Opinions Wanted: Best 500gp "New Player" Package

[Ryan Boim]

Hey all, I decided to try to develop a list of items to recommend to new players in order to help them in the game. I was wondering what you all thought?

I tried to answer the question, "What should I spend my first 500 gold on?" (the amount usually gotten from a first successful adventure). I left out things like basic armor/weapons, rope, backpacks, torches, and whetstones since I figured that's what people would buy with their first 150 gp. What would you add? What would you remove?

50 gp Potion of Feather Step
50 gp Potion of Invigorate
50 gp Potion of Remove Sickness
50 gp Potion of Cure Light Wounds
50 gp Potion of Magic Weapon
20 gp Alchemist's Fire
25 gp Holy Water
85 gp Skeleton Key
50 gp Antiplauge
50 gp Air Crystals/Potion of Touch of Sea
25 gp Smelling Salts
.5 gp Potion Bandolier
10 gp Smoked Goggles

2 PP Snapleaf
2 PP Wand Cure Light Wounds/Infernal Healing

For Martial
40 gp Bladeguard
.1 gp Weapon Cord

For Stealth
50 gp Potion of Negate Aroma

For Casters
5 gp Spring Loaded Wrist Sheath

Feel Free to Comment: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1qcNhUhmYEJLWkq7-tiDTWjG62r6DRnAGsp5 PzWVBsYA/edit#gid=617865903

The ideas and were found primarily on these sites. I just pared it down til I could get it to about 500gp.

http://paizo.com/paizo/blog/v5748dyo5ldyp?Pathfinder-Society-Survival-101
https://www.reddit.com/r/Pathfinder_RPG/comments/2cv8z8/master_list_of_esse ntialuseful_magic_items/
https://www.reddit.com/r/Pathfinder_RPG/comments/2cv8z8/master_list_of_esse ntialuseful_magic_items/

[Nefreet]

Snapleaf was nerfed errata'd. I'd remove it from your list.

Weapon Cords were similarly errata'd. Since you can't wield a weapon while another dangles from your wrist I can't see a use for them.

Scrolls are more economical than potions, and there's usually someone in the party that can use them.

My first purchase on any character is a scroll or two of Comprehend Languages.

Also, be sure to check out the spoiler at the bottom of this page, "How to format your text". Paizo breaks your links in half unless they're formatted.

[andreww]

Weapon cords can be useful for martially orientated casters and paladins who want to cast/lay on hands while using a heavy shield.

[Nefreet]

Huh. I've just opted to drop my weapon, cast, and pick it up.

Same number of actions.

[Claxon]

What was changed about Snapleaf? It looks the same to me.

[BretI]

Weapons to cover several different types of DR.

I like the combination of a Cold Iron Dagger (4gp, Cold Iron, Slashing, Piercing) and an Alchemical Silver Light Mace (25gp, Silver, Blunt) but have changed this at times. One nice advantage of those is almost every class can use them and they can be used with weapon finesse.

A light source,

A ranged weapon, even if it is just a sling.

Antitoxin.

[nosig]

Nefreet wrote:

Huh. I've just opted to drop my weapon, cast, and pick it up.

Same number of actions.

if you have to move (or are moved, or in water, or... etc.), even a 5 foot step, in between the "drop" and "pick up" parts of that sequence it makes it much harder... and picking up a weapon prompts an AOO (not sure if re-arming with a weapon cord prompts an AOO...).

[Jane "The Knife"]

I like the cheap things.

Like sunrods. It's always amazing how many people don't have a sunrod. Lasts for 6 hours. AOE is 30' (bigger than the 20' for light or for a torch). and it only costs 2 bp.

but the best is the Whetstone (AA Pg9), gives a +1 damage for a normal weapons for the first time it hits after you sharpen it. Cost? 2 cp. Yeap, 2 COPPER PIECES! What 1st level PC (or 2nd for that matter) Can't afford this? And the RP of sitting around, sharpening a blade while the "Face" PC is doing an Intimidate roll...

[Nefreet]

Claxon wrote:

What was changed about Snapleaf? It looks the same to me.

We're on the third iteration, currently.

First version could be activated as a (swift or immediate, I can't recall), turned you invisible, granted you feather fall, and had no discernible limit on its use.

Second version became single use (and was still seen as useful because of the 2pp availability).

Now it can only be activated while falling. Previously it was popular because it helped squishies swift action invis so they could run away.

[Claxon]

Ah, see I always recalled it being single use only activated by falling.

But I think that was more along the lines of "I read the entry description and price" and filled in the gaps of how I thought it was supposed to function rather than the RAW reflecting what I thought the intention was.

[Nefreet]

I was in the middle.

I always thought it was single use, but the requirement of "only when falling" struck me off guard.

I had pretty much every caster of mine get a refund on theirs.

[Ryan Boim]

Oh that's quite useful to know!

I can't seem to find the "Only can activated while falling" rule online though. Can you link it? Would you recommend taking a Potion of Featherfall instead (those exist right)?

Antitoxin is nice, I was gonna recommend taking a Delay Poison Potion on a 1-1.5k item list, but now that you mention it I suppose Antitoxin is worth having while you can't afford the more expensive item.

[Nefreet]

Ryan Boim wrote:

I can't seem to find the "Only can activated while falling" rule online though.

You'll see quite a few complaints about the change here in this Forum, and other posters like myself asking for a refund.

It's printed on page 320 of Ultimate Equipment.

Archivesofnethys has the same wording.

The PRD has the older wording.

[JDLPF]

Here's my 1st level Pathfinder Society shopping list. Much of the latter part of this list is wishlist items to pick up after you get a bit of gold to spend, but most of it should be obtainable before level 2.

This list doesn't include the cost of your primary weapons and armor since it differs by character.

This list contains no items that require a minimum amount of Fame to purchase, and everything is PFS legal, provided you own the required resources.

I also heartily recommend your first 2PP be spent on a Wand of Cure Light Wounds or a Wand of Infernal Healing. BYO heals!

Adventuring Equipment
----------------------------

Sack of Powder - 1 cp (1/2 lbs)
Invisible enemies at low levels suck. This is a ranged AC 5 attack that outlines them for a mere copper piece.

Chalk - 1 cp (0 lbs)
A cheap way to keep track of your movement in a dungeon, leave messages to others, or draw pretty pictures on walls.

Torch - 1 cp (1 lbs)
You'd be surprised how often an open flame is handy. This also gives you a last-ditch effort weapon for swarms, even if it's only 1 point of damage per hit.

Earplugs - 3 cp (0 lbs)
You get a +2 circumstance bonus to language-dependant spells or abilities whilst wearing these. Useful against enemies that you know will use enchantments, and incredibly cheap for their bonus.

4 Candles - 4 cp (0 lbs)
Again, having an open flame handy is more useful than you'd expect.

Inkpen - 1 sp (0 lbs)
Don't be an illiterate barbarian. Seriously, even barbarians should carry one of these and be ready to write down important information in character.

3 Oil Flasks - 3 sp (3 lbs)
Grease a flight of stairs. Add a fuse and throw it at a swarm. Rub it on yourself to slip out of a tight spot. In a pinch you could also light a lantern with it, I suppose.

Waterproof Bag - 5 sp (1/2 lbs)
Five times the cost of a regular sack, but temporarily protects your gear from water damage. Remember to keep your sack of powder, torch and other water sensitive items in this.

Wooden Holy Symbol - 1 gp (0 lbs)
A great litmus test to determine if the NPC is a vampire. Present this strongly at them and see if they recoil.

Grappling Hook - 1 gp (4 lbs)
Weighty, but handy to get your rope where it needs to be.

Potion Sponge - 2 gp (0 lbs)
Keep one of these loaded with your go-to underwater combat potion and you'll never need to worry about putting ranks into Swim.

Spring-Loaded Wrist Sheath - 5 gp (1 lb)
At lower levels keep a dagger handy. At higher levels keep a wand inside. Plus it's just plain cool.

Ink, 1 oz. vial - 8 gp (0 lbs)
For your inkpen, obviously.

Journal - 10 gp (1 lbs)
Always keep notes. Write down names of important NPCs, goals for the quest, riddles encountered, copies of maps, everything. Then you get to freely ask the GM to repeat themselves by simply saying "I wrote that down in character, so I check my journal."

50 ft. Silk Rope - 10 gp (5 lbs)
Lighter but more expensive than hemp. Worth the cost to keep your weight down. Also great if your character is into kinky stuff. Never leave home without rope!

Smoked Goggles - 10 gp (0 lbs)
Makes you all but immune to gaze weapons, plus you can wear your sunglasses at night.

Pathfinder's Kit - 12 gp (22 lbs)
I prefer this kit over many others. You've got your obligatory hobo items like a backpack, bedroll, waterskin, flint and steel and rations, but doesn't load you up on torches and an iron pot like many class kits. You get a signal whistle for when you're in trouble because you split the party since it seemed like a good idea at the time. You get a whetstone for an extra +1 damage on your first hit with a bladed weapon. You get a dagger to put in your spring-loaded wrist sheath.

Total: 60 gp (38 lbs) - Leave your rations and bedroll at camp or on a mount to take 12 lbs off this total

Weapons
--------------

Alchemical Silver Cestus - 25 gp (1 lbs)
Your always-on melee threat item. Superior to a spiked gauntlet in pretty much every way. Make sure you do bludgeoning damage, as the piercing would suffer -1 damage penalty due to the material. A cheap means to bypass DR/silver too, if you're in a pinch.

Cold Iron Kunai - 4 gp (2 lbs)
Aside from being a backup DR/cold iron weapon, this item does double duty functioning as a piton or crowbar, per the weapon text. Ninja headband and orange jumpsuit not included.

Total: 29 gp (3 lbs)

Pets
-------

Guard Dog - 25 gp
It's a move action and DC 10 Handle Animal check to command your guard dog to defend you. You don't even need to be trained in the skill for this usage. Simply take 10 on this skill out of combat, or take 20 if you're exceptionally uncharismatic. Having an extra pool of hit points for this cost is great value for money.

Total: 25 gp

Alchemical Items
-----------------------

Tindertwig - 1 gp (0 lbs)
For when you need a fire RFN.

2 Sunrods - 4 gp (2 lb)
Light and vision is king. Unless your whole party has darkvision, carry a few of these and don't be stingy about using them.

Vermin Repellent - 5 gp (0 lbs)
Swarms suck at low levels. Vermin repellent isn't perfect, but it might just be enough to convince a swarm to go chew on someone else instead. Worth the cost.

Smokestick - 20 gp (1/2 lbs)
Blocks line of sight, but the rules are sketchy about whether you need to light it on fire first or if it self-activates as part of the use. If your GM is finicky about the activation, glue a tindertwig on it and call it a day. It's a handy item that can buy you total concealment against ranged attacks.

Smelling Salts - 25 gp (0 lbs)
Okay, you beat the bad guys, but where do you go next? Easy, just grab one that hasn't bled out, stabilize him and then use smelling salts. Intimidate him for information about the bad guy's plans. Does your check fail? Kill him and try the next one. Also a really handy item to have in case the party healer is knocked out.

Holy Water - 25 gp (1 lbs)
Okay, it's not really an alchemical item, but it's close enough. It's also a decent way to contribute damage against both undead or evil outsiders, especially if they've got some kind of exotic damage reduction you don't have anything to bypass.

Smog Smoke Pellet - 40 gp (0 lbs)
Remember how much invisibility sucks? This is the sack of flour's big brother. Negate a creature's invisibility for 1d4 rounds if you throw it into their square.

Tanglefoot Bag - 50 gp (4 lbs)
Entangled, no save, 2d4 rounds. All you gotta do is hit them with it. Can be a lifesaver at low levels against bosses.

Air Crystals - 50 gp (0 lbs)
Underwater combat sucks, but a bag of these can save your character if they're able to get them out in time. Just make sure you have them in your mouth before you get grappled by the kraken.

Total: 220 gp (7.5 lbs)

Potions
--------------

Potion of Touch of the Sea - 50 gp (0 lbs)
Never worry about water again. Get a 30 ft. swim speed for 1 minute. Keep this in your potion sponge.

Potion of Feather Step - 50 gp (0 lbs)
Difficult terrain can ruin your day. This lets you ignore that for 10 minutes.

Potion of Remove Sickness - 50 gp (0 lbs)
The bonus to saves isn't nearly as good as the ability to negate the sickened condition for 10 minutes. There's many creatures that can inflict this status, so a counter is always handy to have as a backup.

Potion of Protection from Evil - 50 gp (0 lbs)
Typically the most common enemy type you'll face, and this one has a bunch of benefits. Deflection and resistance bonuses, prevention of mental domination, and that sweet protection from summoned creatures can shut a summoner down cold.

Total: 200 gp (0 lbs)

[ZenithTN]

Great ideas, guys.

Durable cold iron ammo for those who use ammo, 2 gp ea.

Multiple holy symbols, 1 gp, for those who use them to channel and/or cast spells.

Flask of acid, 10 gp, use vs swarms or loan it to the acid splash caster for +1 damage. Alchemists, you can craft this during downtime and there's no save for half the splash damage on this one, making it situationally better than your bombs.

Dwarven boulder helmet, 20 gp, 10 lbs. +2 AC vs confirm rolls and you threaten adjacent, even if non-proficiently. Beware of the weight.

Smelling salts, 25 gp. Use to question prisoners without blowing healing resources, which could make them combat-viable again, or wake up your one and only healer so they can heal themselves.

Antiplague 50 gp, Antitoxin 50 gp. I should get a discount for the pair as often as I buy the matched set.

Mw manacles, 50 gp. Every party should have one for Small, Medium, and Large. Add locks. Add sovereign glue to the locking mechanism afterwards for particularly troublesome prisoners.

Diplomacy-challenged? Crystal-sweet concoction, 50 gp.

[My Life Is In Ruins]

there is a use for weapon cords. Tie one end to your belt and the other onto a wand, that way when you drop the wand and later run away the wands stay within 5ft. Yeah, you could use string but it doesn't have the text that weapon cords have. 8^)

[My Life Is In Ruins]

===== Availability =====
Potions and scrolls of second level are affected by the Fame restrictions. Starting in a remote location (rare, but it happens) will affect purchases.

At this price point (under 100gp) most everything is available unless you are in the CORE Campaign.

I'd consider starting characters as having earned 0 Prestige thus having 0 Fame. Due to rebuilding rules while First level you could go to 3 XP or 5-6 Prestige.

Fame   Maximim item value(gp)
0-4     0
5-8     500
9-12    1500

Guide ver9.0 on Always Available, Item Value, Potions, Scrolls, and Wands:

Always Available Items
You may always purchase the following items or
equipment as long as you’re in an appropriately sized
settlement (see page 20).
• All basic armor, gear, items, and weapons from Chapter
6 of the Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook, including items
for Small and Large characters. This does not include
equipment made from dragonhide, but it does include
equipment made from the other special materials,
such as alchemical silver and cold iron (see the Special
Materials section on page 154 of the Core Rulebook). All
mundane weapons, armor, equipment, and alchemical
gear found in any other source that is legal for play
are considered always available, including masterwork
quality versions where a cost is defined.
• +1 weapons (2,000 gp + 300 gp for the masterwork
weapon cost + item cost)
• +1 armor (1,000 gp + 150 gp for the masterwork armor
cost + item cost)
• +1 shields (1,000 gp + 150 gp for the masterwork armor cost +
item cost)
• Potions and oils of 0- or 1st-level spells at caster level 1st (50
gp or less)
• Scrolls of 0- or 1st-level spells at caster level 1st (50 gp or less)
• Wayfinder (at a 50% discount for 250 gp; see sidebar)
• All items purchased with Prestige Points.
Beyond the gear noted above, your character is
restricted to purchasing additional items either from his
accumulated Chronicle sheets or by capitalizing on his
Fame (see page 20). Weapons, armor, equipment, magic
items and so on that are outside of these lists are not
available for purchase at any time.

Item Value
Items must be purchased at full value. You can’t buy
broken weapons or armor; you can’t buy partially charged
wands, rods, or staves; and you must buy ammunition in
full lots (typically 10 or 20 for mundane ammunition and
50 for magical ammunition). You can purchase items
of less than full value only if they appear that way on a
Chronicle sheet.

Potions, Scrolls, and Wands
All potions, scrolls, wands, and other consumables are
made by clerics, druids, wizards, or psychics in Pathfinder
Society Roleplaying Guild play. The only exceptions are
spells that are not on the cleric, druid, wizard or psychic
spell lists. For example, a scroll of lesser restoration must be
purchased as a 2nd-level scroll created by a cleric and can’t
be purchased as a 1st-level scroll created by a paladin.
Use the following rules for purchasing potions, scrolls,
and wands.

• If a spell appears at different levels on two different
lists, use the lower level spell to determine cost (for
example, poison would be priced as a 3rd-level druid
spell instead of a 4th-level cleric spell).
• All potions, scrolls, and wands are available only at the
minimum caster level unless found at a higher caster
level on a Chronicle sheet.
• For the sake of simplicity, there is no difference
between an arcane, divine, or psychic scroll or wand.
Thus a bard and cleric may both use the same scroll of
cure moderate wounds.
• Finally, scrolls of spells of 7th level or higher are
not permitted for characters below 12th level unless
you gain access to them on a Chronicle sheet that
specifically lists them.

===== Source =====
You might want to list sources or put in links to the items so people know if they have that resource.

[My Life Is In Ruins]

I do have a General Guide to Starting Out on our Pathfinder DFW Facebook page.

[My Life Is In Ruins]

from that guide

Overall in PFS I suggest you play a pregenerated character for your first three games. Then you create a second level character with about 1650gp. It's way easier.

Otherwise, you start with $150 and an Explorer's Outfit (leather boots, cotton socks, leather breeches with pockets or a skirt, leather belt, muslin shirt & undies, cloth jacket with leather patches and pockets, leather gloves, cloak with pockets, scarf/bandanna, wide brim hat or turban).

1. Buy one of the following kits;
A. Fighter's Kit $35.87 (backpack, bedroll, belt pouch, flint and steel, iron pot, mess kit, 50ft silk rope(+$9.75), soap 1/2lb, torches (10), trail rations (5), waterskin for $9+9.75). Add; bandolier(holds 8 small items, Mov actn to retrieve) $0.5, caltrops (4) $4, cup $1, coffee pot $3, coffee 1lb $0.05, gear maintenance kit $5, grappling arrow $1, iron spike (4) $0.2, sack $0.1, shovel $2, sugar 1lb $0.05, weapon cord (2) $0.2, whetstone{UltEquip} $0.02.
B. Cleric's Kit $38 (backpack, bedroll, belt pouch, candles (10), cheap holy text, flint and steel, iron pot, mess kit, 50ft silk rope(+$9.75), soap 1/2lb, spell component pouch, torches (10), trail rations (5), waterskin, wooden holy symbol for $16+9.75). Add; bandolier{UltEquip}(holds 8 small items, Mov actn to retrieve) $0.5, bucket(or seat) 1gal $0.5, glass flask (3) $0.09, honey 1lb $1, mint 1lb $0.05, silver weapon blanch{UltEquip} $5, spring-loaded wrist sheath{AdvArmory}(potion or scroll) $5, talc powder(invis detection) 1/2lb $0.01, tea pot $0.1.
C. Rogue's Kit $87.43 (backpack, bedroll, belt pouch, caltrops, chalk (10), flint and steel, grappling hook, iron pot, mess kit, small mirror, pitons (10), 50ft hemp rope(for traps), soap 1/2lb, thieves' tools, torches (10), trail rations (5), waterskin all for only $50). Add to it; ball (rubber 2”) $0.8, bandolier(holds 8 small items, Mov actn to retrieve) $0.5 , bear trap $2, caltrops (4) $4 for a total of caltrops (5), crowbar $2, fishing kit $0.5(useful for traps), magnet (2) $1, bag marbles (4) $0.4, marked cards $1, hollow pommel(weapon of choice) $5, 50ft silk rope(for climbing) $10, spring-loaded wrist sheath(2) $10, 50ft string $0.01, weapon cord (2) $0.2, whetstone $0.02.
D. Arcane spellcaster $27.62 (the Wizard's Kit is too expensive and heavy); a leather backpack $2, bandolier(holds 8 small items, Mov actn to retrieve) $0.5 , bedroll $0.1, ink $8, an inkpen $0.1, black or red candle (10) $0.1, chalk (10) $0.1, signal whistle $0.8, 50ft string $0.01, a mess kit $0.2, soap 0.5lb $0.01, a spell component pouch $5, spring-loaded wrist sheath(potion or scroll) $5, trail rations (7) $3.5, waterskin (2) $2, weapon cord (2) $0.2. A wizard begins play with a spellbook and his starting spells scribed in it (does not need to purchase one).

2. Weapons
As with all things, the rule is – Buy once, never resell unless you absolutely have to.
Starting out you just need 1-2 weapons until you make some cash from your first adventure, so think of these as disposable or something you'll keep in your backpack for emergencies. After you get 400gp you can afford a masterwork weapon. This is far easier than it sounds. On your first adventure be cautious, use ranged combat and don't engage hand to hand unless you have to. Kill it before it can hit you. If you are a martial class spend most of your cash on these weapons then move on to cheap armor.

Overall it is hard to beat a cold iron morningstar at 16gp as a backup emergency weapon that most characters can wield.
Other free weapons are; club, quarterstaff, wooden stake{UltEquip}(make Buffy proud), and sling.
If you have to get a bow for your first adventure shortbows are way cheaper than a longbow.
Silver Weapon Blanch{UltEquip} 5gp is very helpful. Apply it to your arrows now before the game starts.
Obsidian{UltEquip} daggers are cheap and lighter but have the fragile quality until enhanced to +1. Cost 50%, Weight 75%, Hard:half usual.
Probably you'll ignore me and spend 50-120gp on a weapon. Go for it.
NPC spellcasting Masterwork Transformation{UltMagic} for 60gp is a workaround for one item at a time (until you upgrade it to +1 enhancement). The MW cold iron morningstar is now 76gp.

3. Armor
Again, Buy once, never resell unless you have to. Sadly you will probably be selling this ASAP. Weapons are more important than armor for your first adventure.
If your Class makes armor problematic, skip it.
A) matte black, forest green, or dungeon gray camo dyed Leather 10gp.
B) Studded Leather or Parade Armour 25gp.

4. Shield
Generally don't, but if you must get a light shield wooden $3 or steel shield $9. You'll get a masterwork one after your second or third adventure but martial types will need a shield in case things get rough and they need to up their AC a bit. If you are in trouble – Withdraw! If they have reach, Total Defense (+4AC) as your standard then move away through/around cover, then when not threatened withdraw. This IS your first adventure after all... no need to be a dead hero.

5. If you have spare cash buy
A. (1-2) Alchemist's Fire $20 per (it's more effective than Holy Water) and (5) Lamp Oil ($0.5). Once they are alight the lamp oil ignites when it hits them saving you $19.9 for each thrown flask (though it does less damage). Once they catch on fire they self immolate until they get put out.
B. If you can cast buy (1) Scroll Cure Light Wounds 1@1 [2]{number of castings on same scroll} or Infernal Heal 1@1 [2] $50, if you don't cast buy (1) Potion Cure Light Wounds 1@1 50gp. Antiplague{AdvArmory} 50gp and Antitoxin{AdvArmory} 50gp are great options.
C. If you still have some gold think about buying 2 cold iron bear traps{UltEquip} at 4gp each. They're a nasty little surprise.

okay – you lived through the first adventure! Congrats!