In general No. If a specific module or hardcover allows you to hire associates then the module will say so. For example, in Tomb of Annihilation, one of the first things the party usually does is hire an NPC guide and all the hardcovers can be played under AL rules as part of an AL legal adventure. However, DMs are not free to make up hirelings that an AL player can hire .. any details like that will be in the module being run. The one exception to this is that AL players can hire spellcasting services in terms of purchasing a spell cast by an NPC. This has a specific expense in terms of downtime days, gold and/or treasure points depending on the spell being cast.
P.S. In previous seasons, any NPCs in the party would receive a full share of experience earned by the party. However, under season 8 rules, ACP and TCP are earned independent of party size or specific encounters so if you do have NPCs in your party in season 8 then it shouldn't, in general, affect the ACP earned.
From my understanding you can hire someone for entirely role play purposes. I am a noble and hire a cook and hair stylist. They get no combat or adventure assistance but you do enjoy a nice home cooked meal every time and have beautiful hair
Do you have a citation for this? I can't see anything about it in the AL players guide or dms guide.
I searched through those too looking for a specific ruling and found Under "Spell-casting services" in the ALDMG ..
"Services provided by an NPC are limited to this list."
Note that the quote doesn't specify "Spellcasting services" ... it refers to ALL "Services".
This is included in both the ALDMG and pretty much every module so the ONLY services that can be obtained from an NPC are the specific spellcasting services in the list. You can't hire any other services (so no mercenaries etc) [except where the module has specific exceptions as in ToA mentioned above]
However, as a previous poster mentioned, most DMs are probably not going to object to a player that claims to have a cook, butler or squire hired on as long as they are only there for role play reasons and have no mechanical impact on the game. They won't be targeted, they can't attack, they basically don't exist for any interaction except for role playing (assuming the DM allows them for flavor reasons).
Can my AL character purchse the services of hirelings? A mercenary soldier or a spear carrier, for example, as per PHB Equipment chapter.
If so, what would the cost be, in both gold and xp (if applicable)?
In general No. If a specific module or hardcover allows you to hire associates then the module will say so. For example, in Tomb of Annihilation, one of the first things the party usually does is hire an NPC guide and all the hardcovers can be played under AL rules as part of an AL legal adventure. However, DMs are not free to make up hirelings that an AL player can hire .. any details like that will be in the module being run. The one exception to this is that AL players can hire spellcasting services in terms of purchasing a spell cast by an NPC. This has a specific expense in terms of downtime days, gold and/or treasure points depending on the spell being cast.
P.S. In previous seasons, any NPCs in the party would receive a full share of experience earned by the party. However, under season 8 rules, ACP and TCP are earned independent of party size or specific encounters so if you do have NPCs in your party in season 8 then it shouldn't, in general, affect the ACP earned.
From my understanding you can hire someone for entirely role play purposes. I am a noble and hire a cook and hair stylist. They get no combat or adventure assistance but you do enjoy a nice home cooked meal every time and have beautiful hair
Do you have a citation for this? I can't see anything about it in the AL players guide or dms guide.
I searched through those too looking for a specific ruling and found Under "Spell-casting services" in the ALDMG ..
"Services provided by an NPC are limited to this list."
Note that the quote doesn't specify "Spellcasting services" ... it refers to ALL "Services".
This is included in both the ALDMG and pretty much every module so the ONLY services that can be obtained from an NPC are the specific spellcasting services in the list. You can't hire any other services (so no mercenaries etc) [except where the module has specific exceptions as in ToA mentioned above]
However, as a previous poster mentioned, most DMs are probably not going to object to a player that claims to have a cook, butler or squire hired on as long as they are only there for role play reasons and have no mechanical impact on the game. They won't be targeted, they can't attack, they basically don't exist for any interaction except for role playing (assuming the DM allows them for flavor reasons).