Equipment for a Level One Cleric

[LordOfCain]

1x Alchemist's Fire
Sling
40 Sling Bullets
Heavy Wooden Shield
4x Torches
Rowboat
Oar
3 sq. yd. canvas
Clay mug
20 lb. firewood
Wooden holy symbol
Sledge
Empty Chest
6 days rations
Club
Glass wine bottle
Bag of Holding (Type I) (DM Fiat) (Trapped by Player) (Cursed (1 day in the Bag of Holding = 1 year)
Maanvaki Grog
Quaal's Feather Token (Tree)
Bag of Holding Trap (Bypass (Hidden Switch)) (Poison: Sassone Leaf Extract) (Search DC: 16) (Disable Device DC: 10)

Opinions anyone? I used craft skills, profession checks, and price reductions to get this much stuff. I still have 22 gold pieces left though.
This cleric has Wild Cohort so I didn't have to buy a horse.

[johnbragg]

The rowboat intrigues me. Are you operating out of a base on a river or lake?

EDIT: Always have some chalk. Also, having some disposable food to throw at/to animals can solve at least a couple of encounters.

[LordOfCain]

The rowboat intrigues me. Are you operating out of a base on a river or lake?

EDIT: Always have some chalk. Also, having some disposable food to throw at/to animals can solve at least a couple of encounters.

Nope. Just helps to always be prepared. What would I need chalk for?

[Geddy2112]

I don't think you need that many sling bullets-just eat the -1 to throw rocks if you have to.

Chalk is useful for writing on dungeon walls and all purpose stone marking. Dust is useful to detect fine wires, drafts, chalking your hands before you lift, and last ditch throw powder in an enemy's face as a dirty trick.

Candles are also pretty useful-more for the wax than the light, but light is useful too.

[johnbragg]

Nope. Just helps to always be prepared. What would I need chalk for?

You can write a message on a rock. You can make it into dust to outline invisibibles. You can fake an arcane magic circle and probably fool anyone who doesn't have ranks in Spellcraft. You can make a map on the floor of the dungeon. You can diagram a party attack plan. You can use it to mark your path, like the breadcrumbs in the fairy tale except less edible.

You can write rude messages about other party members, hopefully in a language they don't speak or read. ("Gimli wears elf pants under his chain mail" "Where did Frodo REALLY lose his finger? That's why Samwise walks that way." )

You could also use some rope, some spikes, and a mirror. You're a cleric, so you should also have a pocket full of sweets to give to children.

(My last cleric kept his in an obvious pickable pocket, wrapped in papers that said "Friar Juby forgives you, and knows you will do better next time.")

You might also take a look at https://www.reddit.com/r/DnD/comments/15st0c/whats_the_best_mundane_equipment_to_pack_while/

[Zaq]

I'm pretty sure that while MOST Cleric spells require a holy symbol instead of a component pouch (if they require any components other than V/S anyway), I think that there are nonetheless some Cleric spells that have material components, so it'd be good to have a spell component pouch. It would be better to have two, just in case. (Similarly, a Cleric without a backup holy symbol seems underprepared to me. You don't need a dozen—just keep an emergency one in your boot or something.)

The club is what it is (I gather that you're not planning on being a primary melee character, which is fine), but a morningstar would be better, if for no other reason than that level 1 is precisely when you're most likely to have problems with DR requiring a specific damage type. If nothing else, every adventurer should have a handful of daggers, just in case.

It never hurts to have soap on hand. I always like to have a couple empty glass flasks, just in case. And it doesn't look like you have much for carrying liquids (one mug and one wine bottle won't get you through a day of marching without a convenient way to refill).

Chalk is useful for leaving marks to find your way out of a dungeon.

[LordOfCain]

Do 100 pieces of chalk weigh nothing???

[Hecuba]

Nope. Just helps to always be prepared. What would I need chalk for?

Lots of things. It lets you mark your path to keep from going in circles if lost. It allows you to leave messages on arbitrary objects. In a few levels, it will also allow you to make a calling diagram.

I think there's also some glowing chalk floating around somewhere that is even better, as well as some that is visible only via darkvision (if your party members all have it).


Things to add:
Flint & Steel
Marbles & Caltrops are always good

If you're willing to delve into FR stuff, there are some useful plants (like dark berries).

[Geddy2112]

I'm pretty sure that while MOST Cleric spells require a holy symbol instead of a component pouch (if they require any components other than V/S anyway), I think that there are nonetheless some Cleric spells that have material components, so it'd be good to have a spell component pouch. It would be better to have two, just in case. (Similarly, a Cleric without a backup holy symbol seems underprepared to me. You don't need a dozen—just keep an emergency one in your boot or something.)

The club is what it is (I gather that you're not planning on being a primary melee character, which is fine), but a morningstar would be better, if for no other reason than that level 1 is precisely when you're most likely to have problems with DR requiring a specific damage type. If nothing else, every adventurer should have a handful of daggers, just in case.
Free club is free, but agree morningstar is the best simple weapon-I usually just look for one on corpses and in loot piles, but splurge on it if you can.

I agree about backup holy symbols-My holy symbol users usually have a tattoo somewhere-it is expensive but hard to destroy. Also, there is nothing in the rules against using bracelets, earrings, emblems on armor/shields and the like as holy symbols. Having one to hold is fine, but piercings, bracelets, and emblems on armor are harder to take/break. It just says you have to be able to present the symbol, not that you have to be holding it.

[johnbragg]

Do 100 pieces of chalk weigh nothing???

Not sure you need 100. But if you have a place to keep a rowboat, I suppose you could keep a sack of 90 pieces of chalk at home, too.

[LordOfCain]

Not sure you need 100. But if you have a place to keep a rowboat, I suppose you could keep a sack of 90 pieces of chalk at home, too.

Bag of Holding.

[LordOfCain]

1x Alchemist's Fire
Sling
40 Sling Bullets
Heavy Wooden Shield
4x Torches
Rowboat
Oar
3 sq. yd. canvas
Clay mug
20 lb. firewood
Wooden holy symbol
Sledge
Empty Chest
6 days rations
Club
Glass wine bottle
Bag of Holding (Type I) (DM Fiat) (Trapped by Player) (Cursed (1 day in the Bag of Holding = 1 year)
Bag of Holding Trap (Bypass (Hidden Switch)) (Poison: Sassone Leaf Extract) (Search DC: 16) (Disable Device DC: 10)
Gauntlets of Fumbling
Signet Ring
Flint and Steel
Waterskin
Vial of Ink
2x Inkpens
4 Sheets of Parchment
3 Vials
Bedroll
50 Candles
10 ft Pole
2 Flasks
2 Flasks of Ale
50 ft Hempen Rope
40 chalk

Revised Version Spent 22 remaining gp and swapped the maanvaki grog and feather token (tree) for gauntlets of fumbling

[Platymus Pus]

Bag of Holding.

How'd you fit a rowboat into there?

[Zanos]

You don't seem to have any armor.

[LordOfCain]

How'd you fit a rowboat into there?

See anywhere where it says you can't? I have a heavy wooden shield.

[Zaq]

I still don't see a spell component pouch. Like I said, Clerics have fewer spells with material components than Wizards do, but those spells do still exist.

[johnbragg]

See anywhere where it says you can't? I have a heavy wooden shield.


Bag of Holding
This appears to be a common cloth sack about 2 feet by 4 feet in size. The bag of holding opens into a nondimensional space: Its inside is larger than its outside dimensions. Regardless of what is put into the bag, it weighs a fixed amount. This weight, and the limits in weight and volume of the bag’s contents, depend on the bag’s type, as shown on the table below.

The bag of holding can't hold something that can't fit through the opening of the sack. Which a rowboat would not. That's why I thought you had some sort of a home base.

[LordOfCain]

The bag of holding can't hold something that can't fit through the opening of the sack. Which a rowboat would not. That's why I thought you had some sort of a home base.

Still not seeing where it says that.

[johnbragg]

Still not seeing where it says that.

On the outside, it's a 2' x 4' bag. How exactly do you plan to get the rowboat into the bag?

[LordOfCain]

On the outside, it's a 2' x 4' bag. How exactly do you plan to get the rowboat into the bag?

Piece by piece and then assemble it inside?

[johnbragg]

Piece by piece and then assemble it inside?

OK, I laughed. So you don't so much have a rowboat as an Ikea rowboat kit. You'll be looking into unlimited mending orizon abuse.

Ohh. Lack of armor is a big flaw.

[LordOfCain]

OK, I laughed. So you don't so much have a rowboat as an Ikea rowboat kit. You'll be looking into unlimited mending orizon abuse.

Ohh. Lack of armor is a big flaw.
Sold the alchemist's fire for leather armor, a locked gauntlet, and more waterskins

[Platymus Pus]

Piece by piece and then assemble it inside?

But then you can't take it out :smallconfused:

[johnbragg]

But then you can't take it out :smallconfused:

I don't think he's assembling the boat inside the bag. I think he's disassembling the boat, putting the planks in the bag, then pulling them out, and rebuilding the boat.

LordOfCain, you're better off with scale mail (50 gp) than leather armor (10 gp) and a rowboat (40 gp).

[Platymus Pus]

I don't think he's assembling the boat inside the bag. I think he's disassembling the boat, putting the planks in the bag, then pulling them out, and rebuilding the boat.

LordOfCain, you're better off with scale mail (50 gp) than leather armor (10 gp) and a rowboat (40 gp).

Isn't there like an inflatable raft or something you can buy?

[Blackhawk748]

Isn't there like an inflatable raft or something you can buy?

There is Feather Token (boat), but the Scale Mail is better. No, seriously. In all my time playing DnD i have never gone, "Gee i wish i had a rowboat." So i think its pretty safe to say that you won't need it.

[torrasque666]

There is Feather Token (boat), but the Scale Mail is better. No, seriously. In all my time playing DnD i have never gone, "Gee i wish i had a rowboat." So i think its pretty safe to say that you won't need it.
Unless its a foldable boat, with all its myriad uses.

[LordOfCain]

I would think about getting scale mail if it would scale well. Leather armor is cheaper.

[johnbragg]

I would think about getting scale mail if it would scale well. Leather armor is cheaper.

Leather armor +2 AC. Scale mail +4 AC. Scale mail has a skill check penalty, but I don't expect your cleric to be making a lot of Tumble and Jump checks.

[Zaq]

I would think about getting scale mail if it would scale well. Leather armor is cheaper.

Unless the armor is masterwork, you don't have to worry about it "scaling," because the specific suit of armor you're wearing at level 1 is pretty much by definition not going to be the suit of armor you upgrade into. A weapon or a suit of armor must be masterwork before it can be enchanted, and you can't make a non-masterwork item masterwork after it's been created, so it's impossible for you to upgrade the armor you're wearing right now. When the time comes for you to upgrade your armor, you'll be buying (/finding) a totally new suit of armor rather than magically enhancing the one you've got right now.

(Now, if you were talking about max DEX bonus, you'd almost have a point, but by the time you have enough HD to buy enough DEX points to matter and/or by the time you can afford magic items to boost your DEX, I guarantee that you'll have enough resources to buy a different suit of armor if your current one doesn't support your new DEX bonus.)

[Apricot]

I advise you consider replacing the 20lbs of firewood, the club, the oar, the rowboat, the shield, the sledge, the torches, the inkpens, and the signet ring with additional ten-foot poles. With a little creativity and some lucky Craft rolls, the thirty or forty additional ten-foot poles ought to serve well for all of those. In addition, you may want to convert to a religion which worships the ten-foot pole, as you will then never have to worry about being without a holy symbol ever again. The ten-foot pole: an adventurer's best friend.

Seriously, don't overthink this too much. Grab some decent weapons and armor, get some redundant backups for whatever you need to cast spells or do other fundamental class-related things, pick out basic camping equipment, and get to it. Most of these items will never see the light of day in any case.

[ComaVision]

Seriously, don't overthink this too much. Grab some decent weapons and armor, get some redundant backups for whatever you need to cast spells or do other fundamental class-related things, pick out basic camping equipment, and get to it. Most of these items will never see the light of day in any case.

With my last few characters, I've taken to starting with nothing other than my base armour/weapons and a small sum of gold. It's less headache and I have gold to purchase whatever small thing I end up needing.

[Apricot]

Yeah, that's exactly what I do. I've considered writing up a small list of basic camping supplies and basic adventuring equipment with a gold price attached to each so I can port them freely to my characters, just on the offchance that I forget to buy stuff before leaving town.

[LordOfCain]

I am thinking about taking a level or two in soulknife when I level up. Probably just one.

[johnbragg]

I am thinking about taking a level or two in soulknife when I level up. Probably just one.

.....why? You're spending a level for a weapon you could buy for a handful of gold pieces. OK, it can't be disarmed, so a sack of gold pieces for a shortsword and a locking gauntlet.

Soulknife is a cool concept, but mechanically it would be hard to justify taking it as a feat, much less a class level.

[LordOfCain]

.....why? You're spending a level for a weapon you could buy for a handful of gold pieces. OK, it can't be disarmed, so a sack of gold pieces for a shortsword and a locking gauntlet.

Soulknife is a cool concept, but mechanically it would be hard to justify taking it as a feat, much less a class level.
Probably soulknife and then some psychic warrior levels. Wild Talent is a bonus feat. Or maybe I could use some psychic rogue levels.

[johnbragg]

Probably soulknife and then some psychic warrior levels. Wild Talent is a bonus feat. Or maybe I could use some psychic rogue levels.

Then....why not just start as a Psychic Warrior? Or psychic rogue? Why cleric?

[LordOfCain]

Then....why not just start as a Psychic Warrior? Or psychic rogue? Why cleric?

True strike 1/day. Probably aiming for psychic theurge.

[johnbragg]

True strike 1/day. Probably aiming for psychic theurge.

True strike is an arcane spell. It's probably a domain spell for some 3rd party or homebrewed domain, but you can get it with a level of wizard or sorcerer.

Chat with your DM about your plans. I don't konw if they make sense.

[LordOfCain]

True strike is an arcane spell. It's probably a domain spell for some 3rd party or homebrewed domain, but you can get it with a level of wizard or sorcerer.

Chat with your DM about your plans. I don't konw if they make sense.

More hp. Reroll nat. ones for saves. I have the pride and fate domains FYI.