Starting gear/gold question

[holywhippet]

Am I reading the PHB right for starting gear/gold? It seems to be saying you can either take the gear offered by your class and background or you can roll your starting gold and equip yourself using that instead. Since your starting gear generally adds up to more than your likely starting gold (especially for a monk) does it actually mean you get your starting gold and gear together?

[Ninja_Prawn]

Am I reading the PHB right for starting gear/gold? It seems to be saying you can either take the gear offered by your class and background or you can roll your starting gold and equip yourself using that instead. Since your starting gear generally adds up to more than your likely starting gold (especially for a monk) does it actually mean you get your starting gold and gear together?

No, the standard reading is either/or. You're right that it's generally far better to take the class/background default gear, but if there's something specific you desperately want (studded leather or a racial weapon that your class doesn't normally get, for example), rolling might be your only option.

[holywhippet]

Ok thanks. I can't imagine what they were thinking in that case.

[hymer]

No, the standard reading is either/or. You're right that it's generally far better to take the class/background default gear, but if there's something specific you desperately want (studded leather or a racial weapon that your class doesn't normally get, for example), rolling might be your only option.

Also for custom backgrounds.