1st level stickler [Archive] - Wizards Community

1st level stickler [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Wedge_Hammersteel
02-18-04, 04:09 PM When you start out a 1st level character, do you stick with the starting gold amount or do you have your own rules?

I do it two ways.

1. The starting gold only counts for weapons and armor not goods and food.

2. The character may get presents. My 1st level paladin got a masterwork greatsword from his parents and a suit of masterwork scale armor from the townsfolk upon his initiation into paladinhood.

I would like to know how other DMs handle this.
rogue_lettuce
02-18-04, 04:11 PM We use the starting gold, as the way we see it, a first level person isnt gonna be much richer than your average peasant unless they got a GOOD reason. And no, not EVERY pc is a member of a noble household, so **** all the players that say that to get free gear.:behold:
Vyvyan Basterd
02-18-04, 04:29 PM Originally posted by Wedge_Hammersteel
When you start out a 1st level character, do you stick with the starting gold amount or do you have your own rules?

I do it two ways.

1. The starting gold only counts for weapons and armor not goods and food.

2. The character may get presents. My 1st level paladin got a masterwork greatsword from his parents and a suit of masterwork scale armor from the townsfolk upon his initiation into paladinhood.

I would like to know how other DMs handle this.

Giving a starting character 450 gp in bonus gear isn't too bad in a high-powered campaign. Its about as much as you get when playing in FR. But I'm a diehard Greyhawker: start with next to nothing, die with a little more than that. :)

rogue_lettuce: I definately agree. A player that makes his PC come from a noble house receives no benefit to starting money IMC. Their stuff may be new and shiny instead of scuffed and passed down, but mechanically the two PCs gear is the same.
Seeker95
02-18-04, 04:46 PM I start players with "max starting gold". Strong characters cannot afford as much as they can carry, and weak chracters cannot carry as much as they can afford.

I do not give "presents" that the characters know about. But I do give a present to each character.

The most common "present" I give to a character is usually an artifact (yes, I said artifact!). Depending on the backstory they have provided, I turn a family or professional heirloom (weapon? wand/staff? bardic instrument? holy symbol?) into a scaling magic item. At 1st level, there is no apparent function. As the character grows in power, so does the item, either in direct power of a single ability or in a growing number of abilities.

This encourages the character association with a piece of equipment. It also opens up a few plot hooks that I can exploit later.
Krelios
02-18-04, 04:49 PM Max Starting Gold. No free stuff.

I do it that way so that rewards that make sense to a community or organization (what small village has hundreds of gold lying around?) are more easily accepted by my players. Then again, I like the world a little more realistic and less magic-controlled than most people I've met.

It's worked out beautifully. If someone sees a foe in full plate, they know he either has blacksmith friends or a "lot" of money. Also, most +1 magic items are unique in my world (thank god they fixed DR).

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Wedge_Hammersteel 02-18-04, 04:09 PM	When you start out a 1st level character, do you stick with the starting gold amount or do you have your own rules? I do it two ways. 1. The starting gold only counts for weapons and armor not goods and food. 2. The character may get presents. My 1st level paladin got a masterwork greatsword from his parents and a suit of masterwork scale armor from the townsfolk upon his initiation into paladinhood. I would like to know how other DMs handle this.
rogue_lettuce 02-18-04, 04:11 PM	We use the starting gold, as the way we see it, a first level person isnt gonna be much richer than your average peasant unless they got a GOOD reason. And no, not EVERY pc is a member of a noble household, so **** all the players that say that to get free gear.:behold:
Vyvyan Basterd 02-18-04, 04:29 PM	Originally posted by Wedge_Hammersteel When you start out a 1st level character, do you stick with the starting gold amount or do you have your own rules? I do it two ways. 1. The starting gold only counts for weapons and armor not goods and food. 2. The character may get presents. My 1st level paladin got a masterwork greatsword from his parents and a suit of masterwork scale armor from the townsfolk upon his initiation into paladinhood. I would like to know how other DMs handle this. Giving a starting character 450 gp in bonus gear isn't too bad in a high-powered campaign. Its about as much as you get when playing in FR. But I'm a diehard Greyhawker: start with next to nothing, die with a little more than that. :) rogue_lettuce: I definately agree. A player that makes his PC come from a noble house receives no benefit to starting money IMC. Their stuff may be new and shiny instead of scuffed and passed down, but mechanically the two PCs gear is the same.
Seeker95 02-18-04, 04:46 PM	I start players with "max starting gold". Strong characters cannot afford as much as they can carry, and weak chracters cannot carry as much as they can afford. I do not give "presents" that the characters know about. But I do give a present to each character. The most common "present" I give to a character is usually an artifact (yes, I said artifact!). Depending on the backstory they have provided, I turn a family or professional heirloom (weapon? wand/staff? bardic instrument? holy symbol?) into a scaling magic item. At 1st level, there is no apparent function. As the character grows in power, so does the item, either in direct power of a single ability or in a growing number of abilities. This encourages the character association with a piece of equipment. It also opens up a few plot hooks that I can exploit later.
Krelios 02-18-04, 04:49 PM	Max Starting Gold. No free stuff. I do it that way so that rewards that make sense to a community or organization (what small village has hundreds of gold lying around?) are more easily accepted by my players. Then again, I like the world a little more realistic and less magic-controlled than most people I've met. It's worked out beautifully. If someone sees a foe in full plate, they know he either has blacksmith friends or a "lot" of money. Also, most +1 magic items are unique in my world (thank god they fixed DR).