5e Hirelings

I recently had cause to include hirelings in a 5e adventure. This is a simple class to represent them, with a feature where if a player character dies, the player can pick up a hireling and continue as a full-fledged character. Until then they are simple to play, competent but with limited options, and largely defined by their skills.

Most of my games use the standard array for ability scores, so for hirelings I just replaced the 15 with another 10. I also use feats, so one human hireling started as an initiate until picking up his second level as a 1st level wizard, and the hunter hireling had crossbow expertise.

Class Features

As a hireling, you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d8 per hireling level

Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier

Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per hireling level after 1st

Proficiencies

Armor: Light armor, shields

Weapons: Simple weapons

Tools: None

Saving Throws: None

Skills: Skip choosing a background but pick any two skills.

Equipment

Start with a simple weapon and 3 days of rations wrapped in a blanket. Your skill proficiencies grant your other starting equipment.

If you roll or choose the same result twice, increase the associated ability by 2.

1. Nothing. If you roll this twice increase all abilities by 2.
2. Acrobatics: 50 feet of hemp rope or 10 foot pole.
3. Animal Handling: Pack animal or trained dog.
4. Arcana: Component pouch or arcane focus.
5. Athletics: Climber’s kit or sledgehammer.
6. Deception: Forgery kit or disguise kit.
7. History: Minor icon or journal, pen, and ink.
8. Insight: Tobacco pipe or journal, pen, and ink.
9. Intimidation: Hourglass or manacles.
10. Investigation: Lantern or magnifying glass.
11. Medicine: Healer's kit or antitoxin.
12. Nature: Herbalism kit or hunting trap.
13. Perception: Signal whistle or steel mirror.
14. Performance: Disguise kit or musical instrument.
15. Persuasion: Fine clothes or bottle of fine wine.
16. Religion: Holy water or holy symbol.
17. Sleight of Hand: Gaming set or thieves' tools.
18. Stealth: Caltrops or ball bearings.
19. Survival: 50 feet of hemp rope or fishing tackle and a tent.
20. Roll again twice.

Then choose or roll one. d4 suggestions for easy-to-run spells follow but you can choose:

1. Leather armor.
2. Padded armor and a shield.
3. Light crossbow and bolts.
4. Riding mount.
5. Shield and three spears.
6. Attendant (All abilities 7, 6 hp, staff -2 d8-2)
7. Once per session, cast a warlock cantrip (prestidigitation, mage hand, eldritch blast, friends)
8. Once per session, cast a druid cantrip (druidcraft, resistance, produce flame, mending)
9. Once per session, cast a cleric cantrip (thaumaturgy, spare the dying, sacred flame, light)
10. Once per session, cast a wizard cantrip (prestidigitation, message, fire bolt, light)

Level	Features
1	Aspirant
2	Exaltation
3
4	Ability Score Improvement
5
6
7
8	Ability Score Improvement
9
10

Aspirant

Every other character level, you must take a level of another class. This follows normal multiclassing rules, so hirelings don't receive saving throw proficiencies. For example, a 5th level hireling would have 3 levels of the hireling class and 2 levels of any other class.

Exaltation

If your employer perishes, you can take up one of their ideals as an action. If you do so, convert levels of hireling into levels of another, existing class. Your hit dice change to match your class, but not maximum hit points. You gain all the proficiencies a character who started in that class would gain.

You may no longer advance as a hireling.