A bit of explanation: the amount of gold you can get to start as a fighter is 155 gold. The amount of gold you get as a custom 2024 race is 50 gold. 200 gold is enough to by upgraded armor know as splint for 200 gold. (I am running a fighter/warlock, so i need a free hand until i get the Warcaster feet to use spells, which would normally be the ideal solution). That leaves me 5 gold to work with. This might seem foolish, but I rather like the challenge and story behind it.
So, what should I be buying that i need for a normal adventure with 5 gold?
So far all I have is traveler’s clothes (I assume I need them lol) and woodcarving tools that I am proficient with to make my weapon and find work. Unfortunately, I need a pouch to store my tools in, so that’s another .5 gold, leaving me with 1 gold and 5 silver. I guess that means I fall under the poor lifestyle at 2 silver.
Ok, thanks. I wasn't sure whether to rely on rations or staying at an inn. I think I’ll go for the cushion personally. That way hopefully if we do have to leave I can hopefully make it.
Is there such a thing as… well… rationing your rations? Like skipping meals every other day and taking a possible penalty if you get stuck in combat?
Also, don’t i technically need room on my person to carry the rations, because in theory I can’t even afford that. I know I’m being a stickler for the rules here; i just want to make sure what I’m doing is fair.
Last thing for now, right now my proficiencies are in all four charisma ones plus perception. Should I sacrifice performance in favor of survival to better scavenge for food? I don’t think they’ll let me attempt to hunt unless either I get spells to hunt at a distance or beat bears to death with a stick!
You can go for a while without foot, but not indefinitely. Not eating for multiple days can land you with levels of Exhaustion. Check here for the rules: Malnutrition.
I get you’re probably going for backstory realism. But really, by the end of the first day of adventuring, you’ll probably be in a party, and maybe someone there will have survival to get you that good. Or, also likely, you’ll have killed a bad guy and taken their stuff, and having enough to eat will be no problem. I realize that’s metagaming, but while the character could rightly be worried about this stuff, I don’t think as a player you need to be.
I don’t know if I’d switch my character around to represent food gathering. Heck, with all the charisma skills, maybe you were deceiving and persuading your way into getting people to give things. Like a small-time con man. Or you’re just a likable guy, and people don’t mind letting you crash on their couch for a week.
I’d rather lean moe towards the likable guy, but I see your point. Survival really doesn’t fit who I see myself in DnD anyway. Neither does strength, but for the sake of the build I’ll let it slide.
I wouldn’t necessarily call it metagaming, but I see your point too. Thanks for your input, both just on this but many of my other posts aswell!
I did some more research and realized I forgot about water. Adding a waterskin took me down to 1.3 gold, which was now two rations. As long I had an odd number I decided to just buy the quarterstaff too in case combat started first thing so I could still fight properly. That leaves me with a gold and a silver piece. I almost have to run a poor lifestyle now if I want this to work.
There are many ways you can exist without much gold in D&D. Great clubs are cheap weapons. Sleeping in hay lofts (with or without permission). Wash dishes, muck stables, odd jobs to sustain you. If you wanted the easy button, take a level in druid. Now your club is a shillelagh. And you can take the Goodberry spell. And never get hungry or thirsty again. In fact, you could charge your party mates for the price of a ration (5sp) for a goodberry, since it makes ten of them. even if you drop the price to 1sp a berry, you're making 10sp per casting. But if you don't want to be a caster, there are fighter ways to survive. In town, there are always odd jobs for strong people. Don't expect much for it, but if you aren't proud, you can get by.
bare minimum on equipment:
backpack (or sack) for carrying stuff
bedroll (for outdoor sleeping) or hammock if allowed
waterskin (to store water)
rope (for climbing or tying yourself to a tree to sleep off the ground)
tinderbox (to make fire, light torches)
a light supply (even if you have darkvision, you have disadvantage in total darkness)
ranged weapon (to hunt small game)
Mind you, you don't need this right away, but if you are leaving town and going out in the wild, this is the bare essentials.
There are many ways you can exist without much gold in D&D. Great clubs are cheap weapons. Sleeping in hay lofts (with or without permission). Wash dishes, muck stables, odd jobs to sustain you. If you wanted the easy button, take a level in druid. Now your club is a shillelagh. And you can take the Goodberry spell. And never get hungry or thirsty again. In fact, you could charge your party mates for the price of a ration (5sp) for a goodberry, since it makes ten of them. even if you drop the price to 1sp a berry, you're making 10sp per casting. But if you don't want to be a caster, there are fighter ways to survive. In town, there are always odd jobs for strong people. Don't expect much for it, but if you aren't proud, you can get by.
bare minimum on equipment:
backpack (or sack) for carrying stuff
bedroll (for outdoor sleeping) or hammock if allowed
waterskin (to store water)
rope (for climbing or tying yourself to a tree to sleep off the ground)
tinderbox (to make fire, light torches)
a light supply (even if you have darkvision, you have disadvantage in total darkness)
ranged weapon (to hunt small game)
Mind you, you don't need this right away, but if you are leaving town and going out in the wild, this is the bare essentials.
unfortunately, that’s closer to 10 gold than 5, and 5 is all I have to work with. I’d say this idea was a bust. It’s a shame too; it presented a very interesting story.
Never charge your party for things. That's not a clever way to raise money, that's being a bad team player who will get kicked out of the party.
agreed. Even if they agreed to help in session zero with their excess money I wouldn’t feel right doing it as a player, regardless of what my character feels or does.
I decided to revert back to my original scale mail build. It’s much more rounded anyway. Dumping strength while starting as a fighter keeps my strength saves ok. Now my only negative is intellect.
A big thank you to everyone who took the time to comment on this post. It’s really nice to talk about the game with people.
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A bit of explanation: the amount of gold you can get to start as a fighter is 155 gold. The amount of gold you get as a custom 2024 race is 50 gold. 200 gold is enough to by upgraded armor know as splint for 200 gold. (I am running a fighter/warlock, so i need a free hand until i get the Warcaster feet to use spells, which would normally be the ideal solution). That leaves me 5 gold to work with. This might seem foolish, but I rather like the challenge and story behind it.
So, what should I be buying that i need for a normal adventure with 5 gold?
So far all I have is traveler’s clothes (I assume I need them lol) and woodcarving tools that I am proficient with to make my weapon and find work. Unfortunately, I need a pouch to store my tools in, so that’s another .5 gold, leaving me with 1 gold and 5 silver. I guess that means I fall under the poor lifestyle at 2 silver.
Rope and 1 rations. Then find work that first day so you can get more rations for the second day.
Or 3 rations, to give you a little cushion, then save up for the rope.
Ok, thanks. I wasn't sure whether to rely on rations or staying at an inn. I think I’ll go for the cushion personally. That way hopefully if we do have to leave I can hopefully make it.
Is there such a thing as… well… rationing your rations? Like skipping meals every other day and taking a possible penalty if you get stuck in combat?
Also, don’t i technically need room on my person to carry the rations, because in theory I can’t even afford that. I know I’m being a stickler for the rules here; i just want to make sure what I’m doing is fair.
Last thing for now, right now my proficiencies are in all four charisma ones plus perception. Should I sacrifice performance in favor of survival to better scavenge for food? I don’t think they’ll let me attempt to hunt unless either I get spells to hunt at a distance or beat bears to death with a stick!
You can go for a while without foot, but not indefinitely. Not eating for multiple days can land you with levels of Exhaustion. Check here for the rules: Malnutrition.
I see, so it’s a roll of the dice. My character does have a high Con though. Anyways, thanks as always!
I get you’re probably going for backstory realism. But really, by the end of the first day of adventuring, you’ll probably be in a party, and maybe someone there will have survival to get you that good. Or, also likely, you’ll have killed a bad guy and taken their stuff, and having enough to eat will be no problem. I realize that’s metagaming, but while the character could rightly be worried about this stuff, I don’t think as a player you need to be.
I don’t know if I’d switch my character around to represent food gathering. Heck, with all the charisma skills, maybe you were deceiving and persuading your way into getting people to give things. Like a small-time con man. Or you’re just a likable guy, and people don’t mind letting you crash on their couch for a week.
I’d rather lean moe towards the likable guy, but I see your point. Survival really doesn’t fit who I see myself in DnD anyway. Neither does strength, but for the sake of the build I’ll let it slide.
I wouldn’t necessarily call it metagaming, but I see your point too. Thanks for your input, both just on this but many of my other posts aswell!
Go for cheaper armor until after your first adventure/campaign.
You would think on your 1st day or even second, you would find the party of fellow PCs to go on the adventure.
You can always resort to crime or an alms house to find food.
You’re probably right.
I did some more research and realized I forgot about water. Adding a waterskin took me down to 1.3 gold, which was now two rations. As long I had an odd number I decided to just buy the quarterstaff too in case combat started first thing so I could still fight properly. That leaves me with a gold and a silver piece. I almost have to run a poor lifestyle now if I want this to work.
There are many ways you can exist without much gold in D&D. Great clubs are cheap weapons. Sleeping in hay lofts (with or without permission). Wash dishes, muck stables, odd jobs to sustain you. If you wanted the easy button, take a level in druid. Now your club is a shillelagh. And you can take the Goodberry spell. And never get hungry or thirsty again. In fact, you could charge your party mates for the price of a ration (5sp) for a goodberry, since it makes ten of them. even if you drop the price to 1sp a berry, you're making 10sp per casting. But if you don't want to be a caster, there are fighter ways to survive. In town, there are always odd jobs for strong people. Don't expect much for it, but if you aren't proud, you can get by.
bare minimum on equipment:
backpack (or sack) for carrying stuff
bedroll (for outdoor sleeping) or hammock if allowed
waterskin (to store water)
rope (for climbing or tying yourself to a tree to sleep off the ground)
tinderbox (to make fire, light torches)
a light supply (even if you have darkvision, you have disadvantage in total darkness)
ranged weapon (to hunt small game)
Mind you, you don't need this right away, but if you are leaving town and going out in the wild, this is the bare essentials.
Never charge your party for things. That's not a clever way to raise money, that's being a bad team player who will get kicked out of the party.
Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
unfortunately, that’s closer to 10 gold than 5, and 5 is all I have to work with. I’d say this idea was a bust. It’s a shame too; it presented a very interesting story.
agreed. Even if they agreed to help in session zero with their excess money I wouldn’t feel right doing it as a player, regardless of what my character feels or does.
I decided to revert back to my original scale mail build. It’s much more rounded anyway. Dumping strength while starting as a fighter keeps my strength saves ok. Now my only negative is intellect.
A big thank you to everyone who took the time to comment on this post. It’s really nice to talk about the game with people.