Hirelings (Untrained)

You can recruit untrained hirelings to accompany you on your adventures. Untrained hirelings are hired for menial work that requires no particular skill and can include laborers, porters, maids, and similar workers. The DM determines which (if any) NPCs are available for hiring based on where and how you conduct your recruitment. You can be accompanied on your adventures by a number of hirelings up to your proficiency bonus.

Untrained Hirelings use the commoner (2014) or commoner (2024) stat block. The DM can give these hirelings names, personalities, and species/lineages, but these details don’t affect their stat block.

Combat

Your untrained hirelings are employed to perform mundane tasks; they are not hired to fight for you and will not follow you into obviously dangerous areas (such as dungeons). However, your untrained hirelings may find themselves in combat against their intentions (e.g., during a roadside ambush while employed as porters).

You control your untrained hirelings in combat and they take their turn on your initiative count, immediately after your turn. Untrained hirelings have only three action options they can take during their turn: Dash, Disengage, and Dodge. They must also use their movement to move away from the nearest visible threat using the safest available path. An untrained hireling may use their reaction as normal.

You can use your action or bonus action on your turn to direct one untrained hireling to move differently than they normally would, such as to avoid a hazard or follow a specific path.

Proficiencies

Untrained hirelings are only proficient with:
 •  Armour: Padded armour.
 •  Weapons: Clubs.

Adventuring Gear

All untrained hirelings wear common clothes and carry a sack containing:
 •  a blanket,
 •  a mess kit,
 •  a tinderbox,
 •  a waterskin. 

Pay

Untrained hirelings require payment for their services. Their daily rate, in silver pieces, is equal to your proficiency bonus multiplied by their 'loyalty pay modifier' which is determined by their loyalty score (DMG 2014 pg. 93 / DMG 2024 pg. 89).

For example, an untrained hireling hired by a 5th-level character (+3 proficiency bonus) with a loyalty score of 8 (x2 loyalty pay modifier) would be paid 6 (3x2) silver pieces each day. An untrained hireling with a loyalty score of 0 will refuse to work for you and will leave at the earliest opportunity.

At the DM's discretion, your untrained hirelings may request additional pay for particularly demanding tasks.