I guess I "forgot" it...

[Enguhl]

Having played D&D for just over two years now, I would say I know a fair deal of tricks and helpful things to give to my characters. I actually went through and made a (and I hate the term, but will regretfully use it) "batman" character.
Then I got to thinking, "My characters haven't seen all the things I have, and would have no reason to be prepared for such ridiculous situations..." So from now on whenever I make a character, I purposefully leave some not-quite-essential but still very useful item (or something of the like) just to make it more interesting and realistic.
Does anyone else do this (or something similar?) to keep the game from getting old? (or for other motivations)

[Fax Celestis]

No. Because of the very nature of the game, the character is always doing things that I don't necessarily remember to have them do (ie: breathing, defecating, bathing, &c), and vice versa (metagame knowledge). As such, I'll make the assumption that any material that is in a book, my PC is at least aware of (but may not necessarily have full knowledge of).

[Dervag]

Does this include the strengths and weaknesses of creatures in the Monster Manuals?

[Zincorium]

It's reasonable. I personally focus on what my character would know, and make plans that seem sensible from their perspective (right or wrong).

However...

Realize that characters know things you can't, as well as you knowing things they can't. What does an owlbear actually smell like? What's the somatic difference between burning hands and produce flame? How do you disarm a giant wielding a weapon the size of a tree? How much can a gold piece get you in the off season at the Burning Troll Tavern?

The thing is, you do have to take into account that perceptive barrier and if you can do something with a clear conscience, knowing that putting those ranks into skills are supposed to mean something, then do it.

[Brawls]

Does this include the strengths and weaknesses of creatures in the Monster Manuals?

That's what Knowledge Dungeoneering/the Planes/Nature/etc. is for. Sure, you may know something about creatures once you fought them or ones that are regionally present (e.g. kobold, orcs, etc.), but that doesn't mean you will know their weaknesses/vulnerabilities.

As for the OP, yes, I try to match my character's skills, equipment, and tactics to the experiences they have. My current character has a background serving in an army as an aide de camp to a general. As such, he has some knowledge skills related to military planning, history, geography, etc. He may be a bit more prepared than the average joe-turned-adventurer since he has associated with a professional military and learned some tricks related to be both mobile and well prepared. Still, I don't expect he would carry the 10' pole into a dungeon, at least not until he has seen a few traps where such a precaution would be beneficial. I try not to metegame my characters too much, but sometimes it can't be helped.

Brawls

[Voyager_I]

Keep in mind, of course, that your characters would probably be much, much more paranoid than the are generally played as. When horrible death is an occupational hazard, you can expect all kinds of precautions to be taken, starting with "Let's just not touch it." The average adventuring crew probably develops all kinds of weird, quirky precautions for everything, based on their own experiences and fears. Furthermore, expect characters much smarter and/or wiser than you to think of pretty much whatever you could, and then more things you couldn't. If half the monsters you meet are resistant to fire, for example, then any real Wizard with a vested interest in not being dismembered by a Babau will probably start looking into alternative energy types, such as (gasp) sonic.

[Jerthanis]

...I haven't played a character like that yet, but you just inspired me to have my next wizard character insist that Solid Fog is impossible, that Magic can't possibly make a substance that is harder to move through than water, but which air breathers can breathe comfortably.

[bbugg]

I definately play this way.

My 4th level character has never seen any kind of damage reduction/immunity so he hasn't had any reason to buy any fancy weapons other than his trusty +1 really-big-axe (great axe). I thought about getting him a silvered this or a cold iron that, but I don't think he'd have thought about it.

[Enguhl]

Hmm.. well I'm not talking about things like monster weaknesses and all that. The character I made had all sorts of ropes and instruments and tools and even had it set up so that his crossbow and armor were waterproofed and he had a gas mask and if he inserted (I forget which alchemical substance) into the filter he could breath underwater and nets and fish hooks and bells and string and bits of stuff and and and, my list of stuff took up almost a full sheet of notebook paper (listing, like, this,
not,
like,
this,) then I had several more pages detailing which situations I would use them in (for quick reference). And I seriously doubt a (I think it was) 6th level character would see reason for being prepared for all these things (especially as a fighter).

[Tengu]

I definately play this way.

My 4th level character has never seen any kind of damage reduction/immunity so he hasn't had any reason to buy any fancy weapons other than his trusty +1 really-big-axe (great axe). I thought about getting him a silvered this or a cold iron that, but I don't think he'd have thought about it.

Hmm, so he has never heard the stories that werewolves can only be hurt by silver, for example?

[Voyager_I]

Hmm, so he has never heard the stories that werewolves can only be hurt by silver, for example?

Aye, I'd expect most adventurers to be extremely paranoid and excitable about meeting the iconic monsters, especially inexperienced ones. Sure, they might have no chance of surviving, even with their silvered weapons, but they don't know what CR is. They only know that it's extremely scary and dangerous, and they're absolutely screwed if they bump into one without the proper weaponry.

That's actually one of the things I find annoying about people who suggest sub par classes can simply be "buffed" by their teammates. Yeah, sure, the Cleric will buff them along with everyone else, but they're not going to spend an exorbitant amount of effort trying to compensate for someone's ineffectiveness. These people face death on a daily basis, and they're going to be deathly serious about what they do. Someone who can't take care of themselves might be tolerated, but don't expect their business partners to stick their necks out to save them. A character that is an outright liability or a drain on resources will probably be hated and abandoned/ejected. Obviously, characters that know each other personally would be different, but why should the Cleric cast his last Restoration on the stupid Fighter he met in a tavern three days ago and who has needed constant babysitting ever since. What if the Wraiths come after him in the next room?

[Demented]

And I seriously doubt a (I think it was) 6th level character would see reason for being prepared for all these things (especially as a fighter).

If he got those 5 levels through underwater adventuring, it's not unbelievable. By 6th level, you should be able to star in a Marvel comic book.

[Idea Man]

I frequently have a "utility belt", especially for my rogues, to handle multiple situations. I also frequently forget to restock.

I've been doing something like this for a long time now. I remember being the only character able to hurt the molydeus with my cold iron dagger in 2nd ed.. As I was not the fighter, I was not thrilled with the idea of a high power demon picking on me, but at least I was prepared!

[Chronos]

Hmm.. well I'm not talking about things like monster weaknesses and all that. The character I made had all sorts of ropes and instruments and tools and even had it set up so that his crossbow and armor were waterproofed and he had a gas mask and if he inserted (I forget which alchemical substance) into the filter he could breath underwater and nets and fish hooks and bells and string and bits of stuff and and and, my list of stuff took up almost a full sheet of notebook paper (listing, like, this,
not,
like,
this,) then I had several more pages detailing which situations I would use them in (for quick reference). And I seriously doubt a (I think it was) 6th level character would see reason for being prepared for all these things (especially as a fighter).

Heck, my equipment list runs to the better part of a page, just from the stuff I carry around on a daily basis. If I'm going to be running around in an unexplored cave (even one without traps and monsters and magic), you'd better believe that I'll have all sorts of ropes and instruments and tools.