Confusion about starting gold

[lytokk]

So, I'm making my first 5th edition character. Do I take the equipment listed in the quick create, the gear listed I recieve in my background information, and take the starting gold listed in the equipment chapter?

I think it should just be the starting gold and maybe the background gear but I'm not sure.

[Giant2005]

You get two choices:
1. The gear listed in the class description + the gear in the background description or
2. Starting Gold.

[Vogonjeltz]

So, I'm making my first 5th edition character. Do I take the equipment listed in the quick create, the gear listed I recieve in my background information, and take the starting gold listed in the equipment chapter?

I think it should just be the starting gold and maybe the background gear but I'm not sure.

The answer to your question is: No.

Player's Handbook page 14, Chapter 1: Step-by-Step Characters; Step 5. Choose Equipment

"Your class and background determine your character's starting equipment, including weapons, armor, and other adventuring gear."
"Instead of taking gear given to you by your class and background, you can purchase your starting equipment. You have a number of gold pieces (gp) to spend on your class as shown in chapter 5."

and

PHB page 124, Chapter 4: Personality and Background; Equipment: "If you use the optional rule from chapter 5 to spend coin on gear, you do not receive the starting equipment from your background."

and

The exact section that apparently confused you: Chapter 5: Equipment, page 143: "When you create your character you recieve equipment based on a combination of your class and background. Alternatively, you start with a number of gold pieces based on your class and spend them on items from the lists in this chapter."

[Ninja_Prawn]

You get two choices:
1. The gear listed in the class description + the gear in the background description or
2. Starting Gold.

And the 'more optimal' choice depends on your specific class & background, but taking the listed gear is usually solid.

[Slipperychicken]

I always pick the equipment packs. They give a higher total gp value, cover everything you really need (i.e. Weapons, foci, armor, rope, rations, tool kits) and it takes less time than picking everything manually

The variant guild artisan is great because it gives a cart and mule, which are awesome at low levels when you need to loot, carry, and sell everything you find to afford equipment upgrades.