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« on: February 15, 2011, 01:55:13 PM »
That's some great information, Phil. And I tend to agree, but I know some people have used hirelings as "the local militia" or something, and I was pondering if that could be supported too.
Here's what Adam and I are thinking right now:
First of all, we're thinking DW groups should be a bit more like AW Gangs. i.e., grouping enemies shouldn't just be a damage math shortcut, it should actually mean a warband of goblins is a thing, though it can be broken up into individuals. This plays into what's below, because there might be the opportunity for a hireling to be a group.
Hirelings have a level, HP, damage, and maybe armor. They also have a Skill, a Cost, and a Personality.
A Skill is a move or two that reflects a PC class or a useful NPC role, like Adept, Tracker, Priest, etc. Skill moves usually modify player moves, for example adding healing to Make a Camp when you have a Priest. There may need to be some actual moves that players get access to, for things like tracking and picking locks, but they won't work the same as the PC moves.
Cost is what that hireling demands for services. It can be gold, but that's a little boring. Some hirelings may demand honored recognition, arcane secrets, new discoveries, etc.
Personality works a lot like Look does. There's a list of Personalities, you choose one (or make one up, if you feel like it). Things like Surly, Devout, Mischievous, Lazy.
Order Hirelings works like this: When you enter a dangerous area with hirelings, or start a session in a dangerous area with hirelings, roll+Cha. Take -1 for each hireling beyond the first. On a 10+, the hireling provides their Skill, and you owe them their Cost, take note of it. On a 7-9, the hireling provides their Skill only if you pay them their Cost first, including any owed. On a 6-, in addition to anything the GM does, the hireling provides their Skill only if you pay them their Cost first and then refuses to serve you again.
You can only order hirelings of lower level than you.
The one thing that's still bouncing around in my head is: can you order your hireling to go over there and fight that thing while you hang out? If so, how is that handled? Does the GM just make a move?
I think hiring a warrior to defend your wizard is covered, there could be a Defender skill that basically lets you make the Defend move in some way. I'm thinking more about "Hey, we're making camp in this room, can you go next door and take care of those goblins that are still there? They seem pretty easy."