Henchman

“

When you find yourself in a town or outpost without enough players with which to form an adventuring party, or if you wish to adventure without other players, you may add henchman [sic] to your party. To do so, simply left-click on that henchman, then click on the "+" symbol next to that henchman's name in your party window. You may continue to add henchmen until your party is full.

During a mission, henchman [sic] will follow you and attack the targets you choose. They'll also heal your party and resurrect fallen party members if possible. Remember that henchman [sic] take their share of the spoils of each mission, including experience points and loot.

— Tablet of Wisdom

Players gather in outposts and towns, organizing expeditions for their journeys outside city gates. Whenever your character is in town, you may occasionally find it difficult to assemble an ideal group of players. When this happens, you can usually find several NPC adventurers waiting near the town gates, ready for recruitment.

Game Mechanics

Henchmen are computer-controlled adventurers who are always ready to travel with you. Some players hire one or two henchmen to round out a team. Others actually prefer to play alone, using one character to lead an entire team of henchmen, often complemented with heroes.

Party Search

In order to hire a henchman, press "p" on your keyboard to open the Party Search panel. After that, click on the tab that reads "Henchmen". Then choose on the ones you want by clicking on them and choosing "add" on the bottom-right hand corner of the panel. Double-clicking the names will also add them to your party, or remove if they were already added. You can also add henchmen individually by clicking on the NPC and then on the "+" symbol in your Party Window.

Levels

The level of a "henchie" depends on your current location. When you map travel to another town or outpost, henchmen who aren’t available in that location drop from your team. The ones who remain will have the same level they normally would if you recruited them from the new location. They also take their share of any gold and items you find on your adventures (Although items which drop for them do not appear).

Formation and positioning

Henchmen will stick to a player in a formation according to the player's weapon as illustrated below, where 'x' represents the player.

   2 x 3
   4 5 6
   7 8

OR

   2 3 4
   5 x 6
   7 8

The player will always be in the center position of either the front or the middle row, depending on which weapon type is equipped. Martial weapons will position the player in the front row, whereas players wielding projectile weapons (or without a main hand weapon equipped) will be placed in the middle row. This also means that in a party of four, the player will be in the center, behind the three henchmen.

Regardless of in what order the henchmen are added to the party, they will generally assume a formation from 2 through 8 by a fixed profession order, where the highest rank takes the top left most position:

1. Warrior
2. Dervish
   • Assassin^*
3. Paragon
   • Assassin^*
4. Ranger
5. Necromancer, Mesmer, Elementalist, and Ritualist
6. Monk

• It is unknown at this time what priority rank exists for Assassin henchmen, though it is higher than Ranger, but lower than Warrior.^{[verification requested]}

Henchmen by campaign

Core (Battle Isles)

Zaishen Challenges	Heroes' Ascent	Guild Halls	Codex Arena
Zaishen Fighter Zaishen Archer Zaishen Healer Zaishen Mage	Lora Lanaya Teena the Raptor Adepte Daky Haldibarn Earendul Blahks Divinus Tutela Erick Ghavin Syn Spellstrike Rollo Lowlo Bacchi Coi Hobba Inaste Suzu Fuu Rin Nuno Cole Khai Kemnebi Alsacien Uto Wrotki	Disenmaedel Pudash Dahlia Errol Hyl Lulu Xan Julyia Redemptor Frohs Bellicus Dirk Shadowrise Tannaros Cassie Santi Luzy Fiera Motoko Kai Vincent Evan Hinata Kah Xan Narcissia Aurora Allesandra Blenkeh Zen Siert	Paresh Cardis Marin Soheila Atu Vinson

Prophecies (Tyria)	Factions (Cantha)
Devona Little Thom Stefan Zaishen Fighter Aidan Reyna Zaishen Archer Alesia Lina Mhenlo Zaishen Healer Claude Eve Dunham Cynn Orion Zaishen Mage	Devona Lukas Seaguard Eli Talon Silverwing Aidan Aurora Daeman Yuun Zho	Danika Jamei Redemptor Karl Seaguard Gita Sister Tai Taya Brutus Eve Sheena Su Erys Vasburg Lo Sha Seaguard Hala	Argo Cynn Headmaster Vhang Kai Ying Kisai Emi Mai Nika Panaku Aeson Chiyo Professor Gai
Nightfall (Elona)		Eye of the North (Tyria)
Devona Timera Abasi Aidan Kihm Mhenlo	Eve Odurra Cynn Herta Sogolon Gehraz	Talon Silverwing Devona Aidan Zho Mhenlo Lina	Eve Lo Sha Herta Cynn

Special events

Mad King's Guard (Halloween)

Enchanted Snowman (Wintersday)

Notes

• Henchmen are not available in Ascalon (pre-Searing) in Prophecies. They are also not available in elite mission outposts and cannot be taken into The Underworld and The Fissure of Woe.
• Most of the henchmen are human; the exceptions are:
  • Brutus and Sheena - Wallow
  • Enchanted Snowman - Snowman
  • Mad King's Guard - Candy Corn creature
  • Talon Silverwing - Tengu
• If you perform an emote, your henchmen will also perform a related emote.
• Most henchmen have dialogue when spoken to in outposts and towns.

Anomaly.

• Henchmen move at 104% the speed of player characters and heroes.
• Most Eye of the North henchmen move faster than heroes - a notable exception to this is Eve, who moves at the same pace as heroes.
• Attempting to add a henchman to your party that is already in your party will display the message "That henchman is already in your party." in the chat window.

Bug.Though Necromancer, Mesmer, Elementalist, and Ritualist henchmen share their positioning priority, not all henchmen of these professions will mimic the party order on the field.

See also

• Gameplay manual
• Hero
• Hero behavior (most of the article also applies to henchmen, since heroes and henchmen share the same AI.)