Henchmen and Drops

Has anyone else noticed that while using a group of henchmen, the number of drops and quaility of drops in a particular area are severly reduced compared to using a same sized party of real players?

Also does anyone know exactly how does gold splitting work when using henchmen?

I have not used any henchmen, mainly I do not trust their abilities. They appear to be a set level, which in my mind hinders a good party. Also I am not convinced that they would operate the way we would want them. Last weekend we were looking for a Monk and were looking at taking a Monk henchmen. No one was really sure about them, so we dumped that and went without. One the whole the mission could have gone better, but we got by.

Has anyone else used the henchmen? If so how did they operate, and are they worth the time?

i have to use henchmen as i may have to leave at any time without warning and leaving a party hanging is not fair to them

not as good as a good group of real people but much better than a bad group of real people

basic support and no more but the monk heals the warrior attacks and at least they wait for you to initiate an attack instead of the warrior jerk that has to be a glory hound

henchmen are considered party members and thus get equal share of loot and gold. for every henchman you bring, each one has the same chance at a drop as you do. you just dont get to see the drops that they get.

gold gets split evenly as well, although i am unsure exactly how fractions are dealt with.

as for how good they are, their level is supposedly based on what the area was designed for. i also find that the monk henchwoman is more skilled at healing than a random newbie monk and can be preferential at times.

Yeah they take a share of the drops, gold and items. If it's items, less of it drops. For gold, say you have 1 henchman with you and 2 gold drops, you get 1 each. If 3 gold drops, since you are picking it up you should get 2 of the gold as far as I know.

Henchmen can be worth it.

I bring them all if I'm trying to run through an area. I bring only a monk henchmen if I feel I can make it (but need a little help) and don't want to sacrafice the drops. For some farming runs I'll either bring none (better drops, keep your gold), or all (to help me run through an area, to kill guys quicker, or to acquire skills). For regular PvE, or even farming, I'd prefer to take real people over henchman, and I'd personally I'd never take a henchmen in competetive PvP.

Last I tested fold drops, it doesn't really matter who picks up the gold. The extra piece of gold will go to a random person, not necessarily the one who picked up the pile. There may be a system so the extra piece of gold will go to the next person in the party for each pickup, but I never tested that out. And if there is only 1 gold, the person picking it up may not end up with it.

Been a little while since I tested the gold distribution system though.

I've soloed with henchman and agree with Bobangry on the Monk. They are good and know what to do. But like any Monk, the baddies will go after them, so you have to protect them.