Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
B/X's Basic and Expert rulebooks can't agree on what a “hireling” actually is — and the fix TSR left buried in a 1981 footnote settles the argument for good.
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A viewer asked a straightforward question in the comments: can hirelings enter the dungeon, and do torch bearers or porters count as retainers or hirelings? I went straight to the source — the D&D Basic rulebook, the D&D Expert rulebook, and the Rules Cyclopedia — and found out the books themselves don't agree with each other. Basic calls retainers “hirelings” and sends them into the dungeon. Expert uses the same word for specialists and mercenaries, who explicitly do not go into the dungeon. Torch bearers and porters as named hireling types? Not in B/X at all — that's an AD&D 1st Edition convention.
More importantly: buried in the Expert rulebook's mercenary pay table is a footnote that hands the DM a blank check for hazard pay on dungeon work. That's the rule I've run at my table for over 40 years without knowing it was sanctioned — combat pay, five times normal wage, minimum, no negotiating. This video walks through what the rules actually say, why two 1981 rulebooks ended up disagreeing, the house rule that made the argument moot at my table, and whether anyone (OSE, specifically) ever cleaned the terminology up.
The Tavern Rules: We’re here for B/X and OSR gaming. I use AI as a tool to help organize and format my notes, but every ruling and opinion is 100% Tenkar. Keep it civil, keep it old-school, or the bouncer will show you the door.
Basic Rules (Moldvay) PDF & Print - drivethrurpg.com/en/product/110274/d-d-basic-set-rulebook-b-x-ed-basic?src=newest_print&affiliate_id=1446
Expert Rules (Marsh/Cook) PDF & Print - drivethrurpg.com/en/product/110792/d-d-expert-set-rulebook-b-x-ed-basic?affiliate_id=1446
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Master Minion: mortgagemike77, Randt Chrockett, Eric Fox, The Veteran DM, Cathulhu17, Don Bakke, DoubleDeuce, skink, Kore44, Louis Feurino, Craig Aylward, Anthon Kron, Ijimisan, Terry Taylor, blahlbinoa, Arbiter's Archive, Dean Salsberry, DM Angelo, Douglas Pearson, James Spahn, Mathew Sherman, Agile Monk
Companion Minions: Andrey Zharinov, Brett C, Spode Racing, Tacoloco787, Adam Lovell, Plush Cthulhu, DM_Sahrenyth, Gabe Guerrero, Chris Charlton, Chris Blatnick, Nicodemus ShadowCaster, Christopher Beattie, No one, Stephen Klow, Mark the Shark, Eupolemos, Jay, Martin Penny, tim cafferty, Rubens Barrichello, Curt Gould, Estaban Vasquez, Glen K. Amo
youtube.com/channel/UCIdpAASpAI7vu-bZx6pP_mQ
#OSR #DnD #BXDnD #TTRPG #TenkarsTavern #Hirelings #Retainers
B/X's Basic and Expert rulebooks can't agree on what a “hireling” actually is — and the fix TSR left buried in a 1981 footnote settles the argument for good.
🔥 JOIN THE MINIONS: youtube.com/@TenkarsTavern/join
A viewer asked a straightforward question in the comments: can hirelings enter the dungeon, and do torch bearers or porters count as retainers or hirelings? I went straight to the source — the D&D Basic rulebook, the D&D Expert rulebook, and the Rules Cyclopedia — and found out the books themselves don't agree with each other. Basic calls retainers “hirelings” and sends them into the dungeon. Expert uses the same word for specialists and mercenaries, who explicitly do not go into the dungeon. Torch bearers and porters as named hireling types? Not in B/X at all — that's an AD&D 1st Edition convention.
More importantly: buried in the Expert rulebook's mercenary pay table is a footnote that hands the DM a blank check for hazard pay on dungeon work. That's the rule I've run at my table for over 40 years without knowing it was sanctioned — combat pay, five times normal wage, minimum, no negotiating. This video walks through what the rules actually say, why two 1981 rulebooks ended up disagreeing, the house rule that made the argument moot at my table, and whether anyone (OSE, specifically) ever cleaned the terminology up.
The Tavern Rules: We’re here for B/X and OSR gaming. I use AI as a tool to help organize and format my notes, but every ruling and opinion is 100% Tenkar. Keep it civil, keep it old-school, or the bouncer will show you the door.
Basic Rules (Moldvay) PDF & Print - drivethrurpg.com/en/product/110274/d-d-basic-set-rulebook-b-x-ed-basic?src=newest_print&affiliate_id=1446
Expert Rules (Marsh/Cook) PDF & Print - drivethrurpg.com/en/product/110792/d-d-expert-set-rulebook-b-x-ed-basic?affiliate_id=1446
Join The Tavern’s Discord Server (It's Free):
discord.gg/fReGmuD
Buy me a Beer!
ko-fi.com/tenkar
The Tavern uses affiliate links - using our affiliate links supports the channel without costing you anything extra.
Humble Bundle: humblebundleinc.sjv.io/da4WJ2
The Tavern’s Amazon Storefront: amzn.to/41Jm0oG
DriveThruRPG: drivethrurpg.com/en/?affiliate_id=1446
Fantasy Grounds VTT: affiliates.fantasygrounds.com/388855/15958
The Tavern uses Restream for its livestreams and its long-form videos. You can too! restream.io/join/g5Qpgr
The Tavern also uses VidIQ: vidiq.com/TenkarsTavern
Master Minion: mortgagemike77, Randt Chrockett, Eric Fox, The Veteran DM, Cathulhu17, Don Bakke, DoubleDeuce, skink, Kore44, Louis Feurino, Craig Aylward, Anthon Kron, Ijimisan, Terry Taylor, blahlbinoa, Arbiter's Archive, Dean Salsberry, DM Angelo, Douglas Pearson, James Spahn, Mathew Sherman, Agile Monk
Companion Minions: Andrey Zharinov, Brett C, Spode Racing, Tacoloco787, Adam Lovell, Plush Cthulhu, DM_Sahrenyth, Gabe Guerrero, Chris Charlton, Chris Blatnick, Nicodemus ShadowCaster, Christopher Beattie, No one, Stephen Klow, Mark the Shark, Eupolemos, Jay, Martin Penny, tim cafferty, Rubens Barrichello, Curt Gould, Estaban Vasquez, Glen K. Amo
youtube.com/channel/UCIdpAASpAI7vu-bZx6pP_mQ
#OSR #DnD #BXDnD #TTRPG #TenkarsTavern #Hirelings #Retainers
