starting monies/gear

[big teej]

greetings playgrounders, I come to satisfy a curiosity of mine.

that is "how do you intially start out your players/characters?"

for example, the method I used back when I first started playing
"you are stark naked, and have 300 gp to fix it, I assume you have stuff like backpacks/food/etc."


over time, this was revised into what I use now.
"you are stark butt naked, and have 300 gold pieces to fix it, you will have to account for every last gp spent, one freebie set of clothing."


at levels higher than first, 300 changes to "wbl" but aside from taht it's the same.

I'm curious, how do you start?
a set amount?
do they roll for it?
some other thing such as
"you have 100 gp, but anything that costs less than 30 is free"

[kharmakazy]

If starting at 1st, we generally allow the character whatever mundane equipment seems reasonable. Half the players don't take anything but armor and weapons anyhow.

This way a fighter can start with full plate and a weapon and suck a little less.

[Rogue Shadows]

Normal money rules, including the free set of clothes. Spend as much or as little as you like.

At 2nd level and higher, no more than 25% of your starting wealth can be spent on a single magical item. So a 2nd-level character (900 gp total) can't have a magic item worth more than 225 gp, except with DM permission.

(I am aware that this create an exception that allows for masterwork items).

[CTrees]

Starting at level one, I've always used either "starting wealth as listed for the class" or that plus one very minor (max 200-300 gold), class related magic item (one specific DM I knew used that, and I kinda liked it).

[Telonius]

These are my houserules on the subject:

All adventurers are issued the following items free, not counted against WBL:
1 set of clothes appropriate to the class (worn)
1 Handy Haversack (I hate having to deal with encumbrance rules)
1 spare Explorers' Outfit (kept in the haversack)
1 MW armor or MW weapon (that he has proficiency in - wizards caught selling fullplate will be burned at the stake)
10 trail rations (kept in the haversack)
1 full waterskin (kept in the haversack)
1 spellbook (if a wizard)
1 holy symbol (if a cleric or paladin)

On top of that, you get 300gp to spend as you like.