Starting Gear

[LankyOgre]

How much do you allow new characters to start with? First level equipment is fairly inconsequential over the lifespan of a character, but do you set any restrictions on it? Do you use PFS standard gp, roll for it by class, or some other formula? Do you allow the Rich parent trait or other traits that increase starting equipment?

I typically go with the max gold allowed per class. In general, that allows the characters that need an extra weapon or heavier armor the ability to afford it, while still not allowing characters to just go hogwild. I have had players though, that struggle to spend more than 100gp and players that chafe at less than 300gp.

I guess related to that; When you make characters, how much detail do you include in their starting equipment and mundane gear? I usually spend every copper piece I can and go through the equipment section with a fine-toothed comb. I have a spreadsheet of items and usually mundane gear takes up 50-60 lines.

[ChaosTicket]

This seems more of a GM question.

I play PFS and while they could be strict about gear, generally they are not. I still try to be safe and carry one of the class kits to carry around food, water, cooking pot, flint n tinder, and whatever tools necessary for the class such as holy symbols.

Early gear may be forgotten, but if you make your group take Survival checks to hunt for things you can actually enforce it.

Players probably wouldnt like having their adventure stalled to set up a tent.

[Danaburger23]

I let my group take whatever non-magical gear/equipment they can reasonably/realistically carry for their race/class. I also don't make them deduct that from starting gold and often let them have the max starting gold for their class. I've been doing this for 30something years and it has never caused any problems, but I have also been playing with the same people for all that time. I've only had one of them try to take advantage of it. If they want to start with anything like mounts, wagons/carts then they do have to pay for it.

[Fruian Thistlefoot]

LankyOgre wrote:

How much do you allow new characters to start with? First level equipment is fairly inconsequential over the lifespan of a character, but do you set any restrictions on it? Do you use PFS standard gp, roll for it by class, or some other formula? Do you allow the Rich parent trait or other traits that increase starting equipment?

I typically go with the max gold allowed per class. In general, that allows the characters that need an extra weapon or heavier armor the ability to afford it, while still not allowing characters to just go hogwild. I have had players though, that struggle to spend more than 100gp and players that chafe at less than 300gp.

I guess related to that; When you make characters, how much detail do you include in their starting equipment and mundane gear? I usually spend every copper piece I can and go through the equipment section with a fine-toothed comb. I have a spreadsheet of items and usually mundane gear takes up 50-60 lines.

If I am DM I always give everyone 175gp to start with. I am a fan of ABP, so I use those rule when I am behind a screen...I play in a few home style groups and each group/DM is different for what it allows at the table and all the character creation rules.

[Craglansun]

I have a tendency to overpower my level 1 players, and refer to the old 3.5 DMG, giving them gear equal to an NPC of their class. So for example, a Barbarian would get MW Scale Mail, MW Melee Weapon, Mundane Ranged and 200gp, and a Wizard would get Mundane Melee, Mundane Ranged and 800gp, then I give them all their class kit.

The reason for that is level 1 NPCs can be quite squish, and I like them to have a head start.

To compensate for this, I lower the loot they gain for a while, so they get to averge wealth by level by about 3rd-4th level.