I've rolled and I've picked and I've packed... but I know I've forgotten stuff.

[Neknoh]

So, my Rise of the Runelords lvl 1 20pt buy Fighter is now nearly ready to walk out the door and into the jaws of adventure.

However, I just have no idea what I should pack, or if I should get an extra weapon of some sort (A bow?)

Currently I'm looking at:

Human Fighter;
Str: 19
Dex: 13
Con: 14
Int: 11
Wis: 9
Cha: 10

Climb, Dungeoneering and Survival
Power Attack, Furious Focus, Weapon Focus: Greatsword
(Yes, I know a Falchion crit-build will probably be stronger at higher levels, but weapon foc. is my Fighter Feat so I'll retrain it at lvl 4 to falchion).

Now, for my equipment: 175g starting
Greatsword
Scalemail
Explorer's Outfit

65g left and I have no idea what to pick up. Do I want a sling? Do I want a shortbow? What supplies would I want? Grapplinghooks and ropes? Chains? Acid Flasks or Alchemical Fire? This is the first time ever I'm prepping for a campaign and I simply have no idea. Bedroll and backpack I guess would be good, some rations perhaps?

Also, I have one profession, one crafting and one extra language, and I simply don't know what to pick befitting a traveling monster hunter.

[Zweisteine]

Before I go into gear, I want to know how you got those ability scores. There is no way to get those in a 20 point buy without an absurd race. (BTW, what race is this guy?)
Also, if you're doing a point buy, don't have any elevens*! Third, switch wisdom and charisma, you're a fighter; will saves are more important than social skills.
*Take one point from intelligence, and put it in dexterity. It's wasted where it is, and dexterity is far more useful.



Don't forget that your starting clothing (explorer's outfit) is free.

As a melee fighter, you'll want a backup ranged weapon, and some daggers, in case your main weapon is lost, or you need to cut yourself out of ropes (hide a dagger or two in your clothing).
For a ranged weapon, you probably want a light crossbow or a shortbow. The shortbow doesn't take time to load, but the crossbow has superior damage and range (take a crossbow, at least for the first few levels). Later on, you'll want a masterwork (or +1) Composite Longbow, for maximized range and damage, and minimized loading time.

Really good idea: Look up the basic adventuring kit. It costs 15 gp, and comes with the most important items you'll need (tent, torches, rope, backpack, rations, water).

Failing that, buy a backpack separately, so you can carry stuff. Also buy a bunch (5-10) of trail rations and a waterskin or two. You don't want to starve to death.

Even with the kit, buy a grappling hook for your rope. Also with the kit, add the price for 50 feet of hemp rope, so ou have 100 feet instead.

You want a whetstone, to keep your sword sharp (a good (or bad, depending on your point of view) DM will penalize you for having a dull sword).

Miscellaneous gear:
Chalk, in case you're in a labyrinth, or any dungeon.
Signal whistle, so you can find your party (could come in handy, especially if you have mean DM).
Manacles, in case you need to take prisoners.
Flint and Steel, to start fires when you go camping adventuring.
Torches, for light.

My characters always carry paper/parchment and inkpens and ink, but you probably won't need it. If you do, you'll probably be able to buy some then.


(Also, Greatsword is better than Falchion, damage-wise.)

[Sith_Happens]

1. Find the "Adventuring Gear" chart/list/section.

2. Buy it.

[Spore]

Flint & Steel
Bedroll
Tent
Bow & 20 Arrows
Dagger
Quarterstaff/Club (cheap secondweapon in case of Disarm/Sunder)
Tools for your profession
Lantern
Lantern Oil
Torches
Waterskin
Rations
Backpack
Second clothes (some rather harsh DMs let you roll on diseases if you stay in wet diseased swamp/sewer drenched clothes)
Rope
Quill, Ink and Paper
Caltrops
Pot, Iron

[Cassidius]

I'd grab a bow, I think it's the composite bow that adds strength to damage so that is probably your best bet. Don't go crazy on arrows either. Having a bunch of different ones seems nice, but at low levels there aren't a lot of situations where you will need to use a bow and even fewer where you need to use a bow and arrows with special properties. I know the barbarian regretted not having a bow in the early levels of our campaign.

[MeiLeTeng]

Before I go into gear, I want to know how you got those ability scores. There is no way to get those in a 20 point buy without an absurd race. (BTW, what race is this guy?)
Also, if you're doing a point buy, don't have any elevens*! Third, switch wisdom and charisma, you're a fighter; will saves are more important than social skills.
*Take one point from intelligence, and put it in dexterity. It's wasted where it is, and dexterity is far more useful.


Looks like they're probably doing Pathfinder point buy (though that still comes to 21 by my calculations)

[Neknoh]

Pathfinder 20 point buy, Human (floating +2 put into strength)
Could be I'm misremembering one point on something (the sheet is in another room with people sleeping). We did double check to make sure the points weren't over, can update it tomorrow with a proper-proper list.

Good advice on the point-movement of things.

I cannot afford a composite bow and arrows (75 for bow, 1 for 20 arrows), furthermore, I need a composite bow to be +4 to use my full +4 str bonus do I not? I did consider it, but there just isn't the money for it.

Should I get both torches and a lantern/lamp?

[Zweisteine]

For now, don't bother with a composite bow. Stick to something simple (I recommend shortbow or light crossbow), so you can afford more important gear. When you have more money (probably level 3 or 4) buy a better bow. When you reach level five at the latest, buy either a Masterwork Composite (+0str) Longbow, or a Composite (+4str) Longbow for 4 or 5 hundred gp, respectively.
By level 10, I'd say you should have a Masterwork Composite (+4str) Longbow, at the least (maybe more strength because of increases you get, maybe even +1 magic bow). By level 20, I'd say you want it to be +2 or +3 magical, and have a strength bonus as good as your strength modifier at that point.

You probably don't need a lamp. Stick with a few torches, and buy an everburning torch next level. Alternatively, buy a lamp (or don't) and pay for your Wizard to learn Continual Flame and to cast it when you reach level 3 (which costs the same: 110gp for the torch, or 20gp for permission to copy the spell, 40gp to copy it, and 50gp to cast it)


On the topic of point buys, I might recommend something like 16, 14, 14, 10, 10, 10, before racial adjustments. If you want to be a Big Dumb Fighter, you could go for 18, 14, 14, 9, 8, 7. Nice round 20 strength.

Mind you, anything I say could be wrong or stupid, because I don't know so much about Pathfinder.

[Neknoh]

How does a sling measure up to a regular bow? I do get a strength bonus to the sling-hits don't I?

Currently browsing over traits for the campaign, talking to GM tomorrow, if we go for 2 traits, I need to pick 2 out of a rather large list I've got going.

Basic: Courageous: +2 against fear
Basic: Reactionairy: +2 ini bonus
APG 331: Outlander: Exile +2 ini bonus (campaign)
APG 330: Favored Daughter – Emeiko (campaign)
APG 330: Black Sheep – Aliver (campaign)
APG 333: Child of Nature
APG 333: Magic is Life
APG 333: Veteran of Battle
RotRPG 4: Giant Slayer - +1 Bluff, Perception, Sense Motive, +1 att +1dmg vs giant subtype (campaign)
RotRPG 4: Monster Hunter - +1 att +1dmg abberations and magical beasts (campaign)

Any suggestions?

[Zweisteine]

Yes, you add your strength bonus to sling damage, but it takes a move action to load. I'd say it might actually be preferable to a crossbow.

Win idea: Take Quick Draw and carry a sling for every sling bullet you have, each one loaded. Now you don't have to spend an action to reload, or a feat to reload faster (if Rapid Reload can be used for it). Slings are free, so it's no problem. (Of course, if you primarily use the sling, you'd have to enchant them all, but a bow is a better ranged weapon by far, if you want to shoot people.)

And I don't know about PF traits, so I can't help you there, sorry.

[Neknoh]

That is unfortunately something I wont subjugate my GM to straight out the door on his first campaign ;) But sounds incredibly fun for later on (pre-longbow).