Best way to gear up an undergeared party?

[McDaygo]

So in the home game I am running I have a party of level 5 players that are geared for level 3 play; reason being as it is a home game instead of actual experience points I’m leveling the party when they reach certain story points (we only play 3-4 hours biweekly).

Right now each player is 7.5k short of where their gear should be. I don’t want to just give the money and say go shopping as that feels like the lazy writer route. Instead I want to gear them up next game so I was thinking “free” weapon/armor enchants as the players have a cleric and oracle of the same god in party like a divine gift magically powered up their gear or they can stumble upon a store house but then I’d just give each character an item to help their character.

How would you go about it?

[rorek55]

Convince them to actually pull of the rogues fantasy heist.

[Kitty Catoblepas]

McDaygo wrote:

So in the home game I am running I have a party of level 5 players that are geared for level 3 play; reason being as it is a home game instead of actual experience points I’m leveling the party when they reach certain story points (we only play 3-4 hours biweekly).

Right now each player is 7.5k short of where their gear should be. I don’t want to just give the money and say go shopping as that feels like the lazy writer route. Instead I want to gear them up next game so I was thinking “free” weapon/armor enchants as the players have a cleric and oracle of the same god in party like a divine gift magically powered up their gear or they can stumble upon a store house but then I’d just give each character an item to help their character.

How would you go about it?

You could use the Automatic Bonus Progression and not have to worry so much about keeping up (http://legacy.aonprd.com/unchained/magic/automaticBonusProgression.html).

Personally, I'd drop the "Weapon Attunement" and "Armor Attunement" rules, since I don't feel that those add any fun.

I'd also ignore the part at the bottom, and just manage drops so that they don't get too strong. That is to say, don't make the players "pay" for enchantments out of their automatic bonus; just make the enchantment work on its own and the automatic bonus work on its own (and don't drop weapons/armor that you feel are too strong for the campaign). That might get you in trouble later on if players are able to craft items depending on your players, so beware.

[Dasrak]

Just increase the loot drops in combat encounters. Find an NPC that would otherwise have masterwork weaponry and give him a +1 weapon instead. Or put a wand in another NPC's back pocket. Or maybe that NPC wizard the party defeated had like 50 spells transcribed into his spellbook and it's worth around 2000 gp. This is believable treasure that these kinds of adversaries might reasonably own, and it doesn't take long for generous drops like these to bring up the party's overall wealth level.

[ErichAD]

You could have them come across a defeated adventuring group that fills out their missing items somewhat. It's also a good way to give the players some info about upcoming threats.

[Meirril]

Honestly just set up an encounter with extra treasure. Something like a raiding party or a group of bandits. Since you've got a slightly undergeared party of 5th level adventurers I'd propose a band of Mercinaries turned bandit that uses a group of 4 ogres as its main fighting force, and one human or half-human merc of each PC class that carries 2 items that the players would find useful. Also each of the ogre mercs is using a mixed bag of +1 weapons and wearing large sized Chainmail.

Lets say the reason the PCs notice this is while traveling they come across a section of the road that is stained with fresh blood, several green logs have been dragged from the road to cover wagon tracks that lead into a thicket of bushes. Smoke can be seen less than 300 feet from the road.

When the party investigates they find 3 wagons with what appear to be merchant's goods on them. Several humans are laughing and rummaging through boxes they have removed from the wagons. 4 people seem to be tied up and laying near by. You can hear sobbing from them. A group of 4 Ogres are feasting on human limbs, a small pile of bodies and armor between them. One person in dirty armor is attempting to calm a line of very nervous horses.

The Mercs have been camping here for a few days waiting for a big haul. 2 hours ago they finally got it. This family group of merchants trade in textiles, furs, farm tools, grain and sundry items. There were 4 guards for the caravan but they were no match for the well armed group of experienced mercenaries who blocked the road and attacked from behind. Now only the merchant and his family await their fate at the hand of the mercenaries turned bandit.

The merchants have a decent sum of cash (10%), but most of their wealth is in goods. It should be double the wealth the party is missing. If the party rescues them they will ask if they can have their goods back, but won't insist on it. If their goods are returned they will give most of the coin to the party, and at a later date the Merchant will send the occasional gift. Usually a small bundle of consumable items that would be very helpful.