Magic items for 1st level characters.

[GoldEdition42]

One of my old DM's used to give each of us a 10% chance of starting a campaign with a minor magic item. One time 2 out of 5 of us started with a magic item....lucky rolls.

Just wondering if anyone else did something similar, or do you stick with starting wealth only?

[DinosaursOnIce]

The games I've played in have almost all been with standard starting wealth.

In one game we got starting wealth plus our choice of either a +1 Ring of Deflection, a +1 Light Steel Shield, or a +1 Magic Weapon. But that has been the exception, rather than the general rule.

[kestral287]

I've pulled magical loot at first, but never started out of the gate with it.

[Dafydd]

We got a randomly rolled magic item at campaign start. Course, I think the lowest we ever started at was 3rd (which after 2 games, he bumped us to 5th anyway).

Starting items can be interesting plot hooks. I have used them as "signing bonuses" in a job. Good reason for a half dozen strangers to go on the same quest at least. However, I never start home games at level 1 either.

[GoldEdition42]

One rule, if we won a magic item, was that we needed to make up a quick backstory about how it came into our hands. It was a nice way to help flesh out your character.

Even when you acquired better items to replace the original they often went over the fireplace or passed on to a young protege, rather than just sold.

[Eltacolibre]

Unless it serves a purpose for the story...not really. I did start with a special katana on my Samurai but mostly was due to history and etc...usually, we start the good ole fashion way, average gold or rolling.

[OilHorse]

In 3.5 we would regularly start with healing belts.

[Rylar]

I wouldn't start with the characters that far off balance. If I gave one person a magic item I would give them all a magic item, or give him a curse to balance it.

We did have magic items at level 1 in one of our games, they all grew stronger as we did. It was pretty fun for us.

[Avatar-1]

If you get to pick a cheap magic item at level 1, a Hand of the Mage is pretty nice to give you at-will mage hand, which doesn't work on magic objects. Since you're level 1, that's the point it'll be most useful.