On 0-Level Retainers

Among those servants that a PC might employ, it’s possible that he finds a likely lad of 0th level, takes a shine to him, and adds him as a retainer. Such an event should be rare, but possible. 

In such a case, the new retainer may attain level one by earning 100 XP and training for a week. We assume that such training as is available has been going on thwence, or else such a hireling would not show the aptitude necessary to catch the PC’s eye. 

The new first-level human retainer will have a class as determined by the following table; of course, dwarfs and hobbits will enter into their natural class. 

If the PC is:

Fighter 

• Fighter 1-60
• Cleric 61-90
• Wizard 91-100

Cleric

• Fighter 01-40
• Cleric 41-70
• Wizard 71-00

Magic-User

• Fighter 01-40
• Cleric 41-50
• Wizard 51-00

Dwarf

• Fighter 01-85
• Cleric 86-00

Elf

• Fighter 01-40
• Cleric 41-50
• Wizard 51-90
• Forester 91-00

Hobbit 

• Fighter 01-70
• Cleric 71-90
• Wizard 91-00

If the player abuses this rule to raise his minions to a level and then demote them, these minions will begin to desert him and he will have found his reputation has diminished. He will find he has a hard time finding followers of anything but the most cursory type.