Starting equipment packages by level

[Invader]

Would anyone find a standard equipment package useful for each level and most likely broken down by class?

One of things that always takes me the longest is picking my starting gear so I thought what if there were pre-made packages people could just grab without taking a lot of time pouring through the MiC to find everything they need.

It would have to be broken down a bit by class so something like utility caster, blasty caster, charger, ranged, two weapon fighter, etc.

Do you think there's any utility here or is it just too broad of an area to try an make packages for different levels WBL?

[DR27]

It would be pretty cool to do, but probably unused by the masses. The fastest way is to use the MIC Item Levels, combined with the Lists of Necessary Magic Items (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=187851) and looking at magic items by price in the back of the MIC. If those starting packages were arranged by item levels, it would at least make them more modular and easier to swap things out of them.

[ArcturusV]

I'd love if it existed, as "Shopping" is my most loathed part of character creation.

It seems it was for a lot of other people as well if I remember the recent topic in here about it. So clearly there is a market for such a thing.

At the very least I think you could save time and money if you had just an "essentials" list somewhere. Sans weapons, armor, and niche items. But includes basic adventuring gear and all the things the game presumes you have at various points for balance purposes (Like Cloaks of Resistance, +X Stat items, etc), as well as a few generic "Anyone would want this" items like Belt of Healing.

[Fax Celestis]

I think I'd appreciate per level themed packages of mundane or cheap magic items. Sort of like what Dungeonscape did. I don't mind doing the big items myself, but I get so bogged down in the mundane minutiae that I generally just say, "Screw it," and keep a couple grand of gp.

[Invader]

Would it be more useful or more used it just contained items used by every class at every level so regardless of what you're playing the package would work? Or should it try to offer different packages for different class types.

I kind of feel like the second option might be branching off in to too large of an area and people would want more customization at that level?

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

It's actually extremely easy to shop for items, you just have to prioritize and budget:

1a. Primary weapon, if necessary. Often it can be a +1 weapon, archers will need more but can use Item Familiar or similar for a discount. Some characters may want to dual-wield Swords of Subtlety, nothing wrong with that but keep in mind that you may come up short for the rest of your gear. Most two-handed builds will probably want Wrathful Healing, but that's about the only thing that's really necessary other than Keen/Impact if you have a Kaorti Resin Falchion or Greathorn Minotaur Greathammer. Too many characters want to go all-in on their primary weapon and have nothing left for anything else, this is a terrible choice and results in a terrible character. If you need to spend all your money on your primary weapon to be good, then your character wasn't properly built in the first place.

1b. Non-weapon offense, if necessary, and also secondary weapons (i.e. ranged weapons for primary melee). Maybe you need a Ring of the Beast or a Lesser Rod of Maximize or a Circlet of Rapid Casting. This category also includes items that enable your character to do his job, such as a Greater Collar of Umbral Metamorphosis. If you have a lot of spell buffs taking care of 3. Defense, you can probably spend a lot here. Otherwise I'd get only what you absolutely need, then come back to this category at the end.

2. Ability score enhancements, you don't want a +6 Belt of Magnificence unless you're 20th level, no matter what the character is. Get one +6 enhancement to your only important stat if that's not a physical stat and it's under 1/2 of your gold. If you have multiple important stats work on getting +4's or +6's to them if they total under 1/3 your gold. You budget for these and add the effects to another item per MIC p234 later on. Maybe get +2 or +4 to other important (i.e. use that ability score at least every other round) stats if you'll still be under 1/4 of your gold with all of your enhancement bonuses. Every flat bonus that appears on the list on MIC p234 should always be added to another item, no exceptions.

3. Defense, consult this list (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=187851) and don't worry too much about armor class unless you're going all-in AC with very little spent on the previous categories (and remember only one or two builds will ever be successful doing this, and your build probably isn't one of those). Getting the best masterwork mundane armor that permits your full Dex bonus now is better than getting lower quality (i.e. not a special material) armor with tons of magic bonuses. A +1 animated shield is worth grabbing if it won't hinder you, otherwise a mithral buckler is good on any non-monk/swordsage character that's not proficient with shields unless a spell can replace it. Having something from every category in that list I linked is more important than getting a little bit higher armor class or having a little bit better effect from a few of those categories.

4. Utility, Shax's Indispensable Haversack (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=148101) is the gold standard, (eternal) wands of various spells and potions for situational effects and 'fun' items show up here. Certain characters (i.e. those built and played with decent to high system mastery) can put this category higher than defense, but don't dump everything you have into one category.

5. Bargain Basement (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=350.0) to fill any unused item spots, and go back to 1b. Non-weapon offense. At this point you may also choose to replace one or more of your 3. Defense items from the linked list for a better item in the same category, or add effects from MIC p234. Keep in mind your party carries spellcasters will most likely have access to (Mass) Resist Energy so energy resist items are a bit of a waste. Those same characters will probably be willing to cast Greater Magic Weapon and Magic Vestment on your equipment in the mid to high levels (when those give +3 or higher) so spending money on enhancement bonuses to weapons an armor is also a waste.

[Invader]

Right there are a lot of resources to tell you what great items are out there but what I'm envisioning is something for people who are doing a one shot, new players that aren't familiar with all the items you might need, or perhaps they had to make a new character mid game and all they'd need to do is say "I'll take this package, I'm all ready to go". That way you don't have to figure out your budget for each item and pour through those websites to pick stuff out.

[SowZ]

It would be cool only if it were optional.

[Chronos]

Ideally, you'd also have three different packages for each character: One for core-only, one for core plus MIC, and one for all books. Core-only games are a lot more common than you'd guess from reading online discussions, and MIC is one of the more common "next books" allowed in addition to core.

[John Longarrow]

Something like the lists in the DMG for each NPC character? That would probably be a good first place to look.

Down side is that there are a lot of "Party" items that no one character picks up always, like troll gut rope.

In all, if you start working out your own lists that work for your campaign, you'll find out quickly they won't apply to other people's games due to different gaming style.