Starting with no Equipment

[dragsvart]

I am starting a campaign in a few days which will start with all the players at level 1 and lacking any equipment (aside from the cloths on their backs) after a shipwreck. When the campaign starts they will be in the wild with only a small cache of goods to sustain them. The fighter will be without heavy armor, the wizard will be without a spellbook, etc. They *should* be able to aquire some more suitable equipment when they get to the nearest city (~1-2 days travel if they are direct).

The cache of stuff they can grab includes a few of the weaker weapons, one set of light armor, some food/water, some adventuring odds and ends, and some trade goods that they can exchange for money down the road.

My worry is making encounters that they might face too dificulet without equipment while still making it feel like they are in actual danger. Has anyone ever run something like this or has any ideas that can give some suggestions to avoid causing a TPK in the first session.

[Vessyra]

Make sure that the player's know that you will be starting with no gears, so that they don't go and make a build revolving around, say, their greataxe. Also give them a rough estimate of how long they'll likely be spending in the wilderness, so that they don't go and make a character that is the lord of wilderness survival for all of two sessions before spending the rest of the campaign in civilisation.

You can expect the fighty-types to try and make makeshift clubs and bows, so prepare the DCs for finding the materials and carving the wood. Finally, take a look at the player's spell lists, and figure what material components that they'll need to search for. (A 50 gold diamond for chromatic orb would be pretty much impossible to find, but the pork rind for grease shouldn't be to hard)

[Mellack]

You are going to have to tone the difficulty way down. Level 1 PCs are somewhat fragile anyway, but now they will have bad AC and damage as well.

[Quoxis]

You are going to have to tone the difficulty way down. Level 1 PCs are somewhat fragile anyway, but now they will have bad AC and damage as well.

Except for the monk, who‘ll be laughing his arse off with his 16 unarmored AC and 1d4+dex hands.

[Lord Vukodlak]

I am starting a campaign in a few days which will start with all the players at level 1 and lacking any equipment (aside from the cloths on their backs) after a shipwreck. When the campaign starts they will be in the wild with only a small cache of goods to sustain them. The fighter will be without heavy armor, the wizard will be without a spellbook, etc. They *should* be able to aquire some more suitable equipment when they get to the nearest city (~1-2 days travel if they are direct).

Here's the thing with the wizard, the spellbook isn't just equipment its also a class feature. Other classes won't have much of a problem casting their first level spells the wizard however will because he doesn't have his spellbook. So the player might feel their class was unfairly singled out.

If a naked cleric finds a suit of armor and a weapon he's good to go. It becomes HIS armor and weapon by virtue of him picking it up and using it. If a naked wizard finds any spellbook but his own its useless to him without money and time to scribe the spells into his own notation.

So the two classes won't be able to salvage gear equally. A Sorcerer, Monk or Warlock starts fairly a head of the game as they can basically be naked at 1st level anyway.

The problem with the shipwreck scenario is that a lot of gear fits on your back, even if the wreck happens in the middle of the night when the party is trying to sleep. A rogue might sleep with a blade under his pillow. You can bet that clerics and druids would wear their holy symbols.

So players might feel its a DM flat that something they carry on their back 24/7 isn't with them. Let them grab ONE item from their equipment list. They awake in the middle of the night to a huge crash and the sound of rushing water. Tell them they have time to grab one item before being washed away.

I was actually in almost this exact scenario in an early edition once err twice actually, the first time was in 3.0 the campaign would begin with a shipwreck. Well actually it began on the ship. I made it a point that my wizard kept his spellbook with him at all times in his backpack. Now the DM asked why and I explained the spellbook was more or less an extension of the wizard and wasn't as easily replaced as regular equipment like something happening like the ship sinking this prompted the rest of the party to make similar preparations.

Another idea might be they start with no equipment but make salvaging their starting equipment the first adventure or two. This way they still get all their listed gear from staring equipment and backgrounds just not immediately.

[AvvyR]

I'd definitely agree that making a Wizard start without a spellbook is a huge "F-you. Should have played a sorcerer."

[mephnick]

I'd definitely agree that making a Wizard start without a spellbook is a huge "F-you. Should have played a sorcerer."

A wizard starting with a spellbook and the rest starting with no equipment is a huge **** you to everyone else. The wizard starts at literally full power and the Fighter loses everything until they find the stuff they actually would have started with.

[DeTess]

A wizard starting with a spellbook and the rest starting with no equipment is a huge **** you to everyone else. The wizard starts at literally full power and the Fighter loses everything until they find the stuff they actually would have started with.

Thing is, a fighter can improvise some basic weapons and/or armor in the wilds. A wizard can not improvise a spellbook. This can simply be solved by having the wizard player prepare one set of spells in advance, which he then can't change until he gets a new spellbook.

[PhantomSoul]

Thing is, a fighter can improvise some basic weapons and/or armor in the wilds. A wizard can not improvise a spellbook. This can simply be solved by having the wizard player prepare one set of spells in advance, which he then can't change until he gets a new spellbook.

Agreed for having spells "pre-prepared". As for not being able to improvise a spellbook, well, they probably can't improvise the spells in the book, but pages made of (something like) birch bark with spells written using charcoal, mud or blood would be pretty doable for spells acquired in the future and for noting down spells currently prepared.

[DeTess]

Agreed for having spells "pre-prepared". As for not being able to improvise a spellbook, well, they probably can't improvise the spells in the book, but pages made of (something like) birch bark with spells written using charcoal, mud or blood would be pretty doable for spells acquired in the future and for noting down spells currently prepared.

Unfortunately, spells in a spellbook need to be written in special ink with a set gold cost, which suggests that it isn't quite as simple as writing 'abra-cadabra-alakazam' on a leaf.

[kraitmarais]

Maybe the wizard manages to somehow keep or recover their spellbook, but it has been heavily damaged in the water and only one or two spells are still legible? That way the wizard would be able to still contribute, but would be powered-down similarly to the other characters.

[Speely]

Any and every encounter will be dangerous here. Cool idea, btw. Reminds me of Divinity: Original Sin II. I would low-ball it and keep the enemies very weak. That way, you can always add in greater numbers if the PCs are facerolling them, but you won't be brutalizing them merely because of the narrative.

Making the recovery of key items like a wizard's spellbook or a fighter's armor milestones could be really fun and dynamic, too.

As others have said, you do run the risk of having a monk or barbarian in the party (or even a rogue who snatches the light armor) who might dominate early-on. Might want to prepare for how that will affect the first session. You don't want to set an "unfair" tone right off the bat. The thing about a good D&D campaign is that all players should feel useful. Making a first impression where that is not the case might hurt the campaign.

It can be done, but I would advise considering the aforementioned points when creating that crucial first session.

[Mellack]

As others have mentioned, there can be a huge imbalance between the characters depending on what they are playing. A monk or sorcerer will be at full power. The x-bow expert human fighter is left punching or swinging an improvised club. It might lead to some disgruntled players if they feel useless.

[mgshamster]

This is exactly how Out of the Abyss starts. All PCs are captured by the drow (who are massively stronger than the PCs), and they have no equipment.

They have to escape the prison, flee the drow, and survive the underdark without anything but their prison clothing and manacales.

Some DMs are nice and start at level 3, or even allow the PCs to get some of their equipment back by stealing it from the drow. Or perhaps stealing some drow equipment to use as their own. Others are not so lucky.

You don't have to tone it down at all, the players just have to be more cautious and can't charge into every battle thinking they'll win. About the most you'll have yo do is ensure that they won't immediately die. For example, a local tribe of goblins may defeat them, but instead of killing the PCs they capture them for a ritual sacrifice later that week. Or a giant eagle wants the PC to be alive to give its young practice killing.

Even the wizard isn't at that much reduced power - they don't need a spell book to regain spell slots. They just can't memorize different spells than whatever they had memorized already. Which is exactly the situation my wizard is in right now. Just allow them to start making their own spell book from natural materials after a few sessions so when they level they can get some more spells.

Also, be familiar with the Chase Rules. :)

[pedestrianx]

I started my current campaign with no equipment. The PCs were captured by a manscorpion and his goblin minions and stripped of everything. They were being used as slave labour to excavate an old dungeon. Their belongings were in a series of crates in the room where they were chained or caged. The manscorpion had no use for books or clothes so they were in the crates. Any gold, weapons or armour was taken and was not found in the crates. When the PCs escaped, they found some of their things in the crates, the holy symbol and spellbook being the most important, and they used some miner's picks as weapons. Because the characters were weak, the goblins figured they had no need to carry around weapons. They also used a gelatinous cube to block their escape so that they could not be chased easily. They travelled carefully for two days until they found a farm. The only encounters they had was with some wolves and a mutated demon goat. They worked for some cash at the farm then they headed to a trading post to buy a few items.

[Sethv007]

I love this concept. the next time I DM it will be clothes on your back. It doesn't necessarily make sense to me that a level 1 character would start with essentially all the tools he needs to be a bad @$$. It's more logical to think they have no money, no experience, and no stuff. Like a Legend of Zelda or Fallout or something, some hoops have to be jumped through before you can just do something.

I don't have a great way to address the wizard shortfall but I don't worry a bit about the gwm fighter or xbow build. They will get plenty of time to shine later. Now is the time to learn to flicker.

[Mellack]

I love this concept. the next time I DM it will be clothes on your back. It doesn't necessarily make sense to me that a level 1 character would start with essentially all the tools he needs to be a bad @$$. It's more logical to think they have no money, no experience, and no stuff. Like a Legend of Zelda or Fallout or something, some hoops have to be jumped through before you can just do something.

I don't have a great way to address the wizard shortfall but I don't worry a bit about the gwm fighter or xbow build. They will get plenty of time to shine later. Now is the time to learn to flicker.

I don't see a 1st level character as having no experience. That is what is covered by their backgrounds.

Criminal: You are an experienced criminal with a history of breaking the law.
Folk hero has a defining event such as leading a militia to fight off an army.
Guild Artisan: You learned your skills as an apprentice to a master artisan, under the sponsorship of your guild, until you became a master in your own right.
Sage: Your efforts have made you a master in your fields of study.
Sailor: You sailed on a sea going vessel for years. In that time, you faced down mighty storms, monsters of the deep, and those who wanted to sink your craft to the bottomless depths.
Soldier: War has been your life for as long as you care to remember. You trained as a youth, studied the use of weapons and armor, learned basic survival techniques, including how to stay alive on the battlefield.

Those sound to me like characters who have experience and would have the tools of their chosen career.

[KnotaGuru]

I started my players captured, exhausted (1-2 levels), gearless, and in a dark cave. They found their gear 1/2 way through the cave and fought giant rats most of that session. We had a dwarf barbarian, human tempest cleric, wood elf monk, gnome wizard, and gnome rogue. I let them use old bones as improvised weapons. They did fine. Wizard can use most cantrips without a spellbook or material components. His fire bolts not only killed the rats from a far, but also provided a hot meal.

[SirGraystone]

First let your players know in advance maybe none will play wizard. If there is a wizard I would let him have his spellbook but not his spell focus or component pouch. As for equipement I would make a table of random stuff they can salvage from the wreck, thing like a dagger, some rope, canvas from a sail, an oar that some could make a spear out of, a barrel of apples, random stuff that could be on the beach with them.

[Derpaligtr]

Restrict what classes a player can use.

Out of the core classes, no Monk and no Wizard. This keeps the Monk from being overly powerful initially compared to the others and the Wizard from being screwed over/severely underpowered compared to the others (missing a class feature).

If a player wants an Int caster, allow them to change cleric, sorcerer, or warlock to an Int caster.

[Vogie]

If you want to have a wizard, perhaps they were one who had their spellbook tattoo'd on their person, then most of it was burned away in the wreck, by fire, acid, erosion (sandburn?), et cetera. They'll eventually be able to re-tattoo themselves once the burns heal, but they're stuck with whatever was visible until they find a spellbook to start working on it. Once they hit another story point, they'll be healed enough to re-tattoo themselves, and eventually get back to "proper".

You could do something similar to the monk - the wreck really destroyed their Arm, for example, or maybe hurt their back. That gives them a bit of a Dexterity hobble at the moment. After a couple days of rest, they'll be able to be fully themselves and the negative to dex goes away.

[Derpaligtr]

If you want to have a wizard, perhaps they were one who had their spellbook tattoo'd on their person, then most of it was burned away in the wreck, by fire, acid, erosion (sandburn?), et cetera. They'll eventually be able to re-tattoo themselves once the burns heal, but they're stuck with whatever was visible until they find a spellbook to start working on it. Once they hit another story point, they'll be healed enough to re-tattoo themselves, and eventually get back to "proper".

You could do something similar to the monk - the wreck really destroyed their Arm, for example, or maybe hurt their back. That gives them a bit of a Dexterity hobble at the moment. After a couple days of rest, they'll be able to be fully themselves and the negative to dex goes away.

Still screwing them over for having a class feature.

Also, needlessly complicated. Int based sorcerer/warlock/cleric/druid works so much easier.

[Vogie]

Still screwing them over for having a class feature.


And a first level fighter isn't screwed over by not having weapons? Their class features are literally "using weapons & armor" at low levels.

You'll note this part about the spellbook:

Your Spellbook
At 1st level, you have a spellbook containing six 1st-level wizard spells of your choice. Your spellbook is the repository of the wizard spells you know.

The spellbook only contains 1st level spells... that is, it doesn't contain cantrips... because the wizard already knows them. I believe that it was PHB errata that even called out that spellbooks do not ever contain cantrips. Even without a spellbook, a wizard is better equipped and versatile than a equipmentless martial.

[MagneticKitty]

I did where they have their gear but they're stuck on an island and have to find a way off. (No flying or waterbreathing races allowed) so they can build raft or survive until they learn a spell to help them. Or have an item hiddel that will help like a teleport circle or magic carpet. That way everyone can use their full power, but it's still survival. Make the enemies toxic to eat or playable races if you want to encourage moral dilemmas / hunting for food. Make it a desert island for more difficulty where they have to purify their own water or something.

[mgshamster]

Not having a spellbook does not screw over a wizard. It's just a temporary set back. They can still cast all their memorized spells every day. You don't need a spell book to regain spell slots, and you don't lose your memorized spells when you cast.

All a lack of a spell book does is prevent a wizard from changing their memorized spells and learn new spells.

And all you have to do to fix it is let the wizard harvest and create the components needed to make a new spell book. They can find the specialized herbs and mix it with the blood of amagical creature, combined with the ashes of a fire burned with a spell cast over it to make the magic inks (I'm just making this all up; you can make up your own way or let the player be creative). From there, all the wizard needs is something to write on so they can get new spells: flat pieces of board from aagical tree linked together with silk fibers from a magical silk worm, or thin sheets of copper bound with silver thread, or whatever kind of spellbook you want to make.

As a bonus, I gauruntee your wizard player will remember this one spellbook for the rest of their life, because they had to put in effort to create it instead of just spending GP to get one out of the PHB.

You don't need rules printed in the PHB or DMG to do this; use your imagination and let your players be creative. Don't let the rules do your thinking for you.