1 or 2e. Cha limit on hench.. Life time or just "NOW"?

[garhkal]

A discussion on henchmen in the dungeon over on DF brought up the question on Charisma's max hench limit..

Page 11 of the 1e PHB says
"It absolutely dictates the total number of hennchmen, a character is able to retain."

under the max # henchmen block it says
"States the # of NPCs who will serve as permanent retainers of the character."

The 2e phb says the same..

However, neither state EXPLICITLY if that means they are a lifetime limit, or just the limit "At this moment in time"..
IE could a character with a 9 charisma (2 hench max) take out 2 henchmen, get one killed, go back to town, recruit another go out, get one killed and have the other flee, then go back to town and recruit 2 more?
OR once that first one died, he's down to just HAVING one, and if he dies/flees that's it?

[JadedDM]

However, neither state EXPLICITLY if that means they are a lifetime limit, or just the limit "At this moment in time"..

I can't speak for 1E, but this isn't true for 2E. In the PHB, chapter 12 (NPCs), under 'Henchmen' it states it quite explicitly:

"A PC's Charisma determines the maximum number of henchmen he can have. This is a lifetime limit, not just a maximum possible at any given time. In a world where the fallen can be restored to life, it is expected that a man would make this effort for his dearest friends, both player characters and henchmen. For example, Rupert the half-elf has had seven henchmen, but all have fallen for one reason or another. Rupert's Charisma is 15, so with the death of his latest henchman, no more come to join him. (Word has obviously gotten around that Rupert's friends tend to meet unpleasant ends, and he doesn't even have the decency to bring them back to life! Even if he had tried to raise his henchmen and failed, Rupert would still be viewed as a jinx, bad luck for those around him.)"

Emphasis mine.

[Cole]

I personally use it as a lifetime limit and they are acquired as I (the DM) feel fit. Some come, so go, but that # in the PHB is the MAX ever possible and if they die or leave the PC's side, then they still count towards the total.