10%/month maintenance). But what if the PCs just want to hire an alchemist short-term to work with their magic-user?

The Alchemist

The alchemist’s base rate of 300 gp/month is a good place to start for the costs of an independent contractor alchemist. A modern baseline for hiring a professional is at an hourly rate that is twice their normal salaried rate (where expenses are included in that rate). Our alchemist costs 300 gp/month salaried, which would be 600 gp/month as a contractor. Assuming a four-week month, and not counting potion materials, the alchemist will cost 150 gp / week or about 25 gp /day (and our average alchemist works on a weekly rate for any measurement in weeks, and a daily rate for work calculated in days).

If the alchemist is running his own lab, then the cost of the overhead on that lab needs to be reviewed when evaluating the cost of hiring him. “In order to begin manufacture of a potion (… made only one at a time), the magic-user must have a proper laboratory … [which] would cost between 200 and 1,000 gp … upkeep of the laboratory requires a further monthly outlay of 10% of the total cost of the place.” An alchemist’s lab, per Player’s Option: Spells and Magic (S&M), costs 65 gp/month rental for the floor space.  The 10% maintenance (to stock basic fuel and supplies, replace broken equipment, and so on) averages to another 60 gp/month. Average operating costs for an alchemist are 65 gp (rental) + 60 gp (maintenance), or 125 gp /month, 21% of his hourly rate, close enough to the operating expenses of an independent contractor to help validate the math.

The Formula

The DMG (p. 116) states that the cost and days for determining the formula for a potion is based on the experience point award of the potion, where each hundred xp (or fraction thereof) indicates 100 gp  and one full day of time to manufacture the liquid, i.e., 250 xp = 250 gp basic costs and 3 full days of time. The cost and number of days required to brew the potion once in possession of a formula uses the same figures. Contextually the suggestion is the cost for a PC. But what about hiring an alchemist, who needs to make a profit?

To hire an alchemist, a potion formula costs the XP value of the potion in gp (materials) + 150 gp/week (salary). The xp range of potions varies from 200 xp-1000 xp. Weighting the potion experience point values and costs by frequency, the average potion in the DMG is 367 xp or an average cost of 4 days: 400 gp (materials) + 100 gp (salary). But creation of the formula shouldn’t be guaranteed. Using S&M the chance of success is 6, with a -3 penalty, or 15%. Failure requires an additional full week (400 gp + 150 gp). It will on average take four tries to create a formula (.85×.85×.85×.85), making the average formula “value” of the average potion 2,150 gp (500 + 550 × 3). After the formula has been developed, it would not have to be researched again.

The Potion

The cost of creating potions is partially defined in the DMG:

“Both the cost in gold pieces and the days of compounding and infusing are determined by use of the xp award amounts. The xp for a given potion is the amount of gold pieces the magic-user must pay in order to concoct the [initial] basic formula (default to 200 gp). Each hundred or fraction thereof indicates one full day of compounding time to manufacture the liquid, i.e., 250 xp = 250 gp basic costs and 3 full days of time. Most important to the manufacture of a potion is the substance of its power, the special ingredient.”

While defining the basic cost of creating a potion, the DMG does not define the cost of the most important component—the special ingredient. While the obvious solution is that the adventurers gather the special ingredient(s) themselves, there’s the obvious correlation of the gold piece value of a potion and the special ingredient(s) required to construct it. There’s no ready way to figure that out with the data so far—let’s put a pin in that cost for the moment.

The DMG suggests a failure rate of 5%-20% can be assigned to all potion manufacture (resulting in a potion of delusion), but how to know exactly what chance a failure to assign?   S&M defines the chance of success with a formula as 70% + 2% / character level, -1% for each 100 gp of the cost. The character in question creating the potion is a minimum of 7th level, so an average 80% change of success is reasonable, which corresponds with the DMG’s 20% chance of failure plus an additional 2% chance of success for each PC level over 7th, -1% for each 100 gp of the potion cost as listed in the DMG.

What happens when upon failure to create a potion? The DMG suggests that these failures could be the source of the potion of delusion, but that’s uninteresting. The Potion Miscibility Table provides some guidance, and can be readily adapted if the wording is changed a bit (See also White Box: Men & Magic):

 

Dice Score Result

01 EXPLOSION! Those in a 10’ radius take 4-24 hit points, no save.
02-03 A poison gas cloud of 10’ diameter; all within it must save versus poison or die.
04-08 Mild poison which causes nausea and loss of 1 point each of strength and dexterity for 5-20 rounds, no saving throw possible.
09-15 Potion totally destroyed.
16-25 Potion ruined (potion of delusion).
26-35 Potion at 50% normal efficacy.
36-90 Ruined.
91-99 Potion has 150% normal efficacy (You must determine if both effect and duration are permissible, or if only the duration should be extended.)
100 DISCOVERY! The potion’s special formula will cause its effects will be permanent upon the imbiber with harmful side effects.

Weighting the potion xp values and costs by frequency, the average potion in the DMG is 367 xp, with an average gp value/sale price of 924 gp. Producing that average potion will cost 367 gp (materials) + 100 gp (alchemist, 4 days), for a net average profit of 457 gp, or 49%!  However, a few costs are as yet unaccounted for: we haven’t paid for the special ingredient; there’s a ~20% failure rate when creating potions; we haven’t included anything to represent the initial cost of creating the formula in the first place.

In summary so far:

Average cost to research potion formula: 367 xp for 4 weeks @ 100 gp / week (materials) + 150 gp/week (alchemist), with a 15% success rate, average 2150 gp and 5 weeks (technically 3 weeks and 4 days).

Cost to create potion:  For each 100 xp, 1 day and 100 gp (materials) + 25 gp/day (alchemist), average 467 gp.

Chance of failure: 20%, modified by 2% for each level over 7th, -1% for each 100 xp.

To figure out the value of the formula of the potion, I’m going to amortize the initial expense against the cost of creating the formula over a year. For our average potion, each attempt would take 4 days. Our alchemist can’t take time off in the middle of creating a potion, so if working 6 days a week in a 52-week year, our intrepid creator can only produce 1/week for 52 weeks. Taking into account the ~20% failure rate, 42 successful potions would be created in a year. If we amortize the cost of the formula creation over a year’s production (the life of adventurers and alchemists is short), the expense of 2,150 gp to create the formula amortized over the profits of those 42 potions available for sale is 51 gp/potion.

Assuming a 5% return on the investment, the cost formula becomes (assuming the 20% failure rate):

(Sales Price * 4) – ((Formula Cost + Material Cost + Alchemist Cost + Special Ingredient Cost) * 5) = 5% (Formula Cost + Material Cost + Alchemist Cost + Special Ingredient Cost)

OR

(924*4) – (51 + 367 + 100 + Special Ingredient)*5 = .5% * (51 + 367 + 100 + Special Ingredient)
3696 – (518+Special Ingredient)*5 = .05* (518 + Special Ingredient)

20*3692 – 100(518 + Special) = 518 + Special

73840 – 100(518 + Special) = 518 + Special

73322 – 100*(518 + Special) = Special

73322 – 51800 – ( 100 × Special )  = Special

21522 – (100 × Special )= Special

22522  = 101 Special

Special Ingredient = 223 gp

223 gp is 24% of the potion’s average sale price of 924 gp, providing an average value of the special ingredient (or ingredients) purchased in any potion created: 24% of the sale price (average 231 gp).

The ingredient cost can be used to determine the street value of potion components were the party to get into the business of selling potion components. Assuming a 50% markup before being purchased by a wholesaler selling alchemical components, an average potion’s raw special component(s) is worth roughly 152 gp.

Final results for creating a potion, with the help of an alchemist in his lab:

Average Cost to research formula: 4 weeks @ 100 gp / week (materials) + 150 gp/week (alchemist), average 2,150 gp.

Cost to create potion, assuming a 5% profit margin for the alchemist who created the potion: xp value in gold + 24% of the sale price of the potion (special ingredient) + 25 gp/day (alchemist). Takes 1 day / each 100 xp of potion, average cost 688 gp.

Chance of failure for each potion: 20%, + 2% for each level over 7th level, -1% for each 100 xp.

Other math, such as how much are the costs if the PCs create the formula, or provide their own ingredients, should be readily calculable using the above assumptions.

Extending that data to components required for other magic items, a baseline of ~24% of the cost of magic item creation is the materials.

Appendix

It’s also worth noting that Dragon #130 has an extended article on the Alchemist class, which divides the potions into “levels” for a different method of determining the cost of the potion formula. The article includes other suggestions, such as: an expanded list of special ingredients for particular potions; a different Failure Table; a much higher rate of potion creation (one level of potion/day per alchemist level); and limiting the level of potion creation by the level of alchemist.

Previous versions of the Alchemist class are included in Dragon issues #2, 45, and 49. Dragon #2 (1976, D&D) also ranks the potions by level and a methodology to determining time and cost to produce. Dragon #45 suggests a detailed methodology for potion identification. Dragon #49 lists various ways failed potions could adversely affect the user, and also suggests that substituting special components with an increased rate of failure.

Dragon #2, 1976 (D&D)
Lists potions by level of difficulty to create.
Potions require 200 gp + 1 week/level of potion to produce.
Research costs are the same as that for a MU researching spells.
40% more likely to create a potion formula with an example.
Lists potions by level, and several new potions.

Dragon #45, January 1981
Specialist alchemists.
Monthly salary of 30-120 gp + 10,000 gp for the lab.
Potion identification costs 100-150 gp/day, identifying potions at xp/100 hours) with ~95% accuracy.

Dragon #49, May 1981
Lists potions by difficulty to create.
Alchemists as a spell-casting class.
Substituting ingredients increases chance of failure.

Dragon #130, Feb., 1988. “Better Living Through Alchemy. Poison and Potions: The alchemist NPC class”
Lists potion special ingredients

Player’s Option:  Skills & Powers, 1995.
Alchemist

Player’s Option: Spells & Magic, 1996.

All Inn

Last updated: 200704

PCs in one of my campaigns recently acquired an inn. So what’s it cost to run and maintain an inn for the AD&D universe? How much money could the PCs make? One study of real-world services showed that full-service restaurants at all levels spent about 33% of each dollar on the cost of food and beverages, 33% on wages, and from 5-6% on restaurant occupancy costs. Hotels also spend roughly 33% on wages and 6% on occupancy. Energy costs are around 6%. Net profit margins on restaurants vary around 3%, and hotels vary around 5%, so when performing calculations the net profit should be about 4%. How can we extrapolate this to the AD&D world?

I reviewed the inns from a variety of modules (T1-4, N2, L2, N1) for food costs, number of rooms, and occupancy. For the average inn, averaging everything (meaning there could be better or worse, using a combination of mean and median):

Restaurant Revenue
Breakfast: 1 sp
Lunch: 3 sp
Dinner: 5 sp
Ale: 1 sp
Average number of customers at any one time: 10

Assuming 2 hours of breakfast, lunch, and dinner, turnover every hour, plus bar for 6 hours: (2*10*1 sp)+(2*10*3 sp)+(2*10*(5 sp+1 sp))+(1 sp*10*6*2) = 20 sp +60 sp +120 sp +120 sp = 300 sp / night, or 9,000 sp / month.

Room Revenue
Private room (8 rooms): 2 gp each
Dorm room (12 beds): 10 sp each
Occupancy: 50%
Each night 4*2 gp + 6*10 sp = 220 sp, or 6,600 sp / month.

Gross Income
9,000 sp/month (restaurant) + 6,600 sp/month (rooms) = 15,600 sp/month.

Staff Expenses  (per month)
Innkeeper: 100 gp/level (Level 2)
Cook: 1@10 gp
Barkeep: 1@5 gp
Serving Wenches: 2@2 gp
Potboys/scullions/maid: 3@1 gp
Stableman: 2@1.5 gp
200+10+5+2*2 + 3*1+2*1.5= 225 gp/month or 4,500 sp/month staff expense. That’s 29% of the month income of 15,600 sp, tolerably close to the anticipated 33% of 5,148 sp, indicating that the staffing estimate calculated by AD&D expenses is at least in the right ballpark!

Expenses

Food cost of 33% of food sales
Staff cost of 33%
Occupancy Cost (rent) of 6%
Taxes/tithes/duties/graft/licensing of 10%
Repair/replacement/renewal of 10%
LHF (Light/Heating/Fuel) of 6%
Sales and marketing of 6%
Miscellaneous cost of 6%

Or 15,600 sp – 3,000 sp (food) – 12,012 sp (77%) = 588 sp profit (4%) each month.

The profit margin can adjust by varying those expense values, but a better adjustment is to adjust the income parameters, so that profit remains around 4%.

What if the owner should choose to sell?  Well, a well-established business typically sells for a multiple in the range of two to four times annual adjusted net income. A one or two multiple, on the other hand, would be associated with an enterprise in which the buyer assumes greater risk. Since the average business sells for one to five times the adjusted net income, should the owner of an inn choose to sell, it would return a sale price of 1-5 times the annual profit, based on the stability of the local market.

https://www.quora.com/What-are-some-of-the-biggest-expenses-in-the-hotel-business

Population

Last Updated:  170401…200704

I use Mystara as the basis of my campaign world. Overall population of the Grand Duchy is about 621,400 people, including 537,800 humans, 41,900 demi-humans, 36,050 humanoids, and 5,650 other creatures (taking into account only the races who are represented by not less than 100 members in the country). When the PCs seek assistance (such as finding a cleric of high enough level to cast Raise Dead), how many people in the Kingdom are leveled characters to aid them?

Using the framework provided by the DMG, on average 1 in 100 of the human (and half-orc) general population are suitable for level advancement (other races have an incidence of 1 in 50). The base NPC population is defined as 44% Fighter, 20% Cleric, 20% MU, 15% Thief, and 1% Monk, or:
35.2% Fighters
17% Clerics
17% Magic-users
12.5% Thieves
4.4% Paladins
4.4% Rangers
3% Druids
3% Illusionists
2.5% Assassins
1% Monks

Assuming a baseline 600,000 pop, 1 in 100 is leveled, or 6,000 people have levels in the kingdom. Assuming level ratios roughly match experience points (XP), the number at each level would halve, so:

3,000 are level 1
1,500 are level 2
750 are level 3
375 are level 4
188 are level 5
94 are level 6
47 are level 7
24 are level 8
12 are level 9
6 are level 10
3 are level 11
2 are level 12
1 are level 13

Reversing that math, for our 600,000 population:
1 in 200 are level 1
1 in 400 are level 2
1 in 800 are level 3
1 in 1,600 are level 4
1 in 3,200 are level 5
1 in 6,400 are level 6
1 in 12,800 are level 7
1 in 25,000 are level 8
1 in 50,000 are level 9
1 in 100,000 are level 10
1 in 200,000 are level 11
1 in 400,000 are level 12
1 in 800,000 are level 13 (Note of our 600,000 population)

Out of 6,000 leveled people:

2,640 fighters, (264 rangers, 264 paladins)
1,200 clerics (200 druids)
1,200 magic users (200 illusionists)
900 thieves (150 assassins)
60 monks

So there are 94 people (approximately 100) in all of Karameikos that are level 6:

44 fighters (including 4 rangers and 4 paladins)
20 clerics (of which 3 are druids)
20 magic users (of which 3 are illusionists)
15 Thieves (of which there are 2 assassins)
1 Monk

If factoring in the actual class XP tables instead of just level, you get a slightly different ratio (although it doesn’t start to change until 3rd level, and doesn’t change much after that). Taking into account the XP tables, for the approximately 100 people in Karameikos that are level 6:

43 fighters (5 rangers and 5 paladins included)
20 clerics (of which 4 are druids)
20 magic users (of which 4 are illusionists)
15 Thieves (of which there are 3 assassins)
1 Monk

So the level 9 cleric the party is seeking? Well, there are 12 level 9 NPCs (and they aren’t all necessarily good guys!):

3.17 level 9 fighters
1.53 level 9 clerics
1.53  level 9 magic users
1.125 level 9 thieves
.4 level 9 paladins
.4 level 9 rangers
.27 level 9 druids
.27 level 9 illusionists
.225 level 9 assassins
.09 level 9 monks

The numbers above for 1 in 100 are for leveled characters in general, and aren’t quite right at the higher levels (not enough monks and druids, for example). Most of those leveled NPCs will be in a situation where they are currently satisfied with their lot in life. When considering henchmen, on average only 1 in 10 of those leveled NPCs are interested in offers of employment. In areas of active adventuring, that could be as favorable as 1 in 2. In a settled and staid area that incidence could be as low as 1 in 50.

These population numbers normally shouldn’t include those that are actively adventuring (which would include the PCs). Those of high level would, likely, concentrate in cities except for those who are reclusive (clerics in town, MUs out of town except where there’s a school or something, for example).

Being Mercenary

Last updated: 170301…201015

The DMG discusses the different hirelings available to the PCs. But once PCs start hiring soldiers, things start to get complicated! Hired troops require sergeants, lieutenants, captains, and an entire support staff.

  • Level 0 troop costs: Archer 5gp/month, Crossbowman 4gp/month, Footman(L/M/H): 2/3/10, Horseman L/M/H: 10/15/20
  • Every 10 level-0 troops require a sergeant (level 0), with a pay rate of 10x that of the troops commanded.
  • Troops require a lieutenant (level 2/3) , who can command as many squads of 10 as the lieutenant has levels, at 100 gp/level/month.
  • A captain (level 4+) can command as many scores (20) of troops as they have levels, also at 100 gp/month.

The DMG also defines a required support staff. Each of the roles includes whatever apprentices are required, as well as miscellaneous costs, such as clothing and food. That’s handy, because it means we don’t have to calculate the costs to feed the troops!

  • *For every 40 troops, a blacksmith is required (30 gp / month)
    • +1 blacksmith for each additional 160 troops, or fraction thereof)
  • *For every 40 troops, an armorer is required (100 gp/month)
  • *For every 80 troops, a weapon smith is required (100 gp/month)

There are some other roles that are clearly missing from the DMG:

  • *For every 40 troops, a leatherworker is required (1.5 gp/month)
  • *For every 40 troops, a tailor is required (1.5 gp/month) (see armorer)
  • *For every 40 troops, a woodworker is required (2 gp/month) (see armorer)
  • For every 40 troops, three cooks are required (scaled across the three meals) (15 gp/month)
  • For every 40 troops, a teamster is required (5 gp/month)

*While the costs still apply, will not travel on assignments less than one month.

Additional base costs a mercenary troop  have to be considered as part of their maintenance:

  • The armorer requires a workshop (310 gp-400 gp)
  • The blacksmith requires a forge, hammer, and anvil.

So let’s build a mercenary company of 40 men: 10 archers, 10 cavalry, and 20 light foot. Consider that the officers aren’t included in the leadership numbers.

  • 10 archers (5 gpe) + sergeant (50 gp) + archer lieutenant level 2 (200 gp) = 300 gp/month
  • 10 light footmen (2 gpe) + sergeant (20 gp) + footmen lieutenant level 2 (200 gp) = 240 gp/month
  • 10 light footmen (2 gpe) + sergeant (20 gp) (using other footmen lieutenant level 2) = 40 gp/month
  • 10 light cavalry (10 gpe) + sergeant (100 gp) + cavalry lieutenant level 2 (200 gp) = 400 gp/month
  • captain level 4 (400 gp) = 400 gp
    ——-
    1380 gp/month for the troops

 

  • Blacksmith 30 gp/month
  • Armorer 100 gp/month
  • Weapon smith 100 gp/month
  • Associated standard hirelings: 28 gp/month
  • 10% maintenance on armorer and blacksmith: 35 gp/month
    ——-
    293 gp/month for the support staff

Operating expenses for this troop of 40 men is a mere 1673 gp/month! Even without counting the included assistants and apprentices, our troop of 40 men works out to an actual 58.

When on the road, they need to add a teamster for each of the specialized hirelings (to carry their stuff around), and another for the collection of standard hirelings, which would add an additional 20 gp/month.

Scaling up becomes fairly simple in units of 10. Each two units of 10 add a lieutenant for 200 gp/month. For each additional 160 men (80-200 troops) add an additional blacksmith for 30 gp/month. For each additional 80-160 men (or fraction thereof), you have to hire another captain capable of leading them; an 8th level captain would be able to lead 160 troops for 800 gp/month. If you put them all in a castle, you need a steward/castellan; the castellan can command 40 men/level, but costs 200 gp/level.

You can substitute other troops in from the example above:

  • 10 crossbowmen (4 gpe) + sergeant (40 gp) + crossbow lieutenant level 2 (200 gp) = 280 gp/month, or -20 gp over archers
  • 10 heavy footmen (10 gpe) + sergeant (100 gp) + heavy footmen lieutenant level 2 (200 gp) = 400 gp/month, or +160 gp over light footmen
  • 10 medium footmen (3 gpe) + sergeant (30 gp) + medium footmen lieutenant level 2 (200 gp)= 260 gp/month, or +20 gp over light footmen
  • 10 medium cavalry (15 gpe) + sergeant (150 gp) + cavalry lieutenant level 2 (200 gp) = 500 gp/month, or +100 gp over light cavalry
  • 10 heavy cavalry (20 gpe) + sergeant (200 gp) + cavalry lieutenant level 2 (200 gp) = 600 gp/month, or +200 gp over light cavalry

Every second squad is -200 gp/month, as they don’t need a lieutenant.

You also have to take into account the “hiring bonus” of needing to buy the soldiers arms and armor.

Note: Hazardous duty pay at a daily rate is 1 month for 1 day (basically x30). For my campaign, all rates double when applied to hazardous duty (applicable to support staff only when on the road for more than 30 days).