Just need a little help

[KittenMagician]

im working on a homebrew class and i just wanted to know if there was a good rule of thumb for equipment options. im going slow and being meticulous with this class build checking with some friends periodically to check balance but once im done i will post it here for you lovely folks. the only thing they cant seem to help me with is equipment options

[Amnoriath]

Honestly the easiest way to go about it is look for a similar base class and copy it. It isn't worth hand selecting over.

[GaelofDarkness]

I concur with Amnoriath. However, let's have a look into how starting equipment in 5e is dealt out anyways, because I've got some time to kill.

I've identified five different categories of starting equipment:

Category 1: Weapons
Every character will get weapons because not having any SUCKS. In general, classes receive starting weapons that'd you'd probably guess they'd have based on their starting proficiency and the general gist of the class. For example, Barbarians start with a greataxe or any martial melee weapon, 2 handaxes or any single simple weapon, and four javelins. The more the class has a martial bend, the more weapons they get - obviously. Wizards, being on the opposite end of the spectrum from barbarians, just choose between a single dagger and a quarterstaff. If the class can benefit from a level 1 subclass that give them additional proficiency - they may be able to upgrade their starting weapons - see the cleric.

If they can get thrown weapons then they can get more than one. They'd probably get 2 daggers or 2 handaxes or 4 javelins or 10 darts. The exception being bards and wizards who can start with just a single dagger. I get wizards. Not sure why bards don't though...

The choices in starting equipment are sometimes redundant - but are designed to prompt the player towards certain playstyles. The barbarian can choose any martial melee weapon but the wording is a choice between a greataxe and any martial melee weapon. That's redundant, BUT it conjures images of the barbarian swinging the big blade at the puny foe - it's provocative and despite being completely unnecessary, good design imo.

Category 2: Weapons OR Armour
By this category, I mean the starting equipment choices that make you choose between armour/shields and weapons. There are only three classes that do this. Paladins do this to encourage a choice between two weapon fighting and sword n' board - choosing between two martial weapons and a martial weapon + shield. You'll also note the redundancy in the weapon choice. They could offer a martial and then given you a choice between a martial weapon and a shield - but this is not as evocative of the play style choice you are making.

Fighters have an option that encourages choice between TWF and SnB too, but there is also a choice between chain mail and leather armour + longbow. This is because they are designed to work either as a Strength based class or a Dexterity based class and this starting equipment choice reflects this.

The only other class that does this is the druid. You can choose between a wooden shield and any simple weapon. They also get a choice between a scimitar and any simple weapon - so I don't really understand this choice between the shield and weapon seeing as they are full spellcasters and wild shape/use shillelagh if they need to get up close and personal. My guess is that because druids can't use metal armour or shields, this is an opt-out if they have no interest in a wooden shield being set on fire, but idk.

Category 3: Armour
This is the category that covers just armour and shields and not the choices where you could choose to get weapons as above. It's fairly unexciting, but you get the armour appropriate to your starting proficiency - not the best option out there (nobody starts with plate) - and if you're a class with unarmoured defense, you don't get any starting armour regardless of proficiency - see barbarian.

Category 4: Packs and Tools
Every class starts with a thematically appropriate pack. For most classes the dungeoneer's pack or the explorer's pack or a choice between them is an option. The only exception is bards who choose between a diplomat's pack and an entertainer's pack which are not available to other classes as starting equipment - because that makes sense with the theme. Scholar's, priest's and burglar's packs are options where thematically appropriate too.

If a class get's another tool for utility that's core to what they do, they get that too. Rogues and artificers get thieves' tools. I honestly don't know why artificer's start with thieves' tools, or rather, I don't know why they HAVE to start off with thieves' tools instead of being given a choice from between the tools their proficient with...

You could put the bards' instrument under here too but it's used as their spell casting focus, so it's going into the final category which is...

Category 5: Spellcasting items
If it's a class with spellcasting you get the things you need to cast your spells. If it's the bard you choose between the lute and any other instrument (again, note the intentional redundancy). If it uses arcane magic and isn't the bard, you choose between an arcane focus and a component pouch. If it's the druid, you use a druidic focus. If it uses divine magic and isn't the druid, you get a holy symbol and use that as your focus.

If the class has an additional item tied to their spellcasting they get that too - by which I mean the wizard's spell book.

For classes that don't start with spellcasting but get spellcasting later or potentially get spellcasting as part of subclass choice, you don't need to give them their spellcasting items as starting equipment. The paladin doesn't start off with any magic (except lay on hands, I guess) but does start with a holy symbol because it makes sense that they would. Rangers and artificers will get magic but they start off with none and don't get any spellcasting items to start with, and neither do fighters or rogues who may wish to become eldritch knights or arcane tricksters respectively.

Note that rangers, eldritch knights and arcane tricksters cannot use casting foci at any point - they must use component pouches, which they still don't start with. So if you wanted to design a class that bucks the trend of using foci, there is precedent but not so far with a full caster and not with a non-nature-themed divine caster. Or you could just let them use foci because most people don't seem to care much about components that don't cost gp.

[KittenMagician]

I concur with Amnoriath. However, let's have a look into how starting equipment in 5e is dealt out anyways, because I've got some time to kill.

I've identified five different categories of starting equipment:

Category 1: Weapons
Every character will get weapons because not having any SUCKS. In general, classes receive starting weapons that'd you'd probably guess they'd have based on their starting proficiency and the general gist of the class. For example, Barbarians start with a greataxe or any martial melee weapon, 2 handaxes or any single simple weapon, and four javelins. The more the class has a martial bend, the more weapons they get - obviously. Wizards, being on the opposite end of the spectrum from barbarians, just choose between a single dagger and a quarterstaff. If the class can benefit from a level 1 subclass that give them additional proficiency - they may be able to upgrade their starting weapons - see the cleric.

If they can get thrown weapons then they can get more than one. They'd probably get 2 daggers or 2 handaxes or 4 javelins or 10 darts. The exception being bards and wizards who can start with just a single dagger. I get wizards. Not sure why bards don't though...

The choices in starting equipment are sometimes redundant - but are designed to prompt the player towards certain playstyles. The barbarian can choose any martial melee weapon but the wording is a choice between a greataxe and any martial melee weapon. That's redundant, BUT it conjures images of the barbarian swinging the big blade at the puny foe - it's provocative and despite being completely unnecessary, good design imo.

Category 2: Weapons OR Armour
By this category, I mean the starting equipment choices that make you choose between armour/shields and weapons. There are only three classes that do this. Paladins do this to encourage a choice between two weapon fighting and sword n' board - choosing between two martial weapons and a martial weapon + shield. You'll also note the redundancy in the weapon choice. They could offer a martial and then given you a choice between a martial weapon and a shield - but this is not as evocative of the play style choice you are making.

Fighters have an option that encourages choice between TWF and SnB too, but there is also a choice between chain mail and leather armour + longbow. This is because they are designed to work either as a Strength based class or a Dexterity based class and this starting equipment choice reflects this.

The only other class that does this is the druid. You can choose between a wooden shield and any simple weapon. They also get a choice between a scimitar and any simple weapon - so I don't really understand this choice between the shield and weapon seeing as they are full spellcasters and wild shape/use shillelagh if they need to get up close and personal. My guess is that because druids can't use metal armour or shields, this is an opt-out if they have no interest in a wooden shield being set on fire, but idk.

Category 3: Armour
This is the category that covers just armour and shields and not the choices where you could choose to get weapons as above. It's fairly unexciting, but you get the armour appropriate to your starting proficiency - not the best option out there (nobody starts with plate) - and if you're a class with unarmoured defense, you don't get any starting armour regardless of proficiency - see barbarian.

Category 4: Packs and Tools
Every class starts with a thematically appropriate pack. For most classes the dungeoneer's pack or the explorer's pack or a choice between them is an option. The only exception is bards who choose between a diplomat's pack and an entertainer's pack which are not available to other classes as starting equipment - because that makes sense with the theme. Scholar's, priest's and burglar's packs are options where thematically appropriate too.

If a class get's another tool for utility that's core to what they do, they get that too. Rogues and artificers get thieves' tools. I honestly don't know why artificer's start with thieves' tools, or rather, I don't know why they HAVE to start off with thieves' tools instead of being given a choice from between the tools their proficient with...

You could put the bards' instrument under here too but it's used as their spell casting focus, so it's going into the final category which is...

Category 5: Spellcasting items
If it's a class with spellcasting you get the things you need to cast your spells. If it's the bard you choose between the lute and any other instrument (again, note the intentional redundancy). If it uses arcane magic and isn't the bard, you choose between an arcane focus and a component pouch. If it's the druid, you use a druidic focus. If it uses divine magic and isn't the druid, you get a holy symbol and use that as your focus.

If the class has an additional item tied to their spellcasting they get that too - by which I mean the wizard's spell book.

For classes that don't start with spellcasting but get spellcasting later or potentially get spellcasting as part of subclass choice, you don't need to give them their spellcasting items as starting equipment. The paladin doesn't start off with any magic (except lay on hands, I guess) but does start with a holy symbol because it makes sense that they would. Rangers and artificers will get magic but they start off with none and don't get any spellcasting items to start with, and neither do fighters or rogues who may wish to become eldritch knights or arcane tricksters respectively.

Note that rangers, eldritch knights and arcane tricksters cannot use casting foci at any point - they must use component pouches, which they still don't start with. So if you wanted to design a class that bucks the trend of using foci, there is precedent but not so far with a full caster and not with a non-nature-themed divine caster. Or you could just let them use foci because most people don't seem to care much about components that don't cost gp.

you have given me a lot to think about. i will have to go back and see what i gave them