Specialists🔗
PCs may wish to hire all types of characters for non-combat and non-adventuring purposes (i.e., not mercenaries or retainers) and are termed specialists.
Note that specialists are hired to perform non-adventuring services and are not treated as retainers. Unlike retainers, there is no limit on the number of specialists a character may employ.
The most common types of specialists and their usual monthly wage are described. The referee may add new types of specialists as desired.
Locating Specialists🔗
Specialists can be located by posting notices or inquiring at suitable guilds. The response will depend on the availability of suitable specialists in the area and the offer made.
Wages and Upkeep🔗
The monthly rate of pay includes food and essential gear.
| Specialist | Wage per Month |
|---|---|
| Alchemist | 1,000gp |
| Animal trainer | 500gp |
| Armorer | 100gp |
| Assistant armorer | 15gp |
| Blacksmith | 25gp |
| Engineer | 750gp |
| Navigator | 150gp |
| Oarsman | 2gp |
| Sage | 2,000gp |
| Sailor | 10gp |
| Ship’s captain | 250gp |
| Spy | 500gp (or more) |
Alchemist🔗
Recreating potions: Based on a sample or recipe, an alchemist can produce a potion at twice the normal speed and for half the normal cost (see Magical Research).
Researching potions: An alchemist may also research new potions, but this takes twice as long and costs twice as much as normal.
Animal Trainer🔗
Trainers are required for exotic creatures or larger numbers of common animals (e.g., dogs, horses, mules).
Specialty: Each animal trainer specializes in a single type of animal.
Number of animals: A trainer can work with up to 6 animals at a time.
Time required: The referee decides the time required to train an animal, depending on the difficulty of the training and the animal’s intelligence. Learning the first new behavior or trick typically takes at least one month. Subsequent behaviors take at least two weeks each.
Interruptions: Training of all desired behaviors must occur back to back. If interrupted, the animal becomes unable to learn further behaviors.
Armorer🔗
Producing weapons and armor: An armorer can produce five weapons, three shields, or one suit of armor per month.
Maintaining mercenaries’ gear: A dedicated armorer is required per 50 troops.
Assistants: An armorer’s output (either in arms produced or troops maintained) may be doubled by hiring two assistant armorers and one blacksmith. The armorer's production may be quadrupled if four assistants and two blacksmiths are hired. An armorer cannot coordinate more assistants than this.
Assistant Armorer🔗
Apprentices who may work under an armorer to increase the production rate (see Armorer).
Blacksmith🔗
Craftsmen trained in the art of forging metal. Blacksmiths may be hired to work under an armorer to increase the rate of production (see Armorer).
Engineer🔗
Engineers are experts in planning and managing construction projects, for example, building strongholds (see Construction).
Number required: One engineer is needed per 100,000 gp cost of the project.
Specialty: Certain races may have special expertise (e.g., a dwarf engineer may specialize in subterranean construction).
Navigator🔗
Experts in navigating the high seas. A ship that travels beyond sight of land becomes lost if a navigator is not aboard (see Waterborne Adventuring).
Oarsman🔗
Normal humans employed to power rowed ships; not trained for combat.
Sage🔗
Sages are very rare individuals who devote their lives to studying obscure knowledge. A sage may be consulted to answer unusual questions.
Time and cost: The referee must judge the time and cost required to research the answer to a question.
Chance of success: There is never a 100% chance of finding an answer.
Sailor🔗
Normal humans trained in the handling of sailing ships. Sailors can fight to defend their ships, typically equipped with a sword, shield, and leather armor.
Ship’s Captain🔗
A seasoned sailor required to command a larger ship. A captain is familiar with the waters around the coasts they frequent.
Spy🔗
A spy is hired to gather information about a person or group. The spy may be an outsider trying to infiltrate or a traitor already connected with the person or group to be spied upon.
Class: Spies are often NPC thieves but may be of any character class.
Time: The referee will determine the time required for the job.
Chance of success: Based on the circumstances, the referee judges the chance of the mission succeeding.
Reliability: The referee may also secretly decide a chance of the spy betraying the character.