If you are referring to spell components, it is fine (with DM consent) to swap valueless materials for something else that fits in with your role play.
If You are talking about weapons and armor, regardless of what they are made of, the options remain the same. You can have your weapon or armor be made of anything (within reason and DM approval) and it work the same way.
It's more of a consideration of mundane items, as equipment. A Gnome Druid, for example, who keeps a beehive or seven has access to wax, honey, and bee glue.
While not spell components, there are many standard non-magic uses for all these items.
Weapons are, IMO, a minor consideration in the overall picture, since a Gnome is capable of only minor damage through mortal combat. However, certain items,
like a cord woven by a medium sized spider, would be much smaller, stronger, lighter, and longer than the standard 50 foot hemp rope, and would easily support a small
These aren't really questions specific to a gnome druid. Anyone from literally any background could have access to all sorts of random objects that have no mechanical description in D&D. However, that doesn't mean you just get to make up some objects and expect them to function with some reliable mechanical benefit. Your DM is welcome to allow you to carry whatever, but just as welcome to say "that doesn't work" when you try to use it for something. Alternatively you could just avoid that and spend a few seconds coming up with a reason why your druid is not carrying such things at the start of this adventure. Perhaps some mean goblins burnt down your peaceful apiary slash spider rope farm and thus you were forced into a life of uncomfortable adventure.
Your starting gear is intended to represent the things you aquired in your pre-adventuring days. Depending on your background it may have been purchased, found, stolen, or handed down as family heirlooms. They still count as the same amount of your starting gold however you got them. Silk rope is in the players handbook, as is basic poison. If you are proficient with the poisoner's kit your DM may allow you to get it half cost. Everything else I would compare to the closest trade good from the PH. Honey would be the same cost as cinnamon or cloves maybe.
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While developing the character of a Gnome/Druid, it occurred to me that they would have available to them many natural
items not listed in any edition of the Player's Guide. As forest dwellers, and mages which communicate with animals, they
would have access to honey, beeswax, bee glue, (propolis) spider webbing, as strong cord, spider and snake venom, etc.
Since it doesn't appear to be covered in any player's guide, and these are reasonably available mundane items available to this
race and class of characters, I'm led to wonder if any DMs have ever dealt with this situation in prior games.
Any ideas or thoughts?
If you are referring to spell components, it is fine (with DM consent) to swap valueless materials for something else that fits in with your role play.
If You are talking about weapons and armor, regardless of what they are made of, the options remain the same. You can have your weapon or armor be made of anything (within reason and DM approval) and it work the same way.
It's more of a consideration of mundane items, as equipment. A Gnome Druid, for example, who keeps a beehive or seven has access to wax, honey, and bee glue.
While not spell components, there are many standard non-magic uses for all these items.
Weapons are, IMO, a minor consideration in the overall picture, since a Gnome is capable of only minor damage through mortal combat. However, certain items,
like a cord woven by a medium sized spider, would be much smaller, stronger, lighter, and longer than the standard 50 foot hemp rope, and would easily support a small
Gnome (28" tall, at 30 lbs).
These aren't really questions specific to a gnome druid. Anyone from literally any background could have access to all sorts of random objects that have no mechanical description in D&D. However, that doesn't mean you just get to make up some objects and expect them to function with some reliable mechanical benefit. Your DM is welcome to allow you to carry whatever, but just as welcome to say "that doesn't work" when you try to use it for something. Alternatively you could just avoid that and spend a few seconds coming up with a reason why your druid is not carrying such things at the start of this adventure. Perhaps some mean goblins burnt down your peaceful apiary slash spider rope farm and thus you were forced into a life of uncomfortable adventure.
Your starting gear is intended to represent the things you aquired in your pre-adventuring days. Depending on your background it may have been purchased, found, stolen, or handed down as family heirlooms. They still count as the same amount of your starting gold however you got them. Silk rope is in the players handbook, as is basic poison. If you are proficient with the poisoner's kit your DM may allow you to get it half cost. Everything else I would compare to the closest trade good from the PH. Honey would be the same cost as cinnamon or cloves maybe.