Handy Gear for under 2500 gold?

[Rynjin]

I just got the go ahead to play my new Monk character, who will be introduced to the party this Sunday. The GM has given me the go ahead to outfit him with some magic items I can think of, and has given me 2500 gold to do so. He also specified that I have a Cloak of Resistance, Bracers of Armor (both +1), and a Belt of Giant's Strength +2 that the party found just before my last character and they parted ways, a Bag of Holding (Type 1), and any of a number of various survival gear and flavor items (which he graciously allowed to include a Meditation Crystal).

So I'm left with 2,500 Gold and nothing crucial to spend it on, so I'm torn between finding a good item to spend it on now (which is where you guys come in) and saving my money to buy a Headband of Inspired Wisdom when we get enough gold to do so.

Suggestions?

[blackbloodtroll]

Ring of Protection.

[Tiny Coffee Golem]

oragami swarm

[Rynjin]

blackbloodtroll wrote:

Ring of Protection.

That's a good suggestion. But is it worth it to get that +1 AC now, when I can get a +1 AC and extra Ki with the headband a little later?

Tiny Coffee Golem wrote:

oragami swarm

Eh?

[Xuttah]

Don't bother with rings of protection or amulets of natural armour. Those things practically fall from the sky... or the bodies of every BBEG.

Eyes of the Eagle are a favourite of mine, as is the Handy Haversack.

Potions of Displacement are useful as well, and you can never go wrong with Elemental Gems (a large earth elemental can make a great emergency melee buddy).

If you want to add to the party's useful item collection, get a wand of CLW. It's the best healing item for the gold.

Maybe a +1 monk weapon? Those sorts of things never show up in loot.

[Mark Sweetman]

Ultimate Equipment has the Quick Runner's Shirt for 1,000gp.
1/day as a swift action, you can take an extra move action during your turn.

[666bender]

save it, and hope the party got a crafter ...
than amulet of mighty fists shall be whitin the limits.

[Rynjin]

Xuttah wrote:

Don't bother with rings of protection or amulets of natural armour. Those things practically fall from the sky... or the bodies of every BBEG.

Eyes of the Eagle are a favourite of mine, as is the Handy Haversack.

Potions of Displacement are useful as well, and you can never go wrong with Elemental Gems (a large earth elemental can make a great emergency melee buddy).

If you want to add to the party's useful item collection, get a wand of CLW. It's the best healing item for the gold.

Maybe a +1 monk weapon? Those sorts of things never show up in loot.

All good suggestions. That +1 Monk weapon comment got me thinking about maybe snagging a +1 or Ki Focus Temple Sword. I was also considering a Necklace of Fireballs. My last guy had one and it came in handy on a couple of occasions.

Eyes of the Eagle sound nice. The GM tantalized me with the damn things a while back before revealing that was a POSSIBLE loot piece we didn't get. I got all excited for nuttin'. I did get that first Necklace of Fireballs from that loot pile though, so eh.

Mark Sweetman wrote:

Ultimate Equipment has the Quick Runner's Shirt for 1,000gp.

1/day as a swift action, you can take an extra move action during your turn.

The big question is, does it allow you to effectively take 3 move actions or 2 move actions AND a standard action, or just 3 move actions?

@666, we got no Crafter, sadly.

[Arizhel]

Handy Haversack. 2000 coins. The item you want is always on top. The odds of being encumbered drop to almost zero. I lover love lover the haversack. Bag of holding is not necessarily a replacement for said haversack:
--------------------------------------------
Bag of Holding Type I (2500g, 15 lbs):This appears to be a common cloth sack about 2 feet by 4 feet in size. The bag of holding opens into a nondimensional space: its inside is larger than its outside dimensions. Regardless of what is put into the bag, it weighs a fixed amount. This weight, and the limits in weight and volume of the bag's contents, depend on the bag's type, as shown on the table below.

Type I 15 lbs. 250 lbs. 30 cubic ft

f a bag of holding is overloaded, or if sharp objects pierce it (from inside or outside), the bag immediately ruptures and is ruined, and all contents are lost forever. If a bag of holding is turned inside out, all of its contents spill out, unharmed, but the bag must be put right before it can be used again. If living creatures are placed within the bag, they can survive for up to 10 minutes, after which time they suffocate. Retrieving a specific item from a bag of holding is a move action, unless the bag contains more than an ordinary backpack would hold, in which case retrieving a specific item is a full-round action. Magic items placed inside the bag do not offer any benefit to the character carrying the bag.

If a bag of holding is placed within a portable hole, a rift to the Astral Plane is torn in the space: bag and hole alike are sucked into the void and forever lost. If a portable hole is placed within a bag of holding, it opens a gate to the Astral Plane: the hole, the bag, and any creatures within a 10-foot radius are drawn there, destroying the portable hole and bag of holding in the process.
--------------------------------------------
Handy Haversack: (5 lbs, 2000 coins) A backpack of this sort appears to be well made, well used, and quite ordinary. It is constructed of finely tanned leather, and the straps have brass hardware and buckles. It has two side pouches, each of which appears large enough to hold about a quart of material. In fact, each is like a bag of holding and can actually hold material of as much as 2 cubic feet in volume or 20 pounds in weight. The large central portion of the pack can contain up to 8 cubic feet or 80 pounds of material. Even when so filled, the backpack always weighs only 5 pounds.

While such storage is useful enough, the pack has an even greater power. When the wearer reaches into it for a specific item, that item is always on top. Thus, no digging around and fumbling is ever necessary to find what a haversack contains. Retrieving any specific item from a haversack is a move action, but it does not provoke the attacks of opportunity that retrieving a stored item usually does.
--------------------------------------------

So, a handy Haversack only holds 120 lbs, v. 250. but:

The haversack weighs one third as much as a type I bag of holding;

It is always a move action to retrieve items from the haversack and;

Using the haversack removes the AoO for pulling out that potion you really need right now! Amazing!

Slightly less cool, the haversack also loses all the interesting catastrophic events relating to putting portable holes and bags of holding into each other. It also loses the explodes when cut event. Even more fun, you can even put your loaded bag of holding inside one of the side pockets! (By RAW).

Also, a 15 lb bag is a lot to hang from your belt, and the haversack is made to be worn. Just a little RP thought more than anything mechanical.

2000g, always buy haversack.

[Raisse]

I really like Boots of the Cat (Ultimate Equipment).

For 1000g you get to take minimum damage on fall damage (automatic 1's on the dice roll) and you always land on your feet (instead of prone).

[Mark Sweetman]

Rynjin wrote:

Mark Sweetman wrote:

Ultimate Equipment has the Quick Runner's Shirt for 1,000gp.

1/day as a swift action, you can take an extra move action during your turn.

The big question is, does it allow you to effectively take 3 move actions or 2 move actions AND a standard action, or just 3 move actions?

It turns your swift action into a move action, so you could do either of:

3 x move action
or
2 x move actions and a standard

[ZanzerTem]

Handy Haversack (reasons already mentioned, awesome item)
Ioun Torch's (at only 75g you can buy one for everyone in the party with no Darkvision. Hands free, permanent torch that I can put away when not needed? Yes, please)
Ring of Sustenance (Full class ability refresh in only two hours, not to mention no need for food/water)

These are my staple starting cheap equipment.

[Manimal]

Muleback cords! Like main-lining spinach!

[kaisc006]

If you have darkvision, then Gloves of Reconnassaince (Ultimate Combat, 2000gp)are practically a must. 10 rounds per day you can look through up to 15 ft. of stone or wood. That's 10 opportunities to see the other side of a door and buff/plan before entering combat. Even without darkvision they're nice.

[ossian666]

Cracked Dusty Rose Prism Ioun Stone. I think its under a grand and gets you a +1 to Initiative.

[blackbloodtroll]

Wayfinder.

Later, you can nab some Ioun Stones, and really have fun.

[ossian666]

I love Wayfinders but I can't justify telling anyone to get anyones other than the Ebon Wayfinder and that one is pricey...

[Rynjin]

Our Bard is buying Ioun Torches and the Cleric can cast Light as an orison, so we're good on that.

Are the Gloves of Reconnaissance an official item? I can't find them anywhere except as a forum post, but they sound cool. If for no other reason I'd take them because I'm always the first to decide whether to open a door or not, and this would make it easier to convince people it's not a horribad idea to fling open the strange door.

I'm torn between the Haversack (I had no idea Bags of Holding could go in them without the universe pitching a hissy fit).

The Eyes of the Eagle (I am the Perception guy, though everyone's got at least a couple of ranks in it).

Boots of the Cat (The GM has flat out said he's going to find ways to screw me for taking Scorching Ray in place of Slow Fall).

I still want to know what an "oragami swarm" is.

[Conundrum]

Featherstep slippers, efficient quiver, handy haversack,ring of sustenance.

[cp]

It is hard to underestimate the value of a hat of disguise.

Out of combat: Disguise yourself to look like different people. Useful for manipulating story lines.

In combat: Look like a platemail bound warrior. An Archer. A wizard.
Look like a captive orc. Look like the person whose life you are trying to save.

[xebeche]

Both items are in Ultimate Equipment.
.
.
.
.

ORIGAMI SWARM 300 GP
AURA faint transmutation CL 3rd WEIGHT —
This stiff folded paper vaguely resembles a hand-sized pest such as a beetle, spider, or cockroach. Completing two key folds in the paper causes it to multiply into hundreds of similar-sized duplicates of itself. These duplicates fill a 10-foot space and act as a rat swarm, except they have fire vulnerability, the construct type, and do not have the disease special ability. The paper beetles do not attack their creator, but are otherwise uncontrolled and attack anything nearby. After 5 rounds, the beetles crumple and fall inert. Once activated, an origami swarm loses all magic.
CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS
COST 150 GP, Craft Wondrous Item, animate objects

GLOVES OF RECONNAISSANCE 2,000 GP
AURA faint divination CL 3rd WEIGHT —
Each of these fingerless worked leather gloves look as though they have seen heavy use, and often bear the stains or scent of grass or wet mud. On command, the wearer can use the gloves to see and hear though solid material no more than 15 feet thick by placing both hands on that material. The gloves can be used for 10 rounds each day. The rounds need not be consecutive.
CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS
COST 1,000 GP, Craft Wondrous Item, clairaudience/clairvoyance

P.S. Your GM is going to punish you for choosing one class feature over another? Lame.

[Rynjin]

Ah. I don't have Ultimate Equipment, and they're not on the SRD. Those Gloves are very tempting indeed.

Blarg. SO MANY FUN OPTIONS!

@The P.S., it's not so much he's going to go out of his way to screw me, it's that we've already stumbled across quite a few pit traps, with me falling into one and narrowly avoiding falling into another because I derped and walked right over a spot I knew a trap was in. His exact words were "You know, now I'm going to have to find a way to screw you for doing that." in a joking manner.

Still planning to trade High Jump back for Slow Fall maybe (I think that's possible. It lists Slow Fall as a 0 Ki alternative on the level 4 abilities.

Especially since I'm apparently blessed by the divines to fail at initiative and Perception checks every time, but roll like a god for saves and avoiding damage.

[blackbloodtroll]

My Duergar Inquisitor/Monk has a pair of Gloves of Reconnaissance.

Very useful.

[deuxhero]

Masterwork tools.

Which ones? ALL OF THEM

[Rycaut]

Ultimate equipment has a lot of useful inexpensive items:

(re Muleback cords - these don't stack with Cloak of Resistance since I think they occupy the same slot)

As a Monk Cloak of Resistance may not be entirely needed (though higher saves are always nice you already have pretty high saves most likely - unless you dumped CON or DEX - which is unlikely I hope) so I would consider some really fun alternative cloaks.

In particular one of my favorite new items is the Cloak of the Hedge Wizard - there are multiple flavors of this item - all give you Prestidigitation as well as one other 0-level spell plus two 1st level spells from a specific school 1/day. Divination for example gives you at-will Detect Magic and 1/day Detect Secret Doors and True Strike. (the spells are fixed but all fairly nice)

- not an overpowered item in the least but really fun - basically it makes any character something like an apprentice wizard.

on an even cheaper and very useful level consider the Travelers Any Tool - for 250gp you get any tool you can come up with (within reason) - very flexible and handy. Combine with the Robe of Infinite Twine and you can McGyver your way out of nearly anything.

I would also agree with the recommendations for the Handy Haversack over the Bag of Holding - not quite as much capacity but far greater flexibility and utility in combat (and personally I think far greater flavor).

Think also about what you want your Monk to be able to do - do you have something to help you with:

- swarms? (alchemist fire?)
- anything with DR (a monk's biggest problem frequently) - pick up a few non-magical monk weapons of special materials? (depending on what archetype of monk you are)
- a way to cure yourself or equally cure the party healer if the healer goes down?
- out of combat utility and flexibility - something like the Hat of Disguise gives you a lot of creative things to do - a traveler's any tool gives you lots of flexibility etc.

[Whisperknives]

50 Feather Token Anchors.
All on the same key word.
Keep them in a pillow.
They will never see it coming.

Killing someone with a pillow that explodes into 50 anchors is always funny.

[Rynjin]

Lessee, I'll list out a bunch of stuff that I was able to obtain (with GM's permission) BEFORE my 2500 gold stipend and my stats for a point of reference. Also, we're running Serpent's Skull and have made it to part 4.

Stats:

Human Monk 4 (Drunken Master of Many Styles/Qinggong)

Str: 21 (with +2 from Belt of Giant's Strength)
Dex: 14
Con: 15
Int: 14
Wis: 16
Cha: 12

Hp: 38
AC: 17

Feats:

Dragon Style
Dragon Ferocity
Snake Style
Snake Fang
Scorching Ray (replaced Slow Fall)
Weapon Focus: Unarmed Strikes (debating other options before the character is formally introduced, but this is what I'm going with for now)

7 Ki

7 Fort, 7 Ref, 8 Will (saves)

Have +10 or higher scores in Acrobatics, Climb, Swim, Sense Motive, and Perception. +9 in Kn. Religion.

Already Approved "no cost" items (and there are a lot. He ruled that Aspis paid me a lot for guarding their caravan):

Belt of Giant's Strength +2
Bracers of Armor +1
Cloak of Resistances +1
Temple Sword
Light Crossbow
50 Crossbow Bolts
Meditation Crystal
5 Fuse Grenades
Smoked Goggles
Type 1 Bag of Holding
3 CLW Potions
2 CMW Potions

A bunch of other travel supplies and flavor items, like 5 kegs of ale.

Basically, I'm pretty set on basic stuff (our Bard is providing Alchemist's Fire), and this is just a bonus.

I'd like to take a look at the Cloak of the Hedge Wizard, but as I said I don't have Ultimate Equipment and it looks like none of that is on the SRD yet, but if you copy pasta the stats and such I should be able to use it.

Oh, and I forgot to mention this before, but 3.5 items should be kosher too. Or at least we use them for loot drops. I still figure I'll go with either the Eagle Eyes or Recon Glove, but these other suggestions are great as well, and I'll likely be getting many of them later.

[blackbloodtroll]

Chronocharm of the Horizon Walker then.

[Rynjin]

Wouldn't the Quick Runner's Shirt be a better version of that? It lets you move up to your full speed.

[TheLoneCleric]

We had a Barbarian Hurler who carried around Anchor Feather tokens as his primary alt weapon.

Personally I get Rings of Climbing. More useful than you know.

[Conundrum]

Rynjin wrote:

Ah. I don't have Ultimate Equipment, and they're not on the SRD. Those Gloves are very tempting indeed.

Blarg. SO MANY FUN OPTIONS!

@The P.S., it's not so much he's going to go out of his way to screw me, it's that we've already stumbled across quite a few pit traps, with me falling into one and narrowly avoiding falling into another because I derped and walked right over a spot I knew a trap was in. His exact words were "You know, now I'm going to have to find a way to screw you for doing that." in a joking manner.

Still planning to trade High Jump back for Slow Fall maybe (I think that's possible. It lists Slow Fall as a 0 Ki alternative on the level 4 abilities.

Especially since I'm apparently blessed by the divines to fail at initiative and Perception checks every time, but roll like a god for saves and avoiding damage.

try d20pfsrd.com I find them to be a lot better than the PRD on this site.

[Conundrum]

Rynjin wrote:

Stats:

Human Monk 4 (Drunken Master of Many Styles/Qinggong)

Str: 21 (with +2 from Belt of Giant's Strength)
Dex: 14
Con: 15
Int: 14
Wis: 16
Cha: 12

Hp: 38
AC: 17

Feats:

Dragon Style
Dragon Ferocity
Snake Style
Snake Fang
Scorching Ray (replaced Slow Fall)
Weapon Focus: Unarmed Strikes

7 Ki

7 Fort, 7 Ref, 8 Will (saves)

Have +10 or higher scores in Acrobatics, Climb, Swim, Sense Motive, and Perception. +9 in Kn. Religion.

Belt of Giant's Strength +2
Bracers of Armor +1
Cloak of Resistances +1
Temple Sword
Light Crossbow
50 Crossbow Bolts
Meditation Crystal
5 Fuse Grenades
Smoked Goggles
Type 1 Bag of Holding
3 CLW Potions
2 CMW Potions

Holy CRAP MAN! You didn't "buy" those ability scores! (That'd be a 42 point buy if I'm not mistaken) you are a lucky guy.

[Rynjin]

Conundrum wrote:

try d20pfsrd.com I find them to be a lot better than the PRD on this site.

That's what I've been using, not everything has been added yet it seems.

Conundrum wrote:

Holy CRAP MAN! You didn't "buy" those ability scores! (That'd be a 42 point buy if I'm not mistaken) you are a lucky guy.

Yep, all random rolls. Makes up for the very meh stats I had on the last guy, that's for sure. Had 16 Str (with the +2 from being a Half-Orc) and 14 Dex as my highest scores.

And the GM just sent out the D&D Magic Item Compendium PDF as being fair game. Any suggestions from that?

Edit: Ooh, at first glance the Anklet of Translocation looks sweet.

[Ursine&Snake]

Never underestimate the utility of a bunch of hirelings!

There is an item in the Compendium, I do not recall its name, but it lets you treat 3 attacks per day as Touch attacks rather than normal ones. This is killer with Power Attack, and can insure a hit on that nasty high AC dragon.

[Dust Raven]

Sell the Bracers and buy a wand of mage armor. Give it to your wizard. If you took ranks in UMD you can use it yourself. Also if you took ranks in UMD, pick up a wand of shield. Having +8 AC for almost every fight will not such and it'll take a really long time to use up all those charges.

[ossian666]

Heck not even the wand. If you have a Wizard or Magus in the party just buy him a Pearl of Power. If you have a Bard or Sorceror just buy then a Rune of Power. Then they can cast Mage Armor on you that lasts a few hours, AND with those items they can burn it and regain the Mage Armor spell they just cast back for themselves.

[Arcane Toolbox]

Here just a few things that i would suggest for really any martial based character. Things such as Handy Harvard sack which have already been noted by other posters will not be mentioned here, but i agree with many of these items.

Potions: Because they're under used but worth every copper.
-Potion of haste (750gp)
-Potion of Ant all (50gp)
-Potion of Cats Grace (300gp)
-Potion of Owls Wisdom (300gp)
-Potion of Dark vision (750gp)

Wondrous items:
Glove of Final Fist
Aura: conjuration
Description:
Cost: 1,800gp
This item allows to cast the spell Ki Arrow on a command word once per day. The caster makes a ranged touch attack (with an arrow touched) against a foe up to 100 feet away, and the caster deals damage to the foe equal to his/her unarmed strike damage (Str included).

More to come...

[Rynjin]

I ended up going with a 3.5 item called the Third Eye: Expose.

It gives a +5 to Sense Motive. Before someone jumps on me, my reasoning for this was simple. I'm using Snake Style. I'm using Snake Style and this bumps my Sense Motive up to 21 at 4th level.

I thought it was worth it.

[Stome]

Rynjin wrote:

I ended up going with a 3.5 item called the Third Eye: Expose.

It gives a +5 to Sense Motive. Before someone jumps on me, my reasoning for this was simple. I'm using Snake Style. I'm using Snake Style and this bumps my Sense Motive up to 21 at 4th level.

I thought it was worth it.

I agree that is a good choice.

[Bigtuna]

doesn't seem to be mentioned
- potion of fly 750

quick runners shirt - why not use a swift action to move up to the enemy - and then make a full attack.

But to late now I guess..

[Rynjin]

So my GM realized he forgot to factor in Wealth per Level, so I actually have 4625 gold left.

Plus a 25% discount from associating with the Aspis Consortium.

Headband of Inspired Wisdom plus Handy Haversack sounds gud.