Mundane Equipment

[Ruethgar]

I often only get the essentials when planning out a character, week of rations, waterskin, backpack, bed roll and cloak. But this go around I wanted to deck him out in stuff that would be reasonable and useful for an adventurer to carry off the top of my head:
50ft hemp rope
Crowbar
Steel mirror
Dagger
Soap
Sewing Kit
1yd Common Cloth
Journal
Ink&Inkpen
Lantern
1flask Oil
Tent
Flint and Steel
Cookware
Utensils
Map
Hand Axe
Spade
Short Spear
Healer’s Kit

Added:
Shapesand
Sparker
Net
Framed Backpack
Magebred War Mule

Legendary Handle Animal Tools

50ft candle wick
20 candles


What are some other mundane(or exceedingly useful alchemical) items that a traveler or adventurer might/should carry?

[Falontani]

I often only get the essentials when planning out a character, week of rations, waterskin, back back, bed roll and cloak. But this go around I wanted to deck him out in stuff that would be reasonable and useful for an adventurer to carry off the top of my head:
50ft hemp rope (Silk Rope if your weight capacity isn't the best, Earthsilk rope is good if you are ok with spending a bit on your rope)
Crowbar
Steel mirror
Dagger
Soap
Sewing Kit
1yd Common Cloth
Journal
Ink&Inkpen
Lantern (Replace with Hearthfire Lantern)
1flask Oil
Tent
Flint and Steel
Cookware
Utensils
Map
Hand Axe
Spade
Short Spear
Healer’s Kit

What are some other mundane(or exceedingly useful alchemical) items that a traveler or adventurer might/should carry?

You should definitely carry some Hearthfire Cubes. (races of stone)

A Framed Pack from Arms and Equipment is a decent upgrade to the Backpack

If you are expecting long stints in the wild then I suggest a Honey Tarapin from Races of the Wild

A net is usually a decent buy on most characters, for combat it isn't terribly bad, and at low levels unless you are the str guy, it will usually be worth your turn, but outside of combat a net can be used for a variety of things.

Shapesand is your all in one tool, but is sometimes seen as cheesy so I don't recommend it to everyone.

A filter mask is cheap enough, and useful enough to buy if you have the money.

I usually splurge and buy 100 candles. Weightless and don't take up too much room, they are cheap and can be used for various reasons from a 'gingerbread' trail to allowing the wizard to cast summon monster if he somehow lost his component pouch, to the uses of a small flame without the weight of a torch. Generally a candle won't be as good as a torch, but 20 candles will be better than a torch and weight a whole lot less!

On the mention of candles, insect bane candles can help you if you are out in a swamp type area, or just any area with a large amount of vermin. Technically any vermin that does not have monstrous in the name will not approach. That 'technically' includes the rare intelligent vermin.

Finally, I like having a Livewood Quarterstaff "walking stick". Livewood costs 1.5x the normal cost of the item it is made into, and quarterstaff costs -, so 1.5x-=-. Trust me, I plugged it into my calculator Anyways it is a weapon that is counted as alive. It is something that you can ditch if need be, but generally won't harm you for having it.

[Venger]

The definitive answer to this question

If I had to name one single mundane item that is the most important to have that you don't have listed, it'd be marbles.

[Ruethgar]

A net and framed backpack are pretty nice. Yeah, Shapesand is a bit op for this exercise, but indispensable if allowed. The mystery of the weightless candles... does that mean you don’t need magic to have them float in the air? Lol. Still, can see a decent use for them, maybe not 100, but 20 is a fairly reasonable number.

The haversack... that’s a lot of somewhat niche stuff to spend 5k collecting. Still, decent list to pluck from, thanks.

[Falontani]

The mystery of the weightless candles... does that mean you don’t need magic to have them float in the air? Lol. Still, can see a decent use for them, maybe not 100, but 20 is a fairly reasonable number.

I use 100 because it is an even gold piece. They don't have a fly speed, so presumably they fall even if they don't weigh anything.

[Vizzerdrix]

Shapesand. Always have shapesand.

Other than that, I like getting a potion belt and bandolier. Masterwork preferably so I can enchant them later.

[Morty_Jhones]

Sparker 1gp, don't forget your lighter..

A sun rod 1gp can also save your hide

and if you travail with me you better have a dwarven brewmaker (40gp) and some tea 1gp per 1lb (230 or one week's worth)

[rrwoods]

The definitive answer to this question

If I had to name one single mundane item that is the most important to have that you don't have listed, it'd be marbles.

This is a great list, but in practical games I almost never have 6k I want to spend all at once at the levels where these items are actually relevant. Darrin had talked about making a "type 0" towards the end of that thread, but I think what would be really useful is having the contents of the Type I sorted (roughly, no need to quibble over small differences) by some measure of "relevance". When I'm building a level 1 or 2 character (which is usually what I am taking to a new game, in my group), it would be really cool to know what the "best" use of my non-weapon-non-armor money is.

Of course, one can go through the whole thing under the assumption that every campaign/world/adventure/character is different, but there's *a lot* of stuff in the Type I!

EDIT: You know what, I've start to take on a large number of small D&D "projects" lately (and one big one). I might just add this to the list.

[Troacctid]

Some of my go-tos are lasso, sundark goggles, sun lenses, mining helmet, crampons, flour pouches, and balance pole.

EDIT:

EDIT: You know what, I've start to take on a large number of small D&D "projects" lately (and one big one). I might just add this to the list.

If it helps, I have a spreadsheet that's tagged and sorted by price! https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...it?usp=sharing

[rrwoods]

Some of my go-tos are lasso, sundark goggles, sun lenses, mining helmet, crampons, flour pouches, and balance pole.

EDIT:

If it helps, I have a spreadsheet that's tagged and sorted by price! https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...it?usp=sharing

It does help, thanks a bunch!

[mabriss lethe]

One of my go-to items is Grell Crystal from Lords of Madness. It's basically something between casting resin and quick set concrete. a one lb bag costs 10 gp and when combined with 5 gallons of water creates a solid 25 square foot sheet one inch thick. it takes an hour to set and can be shaped into items using Craft (crystalwork) Hardness 7, 20 HP per inch, Break DC of 20, climb DC of 25. To craft your own, however, you need to take the Grell Alchemy feat and the craft (alchemy) DC is 20

[Darrin]

This is a great list, but in practical games I almost never have 6k I want to spend all at once at the levels where these items are actually relevant. Darrin had talked about making a "type 0" towards the end of that thread, but I think what would be really useful is having the contents of the Type I sorted (roughly, no need to quibble over small differences) by some measure of "relevance". When I'm building a level 1 or 2 character (which is usually what I am taking to a new game, in my group), it would be really cool to know what the "best" use of my non-weapon-non-armor money is.

I had forgotten about making a Type 0 haversack. It would definitely be useful for 1st level characters: "I have only 34 GP left, what can I get right now that will help me survive until 2nd level?" And there are a lot of items that assume the character is investing skill ranks in certain skills. A 1st-level barbarian is not going to want items that help him with Forgery (well... ok, the barbarians *I* play would, but that's just how I play barbarians.)

But yeah... one of the bigger drawbacks of the Type I: by the time you can afford to spend 6000 GP on *mundane* items, there are usually lots of not-so-mundane items available for purchase, notably magic weapons and armor.

However, there are certain items that even 1st level characters can afford that you'd want to clear with the DM first (aboleth mucus, eggshell grenades, chaos flasks, etc.).

Assuming that could be worked out, or maybe just flag those items that require some DM discussion, "Shax on a Budget" would be useful. What do you buy with only 100 GP? 200 GP? I'm not quite sure when I'd get around to it, but if you wanted to work on it, I have no objection.

[sreservoir]

A mule (8 gp)—or better, a magebred mule (16 gp), since +4 Str nearly doubles its carrying capacity and the small bit of extra bulk is certainly nice on the one you're riding (2 weeks DC 13 Handle Animal to train for riding, then another 2 weeks DC 18 to "upgrade" to combat riding). A magebred mule's natural bulk (25/28 hp, 16/18 AC) holds up relatively well (or to put it another way, between you and the mule, the weak point will probably be you, not the mule) through low levels; a donkey can carry much less and is noticeably more fragile, but is medium-sized for situations where that helps.

This is especially useful if you find yourself plinking with a light crossbow often, since being able to move on the same turn as you reload and fire (or spend a full-round to cast something like sleep), plus the option to double-move (or even take a 200 ft. run action), even with moving penalties (and maybe even the one-handed shooting penalty), is pretty valuable if you're ... well, playing the kind of character that finds itself plinking with light crossbows.

(And if you're in a position to take damage and not have that be immediately problematic, you might want a +4 to Ride so you don't just fall off and die 5-20% of the time. A military saddle provides +2 to that check for 60 gp, which is a bit steep at character creation, but practically a no-brainer beyond that.)

If you can get away with it, cows are 10 gp and there's ... quite a bit of circumstantial evidence supporting the use of bison stats for them, which are pretty damn impressive considering how easily you can afford them 1st level. A bit, ahem, cheesy.

[Eladrinblade]

If you can get away with it, cows are 10 gp and there's ... quite a bit of circumstantial evidence supporting the use of bison stats for them, which are pretty damn impressive considering how easily you can afford them 1st level. A bit, ahem, cheesy.

Google bull weight vs bison weight.

[ExLibrisMortis]

If it helps, I have a spreadsheet that's tagged and sorted by price! https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...it?usp=sharing

And it's got funny comments, too. I particularly like that one of the tags for cows is "cheese", but it's missing in the goat entry.

Anyway, I'm going to be stuck reading that now...

[Falontani]

And it's got funny comments, too. I particularly like that one of the tags for cows is "cheese", but it's missing in the goat entry.

Anyway, I'm going to be stuck reading that now...

I enjoyed some of the crafting prerequisites, like the chicken.

[Efrate]

Insect bane candles. Say no to bugs. There's a LOT of them lower levels.

Clove of garlic. 1 cp keeps vampires and vamp spawn away, why not do it.

Gloves, preferably thick leather, or a forge masters. For touching stuff without touching stuff.

Pouches sacks et. al. for carrying loot or some variety of ghetto gloves for the not touching.

If playing or porting from pathfinder, bear trap. Cheap, great damage, good to set up inside your inn door or under the window in case someone tries to get all stabby in the night.

MW tools for everything you can afford.

At least one change of clothes. Ideally a fancier outfit as well in case it is needed.

Chalk. Lots of chalk. Go CSI on every foe its nearly free, can be ground up en masse to do a poor imitation of a bag of flour, mark doors walls etc.

Quill pens, paper, lemon, candles. Invisible ink for passing secret messages or documents that pass most casual or not so casual search checks. Also good vs. scurvy.

Silver dagger.

Something smashy something slashy something pokey for DR. Morningstar and dagger (silver) gets you by most type DRs and are super cheap.

[sreservoir]

Google bull weight vs bison weight.

Breed-dependent, but there are totally bulls that fall within the 1800-2200 lb range stated for Monster Manual bison?
Easily comparable to actual European bison and actual American bison?
Alternatively, a fun visual comparison.

I was going to say that even if you decide to stat cows out between mules and bison based on the weight, almost any improvement over the mule is worth it because the things are so darn cheap. But cows are huge.

Anyway, that aside, supporting evidence includes that the table of Mulhorandi divine minion animal forms implies that bison stats should be used for cows, while Dragon Annual #6 and KoK Dangerous Denizens 182 (2nd-party, sure) spell it out outright, all of which are pretty tenuous but point toward yes, cows are bison.

(Honestly, it's really the price that's the problem, not the choice statblock.)

[Fitz10019]

At low levels where every GP counts, I like to buy alchemist's fire and lap oil at a 1:3 ratio. I ask the GM to consider that alc.fire burns for 2 rounds, and that, once my opponent is on fire from alc.fire, simply adding a pint of lamp oil should get an additional 2 rounds of burning fire damage. Lamp oil can be converted into an improvised alc.fire per the rules, so my argument is usually accepted.

[Falontani]

I had to!

Spoiler: Magebred Warbeast Cow

Show

Size/Type: Large Animal
Hit Dice: 6d8+36 (69 hp)
Initiative: +1
Speed: 50 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class: 18 (-1 size, +6 natural, +2 leather barding, +1 dex), touch 10, flat-footed 17
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+13
Attack: Gore +11 (2d6+12)
Full Attack: Gore +11 (2d6+12)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Stampede
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent, Excellent Learner, Tracking Breed, Combative Mount, Blindsense 20 ft
Saves: Fort +11 Ref +6, Will +3
Abilities: Str 27, Dex 12, Con 23, Int 2, Wis 13, Cha 4
Skills: Survival +5*, Listen +2, Spot +3
Feats: Endurance, Improved Scent, Uncanny Scent, Improved Natural Attack: Gore(b)
Environment: Temperate plains
Organization: Solitary or herd (6-30)
Challenge Rating: 3
Advancement: 7 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: —

Excellent Learner: A magebred animal can learn a maximum of eight tricks, and the DC for all Handle Animal checks involving a magebred animal is reduced by 2. In addition, the time required to train a magebred animal for a purpose is reduced by 1 week (to a minimum of 1 week).

Tracking Breed: The creature gains a +4 bonus on Survival checks made to follow tracks.

Combative Mount (Ex): A rider on a trained warbeast mount gets a +2 circumstance bonus on all Ride checks. A trained warbeast is proficient with light, medium, and heavy armor.

Tricks: Attack, Come, Defend, Down, Guard, Heel, Work, Track

It's not optimized as best as it could (I'd probably focus more on combat if I was trying to optimize it completely) but it is an amazingly fun starting companion. Purchase a cart, a couple magebred hens, and a magebred rooster, and you have yourself some pretty decent food. Purchase potatoes and carry them as a trade good as well as food, and for meat you just hunt using your Magebred Cow as a hunting dog.... yea it is ridiculous, but I love it.

[sreservoir]

Bison are a relatively poor choice for warbeast since warbeasts have their own pricing, and at 6 HD, they cost 550 gp, which is out of reach of even maximum aristocrat starting gp. Warbeast pricing is ... wonky.

(Now that I look at it, warbeast prices are just set to just fit the prices of warhorses, which ... probably wasn't the best starting point, let's just say.)

[Falontani]

Bison are a relatively poor choice for warbeast since warbeasts have their own pricing, and at 6 HD, they cost 550 gp, which is out of reach of even maximum aristocrat starting gp. Warbeast pricing is ... wonky.

(Now that I look at it, warbeast prices are just set to just fit the prices of warhorses, which ... probably wasn't the best starting point, let's just say.)

True, purchasing a warbeast isn't what you want to do. Purchase the Magebred Cow, and then train it yourself. Handle Animal DCs are reduced by 2. You can take 10 on handle animal in a nonstressful situation (which training is). The DC is 20(-2) for 18. 10 plus 2 item plus 2 assistance (pay a commoner 1 sp/day) and look we are 2 away (charisma? 2 cross class ranks? idk it shouldn't be difficult). It will take 7 weeks. 1 SP/day costs you 4 GP 9 SP. Give the commoner that extra silver for a job well done, and you have yourself 5 GP. 20 GP for the cow. 50 GP for the masterwork tool if you have to purchase it (instead of renting it at the place that you bought the Magebred Cow). 40 GP for Leather Armor Barding. 15 GP for a cart. You have a grand total for the Magebred Warbeast Cow + barding + tool + armor + cart of 130 GP. Within a fighter's paycheck. If you have 4 ranks in Handle Animal then it costs you 55 GP less. If you don't want armor it costs an additional 40 less. So 4 ranks in Handle Animal and a 2 cha mod (or 5 GP for commoner assitance) drops your price down to 35 GP for the cow and cart.

[sreservoir]

That's a surprisingly common misreading, but no, you can't just apply the warbeast template onto an existing creature; just as you can't just train a light/heavy horse into a light/heavy warhorse. The "Training a Warbeast" section applies training (+ raising) a creature that is already a warbeast:

TRAINING A WARBEAST
A warbeast can be reared and trained just as the base creature can.

The result of this training is most certainly not the template itself, but specifically:

A trained warbeast is capable of carrying a rider into battle, and it gains the combative mount special quality (see above).

One might presume that "capable of carrying a rider into battle" is analogous to that ability of warhorses which distinguishes them from non-"war" horses. For context, 3e core Handle Animal is much less detailed than the 3.5e version, and in particular there's no clear equivalent to training for the general purpose of combat riding, so this provision is almost necessary to get a non-intelligent mount that isn't liability in combat other than the warhorses.

[Falontani]

That's a surprisingly common misreading, but no, you can't just apply the warbeast template onto an existing creature; just as you can't just train a light/heavy horse into a light/heavy warhorse. The "Training a Warbeast" section applies training (+ raising) a creature that is already a warbeast:



The result of this training is most certainly not the template itself, but specifically:
.

The only way that I can read it that way is if Warbeast is an inherited template, which... Could work.. I guess.

I thought you could add the warbeast template to a light or heavy horse, to make them into their warhorse counterpart...

[sreservoir]

The only way that I can read it that way is if Warbeast is an inherited template, which... Could work.. I guess.

Keeping in mind that it predates the inherited/acquired template distinction altogether, the fluff certainly implies an inherited template:

The warbeast is a creature born and raised to serve as a rider’s mount. Bred for exceptional strength, aggression, and surefootedness, these creatures are powerfully built, strong-willed, and openly belligerent.

The idea that "training" a warbeast means turning a non-warbeast creature into a warbeast creature is frankly more rooted in wishful thinking than any plausible reading of the words on the page. It says what it does. It's not applying the template.

I thought you could add the warbeast template to a light or heavy horse, to make them into their warhorse counterpart...

Certainly not:

The Monster Manual describes a few "war creatures" that have qualities similar to those of a warbeast but differ from standard creatures of a given kind. These creatures are considered to already have a separate "war template" and cannot have the warbeast template added. For example, one cannot apply the warbeast template to a heavy warhorse.

These animals are similar to heavy horses but are trained and bred for strength and aggression.

You can't train a light horse into a light warhorse any more than you can train a Dalmatian into a Great Dane.

[Telonius]

1 towel. Depending on the DM, it may give circumstance bonuses to a wide variety of activities. (The "yard of common cloth" would probably qualify).

[Ruethgar]

Don’t forget to bring a towel! Reminds me that getting wet makes you immune to lava(2 fire resistance until you take fire damage but any resistance grants immunity).

As an aside, cloth is so damn cheap. Unless you go into the + category, counting silk as an Exotic Fabric 1g/lb which is about 10yd for thin dress material. Silk should be a whole hell of a lot more than that even with giant silkworms and spiders.