I started at level 5 and didn’t give them anything other than their equipment, but a few extra items and gold wouldn’t harm anyone, just be careful of magic items that aren’t just trinkets, the moment yu give them, it’s hard to excuse why they can’t have it when it’s getting hard to balance and make them feel cool.
I've started more than a few campaigns at 3rd level. You'll want factor in any needs/abilities the starting scenario may require. That said, you now have 3 levels of background to fill in with each of the PC's and this can inform possessions, known lore and what not. This is great if the PC's want to multiclass as you can also work that into the backstory of the previous levels.
To more directly answer:
A magic weapon if the starting adventure has a creature that is resistance or immune to normal weapons. Already known contacts. Some degree of additional wealth?
Really it's about where you need the PC's to be at the start of your adventure.
(If I can my preference has been to run the PCs as solo adventures for levels 1-2ish and then bring the group together. A sort of super session zero)
I give them their choice of 1 uncommon item - players like it and honestly its not like a +1 weapon or a bag of holding or a cloak of protection has any meaningful balance impact - also allow them to start with any common gear they want that is useable by the class + 50gp.
I gave my characters, who started at level 8, I believe 800gp to spend on anything (within DM scrutiny). They used them to pick up some uncommon magical items, and in one case, a bag full of flasks of alchemists fire.
Starting above level 1 is absolutely fine, and can help get straight to the more interestign adventuring compared with starting at level 1. It also helps as players will be ready to do a full campaign with a character, only to have a goblin hit them and they die with nobody knowing how to heal them. Level 3 is a good starting point, I think.
Best thing I ever gave out in that situation was a crystal that functioned as a character's spellbook. It had no advantage over a spellbook except durability but the player thought it was cool to have. Hereditary weapons that have non-combat benefits, things of that nature are fun without affecting the game balance.
I absolutely have started a party a level 3, 5, 10, and even 20!
One thing you have to make sure when starting at a higher level is making sure that the player knows how their character got their. You should have make it feel like the character has already been adventuring with the player.
I would just tell me players they have 200ish gold to spend on regular gear as that's probably what they would have got their hands on by level three and maybe 300-500 gold. I might give the players a magic item but they are rare enough, that they a lot cooler when earned. You also should give the characters a few contacts, nothing crazy but they shouldn't be unknown.
If so, what would you give a 3rd level character in addition to starting equipment?
As a DM, during the quest for level advancement, you give out to the players X items. Some DMs want to give out a lot of nice magic, others are a very stingy with it. How do you fit in? What equipment do 3LvL characters in your campaigns usually own?
Once you start, if you feel the characters have too much, they get captured and lose everything, or the next encounter they find more stuff.
The result is you need to give them what they need to fight successfully in your world. All DMs appear to have different comfort levels with items.
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If so, what would you give a 3rd level character in addition to starting equipment?
I started at level 5 and didn’t give them anything other than their equipment, but a few extra items and gold wouldn’t harm anyone, just be careful of magic items that aren’t just trinkets, the moment yu give them, it’s hard to excuse why they can’t have it when it’s getting hard to balance and make them feel cool.
All the time it makes it so much easier for a campaign
I've started more than a few campaigns at 3rd level. You'll want factor in any needs/abilities the starting scenario may require. That said, you now have 3 levels of background to fill in with each of the PC's and this can inform possessions, known lore and what not. This is great if the PC's want to multiclass as you can also work that into the backstory of the previous levels.
To more directly answer:
A magic weapon if the starting adventure has a creature that is resistance or immune to normal weapons.
Already known contacts.
Some degree of additional wealth?
Really it's about where you need the PC's to be at the start of your adventure.
(If I can my preference has been to run the PCs as solo adventures for levels 1-2ish and then bring the group together. A sort of super session zero)
Ic you want giv3 them a couple useless things like the cloak of billowing or some thing that's cool, or maybe a plus one sword
I give them their choice of 1 uncommon item - players like it and honestly its not like a +1 weapon or a bag of holding or a cloak of protection has any meaningful balance impact - also allow them to start with any common gear they want that is useable by the class + 50gp.
I gave my characters, who started at level 8, I believe 800gp to spend on anything (within DM scrutiny). They used them to pick up some uncommon magical items, and in one case, a bag full of flasks of alchemists fire.
Starting above level 1 is absolutely fine, and can help get straight to the more interestign adventuring compared with starting at level 1. It also helps as players will be ready to do a full campaign with a character, only to have a goblin hit them and they die with nobody knowing how to heal them. Level 3 is a good starting point, I think.
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Best thing I ever gave out in that situation was a crystal that functioned as a character's spellbook. It had no advantage over a spellbook except durability but the player thought it was cool to have. Hereditary weapons that have non-combat benefits, things of that nature are fun without affecting the game balance.
I absolutely have started a party a level 3, 5, 10, and even 20!
One thing you have to make sure when starting at a higher level is making sure that the player knows how their character got their. You should have make it feel like the character has already been adventuring with the player.
I would just tell me players they have 200ish gold to spend on regular gear as that's probably what they would have got their hands on by level three and maybe 300-500 gold. I might give the players a magic item but they are rare enough, that they a lot cooler when earned. You also should give the characters a few contacts, nothing crazy but they shouldn't be unknown.
As a DM, during the quest for level advancement, you give out to the players X items. Some DMs want to give out a lot of nice magic, others are a very stingy with it. How do you fit in? What equipment do 3LvL characters in your campaigns usually own?
Once you start, if you feel the characters have too much, they get captured and lose everything, or the next encounter they find more stuff.
The result is you need to give them what they need to fight successfully in your world. All DMs appear to have different comfort levels with items.