Minimizing Starting Equipment:

We are going to look at what is the essentials to carry. Many modern backpackers continually update their load to remove anything that isn’t worth carrying for long distances over multiple days.

The Paladin, Monk, and Ranger each have some degree of emphasis on travelling light.

Survival Order of Importance:

The survival order of importance is: well, let’s be clear that context matters. The exact situation will shuffle the order. So, let’s look at general principles and remember that you must adjust for the situation that occurs in the game.

Order: The most common order of importance is: immediate threats (first aid and defense), planning, fire, shelter, signal, water, food, motivation.

Conditions: In extreme cold, your first priority is fire, then shelter. In extreme heat, your first priorities are shelter, water, and then fire. In rain your first priority is shelter, followed by fire and water. Under “normal” conditions, your priorities are shelter, fire, water, then food.

Survival is mentioned here because it gives us a basis for what starting equipment is most vital. For more information on survival, go to the survival page.

Immediate Threats:

Immediate Threats: Any pressing threats that must be dealt with immediately come first. One obvious situation is combat or imminent combat. Fight and survive. Combat may not be other humanoids. A hungry lion, tiger, or bear can seriously ruin your day. The other obvious situation is injury. Stabilize the injury. The rule of threes claims that you can die in about three minutes from severe bleeding, icy water, lack of breathing, or cardiac arrest.

Calm Down

Calm: Your first step is to calm down so that you respond to your situation in an intelligent manenr rather than based on adrenaline.

Assess:

Assess: Observe your environment and assess you available resources and choices.

Plan:

Plan: Plan how you will respond to your situation.

First Aid:

First Aid: Stabalize any serious medical issues.

Defense:

Defense: Defend yourself from any immediate threats.

Fire:

Fire: Get a fire going. You should know how to get a fire going under extreme adverse conditions, such as during rain or freezing winter weather.

Most of the process of creating a successful fire is in the preparation. You need to gather, prepare, and arrange your fire building materials, including tinder, so that you will succeed on the first attempt.

Shelter:

Shelter: Create or find a shelter and then as quickly as possible move to or create a better shelter. Exposure to the elements can kill in a hurry. Under some conditions shelter will move up the list past fire. The rule of threes claims that in extreme conditions (especially exposure to extreme heat or extreme cold)s you can live for about three hours without shelter.

Your shelter should protect you from wind and percipitation, insulate you from the ground, and avoid natural threats (such as flash floods, insect mounds, and cliffs). You want the shelter to be in a location that provides easy access to water, building materials, fire wood, and other basic survival supplies.

Signal:

Signal: If you are expecting rescue, the next priority is to make sure that your rescuers can find you. Your rescuers may be other members of an adventuring party. Some signal methods are signal fires, signal smoke, signal mirrors, signal whistles, modern flares (or magic that acts like a flare), or modern electronics (such as cell phone or personal locator beacon).

Water:

Water: Depending on the conditions, a healthy adult human can die from lack of water as soon as a few hours and typically at most about three days. The rule of threes claims that you can live for about three days without water.

When your urine starts to darken, your need for water is becoming desperate. Also, don’t drink your own urine. It contains toxins and salts your body spent a lot of energy removing and it can cause you to hallunicate.

Food:

Food: You can go surprisingly long without needing food. People fast, sometimes for days. The rules of threes claims that you can live for about three weeks without food.

If you have food, ration it to make it last much longer than normal.

After water, your biggest immediate nutritional need is sugar. Lack of sugar makes you drowsy and can lead to passing out. After a day or two without carbohydrates, your brain will be adversely effected and your decision making ability drops to the point of being dangerous.

Motivation:

Motivation: Stay motivated. Do things that will improve your morale. There are cases where a survivor did almost everything wrong and still lived just on sheer willpower and desire to stay alive.

Self-Rescue:

Self-Rescue: Once you have your situation under control, you must determine if it is best to stay at your current location or self-rescue. This is best with a plane crash or other evet that is likely to initiate a rescue attempt. If you reasonably expect rescuers, you want to make it as easy as possible to find you and a crash site is much more visible than a person.

Weapon System:

Prior to firearms, the most efficient weapon system has been spear, shield, helmet, and body armor.

Spear:

The combo character has access to a spear. A spear is effective in the hands of an amateur. A spear is deadly in the hands of a skilled warrior.

Shield:

The combo character has access to a shield. The shileld is great is the starting point of defense in both one-on-one and mass combat.

Helmet:

The combo character has access to a helmet. Protecting the head keeps you alive.

Paladin:

If you want the full Paladin feel, you can go with a lance, sword, shield, and full plate armor. The game will make you work through lesser armor first.

Backpack:

You need a backpack to carry your stuff.

Shelter:

You need shelter. The order of needs in the wild are immediate health dangers, shelter, water, and eventually food. Tents are the traditional answer. You need rope and usually tent pegs and a tens pole. Your tent pole can double as your walking stick. Maybe even use a quarterstaff as your tent pole/walking stick.

Tarps can be effective even as rain shelter and weight much less. You need rope or guylines and either trees of stakes and pole.

Ultralight hammocks are even lighter. You can get bug nets and rainflies for your hammock. Again the walking stick/tent pole/quarterstaff idea. Maybe use your spear as a walking stick/tent pole. You need the guylines and probably pegs as well.

Sleeping:

You need protection while sleeping. A down filled quilt is light weight and compresses to small space and super good at maintaining body heat over the night.

A sleeping pad is a great luxury. Yes you can make leaf or moss beds or other alternatvies using whatever you naturally find, dpending on the kind of terrain.

Water:

You have to have water. A method to carry the water (such as waterskins). And a method for purifying found water, such as pot where you can boil the water.

You need an easy method to start fires. Relying on two sticks is time cosuming, heavy physical exertion, and requires access to sticks. Flint and steel plus a little bit of stored tinder (for when you can’t easily find tinder in the wild.

Food:

You want some carried food, even if you plan on foraging in the wild. Or military foraging, which is known to the victims as looting and stealing.

Footwear:

You want high quality outdoor footwear. Probably the best boots you can find.

Hat:

You want a hat. Proteciton against sunburn and rain.

Bad Weather Gear:

You want foul weather gear. For whatever kind of foul weather is typical where you will be adventuring. Protection from rain, snow, storm, dust, blizzard, etc.

Light:

You want some method of creating light.

Personal Hygeine:

You want personal hygeine items. Toothbrush, toothpaste, soap.

Tools:

You want the minimal set of tools needed to handle everyday situations.

Maximizing Starting Equipment:

We are going to assume that we have the starting equipment options from all of the Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition for each of the classes and for each of the backgrounds (leaving out criminal and urchin).

We are going to end up with things we keep and things we either throw away, sell, or give away.

We will have several backpacks and plenty of rope, so we will be able to make one or more horse travoises and move equipment and treasure over long distances.

Armor:

Chain mail: We have two sets, one from the Cleric class and one from the Paladin class.

Shield: Our shield comes from the Cleric class.

Spares: We have four sets of leather armor (from classes Bard, Druid, Rogue, and Warlock) and one set of scale mail (from the Ranger class), which we will sell, discard, or give away.

Swords:

Longswords: We have two longswords, one from the pair of Fighter martial weapons and one from the Bard class. Our character will become famous for duel weidling swords.

Other swords: We have a rapier from the Rogue class and a scimitar from the Druid class.

Pole Arms:

Halberd: We have a halberd as one of the pair of Paladin martial weapons. The halberd will be our primary pole arm.

Spear: We have two spears as one of the Druid simple weapons abd the Warlock simple weapon. These are high utility back up pole arms.

Axes:

Greataxe: We have the great axe from the Barbarian class.

Handaxes: We have two handaxes from the Barbarian class.

Daggers:

Daggers: We have a total of ten daggers, two each from Rogue, Sorcerer, and Warlock, and one from Bard, plus one from Monk simple weapon and two from Ranger simple melee weapons.

Specialty Weapons:

Whip: We have a whip as one of the two martial weapons from Paladin.

Net: We have a net as one of the two martial weapons from Fighter.

Thrown Weapons:

Javelins: We have a total of nine javelins, four from Barbarian and five from Paladin.

Darts: We have 10 darts from the Monk class.

Crossbows:

Light crossbows: We have four light crossbows, each with 20 bolts, from Fighter, Cleric, Sorcerer, and Warlock. We will probably keep one or two of the cross bows and discard, give away, or sell the others. We will keep the entire stock of crossbow bolts, a total of 80 bolts.

Bows:

Long bows: We have two long bows, each with a quiver of 20 heavier longbow arrows, from Fighter and Ranger. We only need one long bow, but might keep the second one as an emergency spare. The long bow is great for long distance shooting.

Short bow: We have one short bows with a quiver of 20 lighter shortbow arrows, from Rogue. The short bow is best for short distance shooting.

Blunt Weapons:

Mace: We have a mace from Cleric class.

Quarterstaff: We have a quarterstaff from Wizard class.

This gives us two choices for fighting undead.

Packs:

We have a total of 12 packs. We will use the packs for hauling our gear. Some duplicate items will be discarded, sold, or given away.

Burglar’s pack: From the Rogue class.

Diplomat’s pack: From the Bard class. We had a choice of the diplomat’s pack or the entertainer’s pack, and the Bard was the only source of either. Every item in the entertainer’s pack is already available to us elsewhere other packs except for the two costumes and the disguise kit, but we get a costume and a disguise kit from backgrounds.

Priest’s pack: We get two of these, from Cleric and Paladin.

Scholar’s pack: We get two of these from Wizard and Warlock.

Explorer’s pack: We get two of these from Barbarian and Druid.

Dungeoneer’s pack: We get four of these from Fighter, Monk, Ranger, and Sorcerer.

The items from these packs will be mixed in with the remaining items listed below.

Abacus: Abacus purchased for 2 gold pieces. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Alms Box: Two alms boxes, one alms box each from the Priest and Paladin Priest’s Pack. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Arcane Focus: One arcane focus (crystal) from the Sorcerer class. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Artisan’s Tools: Two sets of artisan’s tools, one each from the Folk Hero background and the Guild Artisan background. The chosen crafts are Jeweler’s tools and Glassblower’s tools —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Backpacks: 12 Backpacks from Barbarian, Bard, Cleric, Druid, Fighter, Monk, Paladin, Ranger, Rogue, Sorcerer, Warlock, and Wizard. See packs above. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Ball bearings: A bag of 1,000 ball bearings from the Rogue Burglar’s Pack. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Basket: 1 basket purchased for 4 silver pieces. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Beads, prayer: Prayer beads purchased for 1 gold piece. —Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st edition

Bedroll: Two bedrolls, one each from the Barbarian and the Bard Explorer’s Pack. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Belaying Pin:A belaying pin from the Sailor background from the Sage background. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Bell: A bell from the Rogue Burglar’s Pack. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Blanket: Two blankets, one blanket each from the Priest Priest’s Pack and the Paladin Priest’s Pack. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Blanket, winter: A winter blanket from the Hermit background. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Block and Tackle: Two blocks and tackles purchased for 1 gold piece each (total of 2 gold pieces). —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Book of Lore: Two books of lore, one each from the Warlock Scholar’s Pack and the Wizard Scholar’s Pack. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Bottle, glass: 1 glass bottle purchased for 2 gold pieces. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Caltrops: Bag of 20 caltrops purchased for 1 gold piece. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Candles: 25 candles, five candles from the Rogue Burglar’s Pack, two sets of 10 candles from the Priest Priest’s Pack and the Paladin Priest’s Pack. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Cards: A deck of cards from the Charlatan background. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Cases: 3 cases for scrolls or maps, two from the Bard Diplomat’s Pack and one stuffed full of notes from your studies from the Hermit background. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Censors: 2 censors, one each from the Priest Priest’s Pack and the Paladin Priest’s Pack. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Chalk: A dozen pieces of chalk purchased for 1 copper piece each (total of 12 copper pieces). —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Chest: A chest from the Bard Diplomat’s Pack. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Climber’s Kit: Climber’s kit (special pitons, gloves, and harness) purchased for 25 gold pieces. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Clothes, Common: 6 sets of common clothes, one set each from the Acolyte background, the Folk Hero background, the Hermit background, the Sage background, the Sailor background, the Soldier background. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Clothes, Fine: 3 sets of fine clothes, one set each from the Bard Diplomat’s Pack, the Charlatan background, the Noble background. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Clothes, Traveller’s: 2 sets of traveller’s clothes, one set each from the Guild Artisan background and the Outlander background. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Component Pouch: Two component pouches, one each from the Warlock and Wizard classes. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Costume: A costume from the Charlatan background. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Crowbar: Five crowbars, one each from the Rogue Burglar’s Pack, the Fighter Dungeoneer’s Pack, the Monk Dungeoneer’s Pack, the Ranger Dungeoneer’s Pack, the Sorcerer Dungeoneer’s Pack. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Dice: A set of bone dice from the Soldier background. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Disguise Kit: A disguise kit from the Charlatan background. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Donkey: 1 donkey purchased for 8 gold pieces —Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st edition

Druidic Focus: Druidic focus from the Druid class (totem incorporating feathers, fur, bones, and teeth from sacred animals mounted on holy yew wood). —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Favor: A favor of an admirer (love letter, lock of hair, or trinket) from the Charlatan background. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Fishing Tackle: Fishing tackle (this kit includes a wooden rod, silken line, corkwood bobbers, steel hooks, lead sinkers, velvet lures, and narrow netting) purchased for 1 gold piece. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Grappling Hook: A grappling hook purchased for 2 gold pieces. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Hammer: Five hammers, one each from the Rogue Burglar’s Pack, the Fighter Dungeoneer’s Pack, the Monk Dungeoneer’s Pack, the Ranger Dungeoneer’s Pack, the Sorcerer Dungeoneer’s Pack. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Hammer, sledge: A sledge hammer purchased for 2 gold pieces. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Healer’s Kit: Healer’s kit (leather pouch with bandages, salves, and splints; good for 10 uses) purchased for 5 gold pieces. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Herbalism Kit: An herbalism kit (this kit contains avariety of instruments such as clippers, mortar and pestle, and pouches and vials used by herbalists to create remedies and potions) from the Hermit background. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Holy Symbols: 3 holy symbols: amulet (an ornament or small piece of jewelry that gives protection against evil, danger, or disease -- a talisman gives magic power or brings good luck), emblem (a heraldic device ot symbolic object as a distinctive badge of a nation, organization, or family), reliquary (a container for holy relics), one each from Cleric class, Paladin class, Acolyte background. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Horse, riding (light): Light riding horse purchased for 25 gold pieces —Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st edition

Incense, blocks: 4 incense blocks, two each from the Priest Priest’s Pack and the Paladin Priest’s Pack. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Incense, sticks: 5 sticks of incense from the Acolyte background. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Ink: 4 bottles of ink, one each from the Bard Diplomat’s Pack, the Warlock Scholar’s Pack, the Wizard Scholar’s Pack, and the Sage background. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Insignia of Rank: An insignia of rank from the Soldier background. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Jug: Jug purchased for 2 copper pieces. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Knives: 3 small knives, one each from the Warlock Scholar’s Pack, the Wizard Scholar’s Pack, and the Sage background. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Ladder: Ladder (10 foot) purchased for 1 silver piece. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Lamp, Bullseye: Bullseye lamp purchased for 10 gold pieces. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Lantern, Hooded: A hooded lantern from the Rogue Burglar’s Pack. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Letter of Introduction: A letter of introduction from your guild from the Guild Artisan background. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Letter: A letter from a dead colleague posing a question you have not yet been able to answer from the Sage background. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Lucky Charm: A lucky charm such as a rabbit foot or a small stone with a hole in the center (or you may toll for a random trinket on the Trinkets table in chapter 5) from the Sailor background. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Mess Kit: Two mess kits (cup and simple cutlery and “case” that unfolds into a cooking pan and a shallow bowl), one each from the Barbarian Explorer’s Pack and the Bard Explorer’s Pack. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Mirror, metal: large steel mirror purchased for 2 gold pieces. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Mirror, silver: small silver mirror purchased for 20 gold pieces. —Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st edition

Musical Instrument: A lute or any other musical instrument from the Bard class and any musical instrument from the Charlatan background. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Oil: 2 flasks of oil from the Rogue Burglar’s Pack, 2 flasks of oil from the Bard Diplomat’s Pack. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Paper: 5 sheets of paper from the Bard Diplomat’s Pack. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Parchment: 20 sheets of parchment, 10 each from the Warlock and the Wizard Scholar’s Pack. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Pen: 3 ink pens, one each from the Bard Diplomat’s Pack, the Warlock Scholar’s Pack, and the Wizard Scholar’s Pack. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Perfume: A vial of perfume from the Bard Diplomat’s Pack. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Pick, Mner’s: Miner’s pick purchased for 2 gold pieces. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Pitons: 50 pitons, 10 pitons each from the Rogue Burglar’s Pack, the Fighter Dungeoneer’s Pack, the Monk Dungeoneer’s Pack, the Ranger Dungeoneer’s Pack, and the Sorcerer Dungeoneer’s Pack. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Pole: 2 poles (10 foot) purchased for 5 copper pieces each (total 10 copper pieces). —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Pot: An iron pot from the Folk Hero background. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Pouch: 4 pouches (to start a utility belt) purchased for 5 silver pieces each (total 20 silver pieces). —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Prayer Book: One prayer book or prayer wheel from the Acolyte background. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Quill: A quill from the Sage background. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Rations: 69 days of rations, five days of rations from the Rogue Burglar’s Pack, two days from the Priest Priest’s Pack, two days from the Paladin Priest’s Pack, ten days from the Barbarian Explorer’s Pack, ten days from the Bard Explorer’s Pack, ten days from the Fighter Dungeoneer’s Pack, ten days from the Monk Dungeoneer’s Pack, ten days from the Ranger Dungeoneer’s Pack, and ten days from the Sorcerer Dungeoneer’s Pack. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Ring: A signet ring from the Noble background. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Robe: Robe purchased for 6 silver pieces. —Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st edition

Rope, Hempen: Seven 50 foot hempen ropes from the Rogue Burglar’s Pack, the Barbarian Explorer’s Pack, the Bard Explorer’s Pack, the Fighter Dungeoneer’s Pack, the Monk Dungeoneer’s Pack, the Ranger Dungeoneer’s Pack, and the Sorcerer Dungeoneer’s Pack. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Rope, Silk: 50 feet of silk rope from the Sailor background. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Sack: 5 sacks purchased for 1 copper piece each (total 5 copper pieces). —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Saddle, Pack: Pack saddle purchased for 5 gold pieces —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Saddle, Riding: Riding saddle purchased for 10 gold pieces —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Sand: two little bags of sand, one each from the Warlock and the Wizard Scholar’s Pack. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Scale: Merchant’s scale purchased for 5 gold pieces. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Scroll of Pedigree: A scroll of pedigree from the Noble background. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Shovel: A shovel from the Folk Hero background. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Signal Whistle: 3 signal whistles purchased for 5 copper pieces each (total 15 copper pieces). —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Soap: Soap from the Bard Diplomat’s Pack. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Spellbook: One spellbook from the Wizard class. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Spike: five large iron spikes purchased for 1 copper piece each (total of 5 copper pieces). —Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st edition

Staff: A staff from the Outlander background. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

String: 10 feet of string from the Rogue Burglar’s Pack. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Thieves’ tools: From Rogue. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Tinderbox: 5 tinderboxes, one each from the Rogue Burglar’s Pack, Priest Priest’s Pack, the Paladin Priest’s Pack, the Barbarian Explorer’s Pack, and the Bard Explorer’s Pack. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Torches: 60 torches, 10 each from the Barbarian class, the Bard Explorer’s Pack, the Fighter Dungeoneer’s Pack, the Monk Dungeoneer’s Pack, the Ranger Dungeoneer’s Pack, and the Sorcerer Dungeoneer’s Pack. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Trap, hunting: A hunting trap from the Outlander background. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Trophy: two trophies, a trophy from an animal you killed from the Outlander background and a trophy taken from a fallen enemy (a dagger, broken blade, or piece of a banner) from the Soldier background. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Vestments: Three sets of priestly vestments, one each from the Priest Priest’s Pack, the Paladin Priest’s Pack, and the Acolyte background. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Waterskin: 9 of waterskins, one each from the Rogue Burglar’s Pack, Priest Priest’s Pack, Paladin Priest’s Pack, the Barbarian Explorer’s Pack, the Bard Explorer’s Pack, the Fighter Dungeoneer’s Pack, the Monk Dungeoneer’s Pack, the Ranger Dungeoneer’s Pack, and the Sorcerer Dungeoneer’s Pack. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Wax: Sealing wax from the Bard Diplomat’s Pack.c

Whetstone: Whetstone purchased for 1 copper piece. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Pouch of Gold: A belt pouch containing 25 gold pieces from the Noble background. —Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition

Equipment Reference:

For easy reference the information on Equipment Packs, Starting Equipment by Classes, and Starting Equipment by Backgrounds is included below.

Equipment Packs:

The starting equipment you get from your class includes a collction of useful adventuring gear, put together in a pack. The contents of these packs are listed here. If you are buying your starting equipment, you can purchase a pack for the price shown, which might be cheaper than buying the items individually.

Burglar’s Pack (16 gp), Includes a backpack, a bag of 1,000 ball bearings, 10 feet of string, a bell, 5 candles, a crowbar, a hammer, 10 pitons, a hooded lantern, 2 flasks of oil, 5 days rations, a tinderbox, and a waterskin. The pack also has 50 feet of hempen rope strapped to the side of it.

Diplomat’s Pack (39 gp), Includes a chest, 2 cases for maps and scrolls, a set of fine clothes, a bottle of ink, an ink pen, a lamp, 2 flasks of oil, 5 sheets of paper, a vial of perfume, sealing wax, and soap.

Dungeoneer’s Pack (12 gp), Includes a backpack, a crowbar, a hammer, 10 pitons, 10 torches, a tinderbox, 10 days of rations, and a waterksin. The pack also has 50 feet of hempen rope strapped to the side of it.

Entertainer’s Pack (40 gp), Includes a backpack, a bedroll, 2 costumes, 5 candles, 5 days of rations, a waterskin, and a disguise kit.

Explorer’s Pack (10 gp), Includes a backpack, a bedroll, a mess kit, a tinderbox, 10 torches, 10 days of rations, and a waterskin. The pack also has 50 feet of hempen rope strapped to the side of it.

Priest’s Pack (19 gp), Includes a backpack, a blanket, 10 candles, a tinderbox, an alms box, 2 blocks of incense, a censer, vestments, 2 days of rations, and a waterksin.

Scholar’s Pack (40 gp), Includes a backpack, a book of lore, a bottle of ink, an ink pen, 10 sheets of parchment, a little bag of sand, and a small knife.

Starting Equipment by Character Classes:

Starting Equipment for Barbarian:

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

(a) a greataxe or (b) any martial melee weapon

(a) two handaxes or (b) any simple weapon

an explorer’s pack and four javelins

Starting Equipment for Bard:

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

(a) a rapier, (b) a longsword, or (c) any simple weapon

(a) a diplomat’s pack or (b) an entertainer’s pack

(a) a lute or (b) any other musical instrument

leather armor and a dagger

Starting Equipment for Cleric:

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

(a) a mace or (b) a warhammer (if proficient)

(a) scale mail, (b) leather armor, or (c) chain mail (if proficient)

(a) a light crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) any simple weapon

(a) a priest’s pack or (b) an explorer’s pack

A shield and a holy symbol

Starting Equipment for Druid:

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

(a) a wooden shield or (b) any simple weapon

(a) a scimitar or (b) any simple melee weapon

Leather armor, an explorer’s pack, and a druidic focus

Starting Equipment for Fighter:

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

(a) chain mail or (b) leather, longbow, and 20 arrows

(a) a martial weapon and a shield or (b) two martial weapons

(a) a light crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) two handaxes

(a) a dungeoneer’s pack or (b) an explorer’s pack

Starting Equipment for Monk:

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

(a) a shortsword or (b) any simple weapon

(a) a dungeoneer’s pack or (b) an explorer’s pack

10 darts

Starting Equipment for Paladin:

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

(a) a martial weapon and a shield or (b) two martial weapons

(a) five javelins or (b) any simple melee weapon

(a) a priest’s pack or (b) an explorer’s pack

Chain mail and a holy symbols

Starting Equipment for Ranger:

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

(a) scale mail or (b) leather armor

(a) two shortswords or (b) two simple melee weapons

(a) a dungeoneers pack or (b) an explorers pack

A longbow and a quiver of 20 arrows

Starting Equipment for Rogue:

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

(a) a rapier or (b) a shortsword

(a) a shortbow and quiver of 20 arrows or (b) a shortsword

(a) a burglar’s pack, (b) a dungeoneer’s pack, or (c) an explorer’s pack

Leather armor, two daggers, and thieves’ tools

Starting Equipment for Sorcerer:

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

(a) a light crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) any simple weapon

(a) a component pouch or (b) an arcane focus

(a) a dungeoneer’s pack or (b) an explorer’s pack

Two daggers

Starting Equipment for Warlock:

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

(a) a light crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) any simple weapon

(a) a component pouch or (b) an arcane focus

(a) a scholar’s pack or (b) a dungeoneer’s pack

Leather armor, any simple weapon, and two daggers

Starting Equipment for Wizard:

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

(a) a quarterstaff or (b) a dagger

(a) a component pouch or (b) an arcane focus

(a) a scholar’s pack or (b) an explorer’s pack

A spellbook

Starting Equipment by Background:

Starting Equipment for the Background Acolyte:

Equipment: A holy symbol (a gift to you when you entered the priesthood), a prayer book or prayer wheel, 5 sticks on incense, vestments, a set of common clothes, and a belt pouch containing 15 gp

Starting Equipment for the Background Charlatan:

Equipment: A set of fine clothes, a disguise kit, tools of the con of your choice (ten stoppered bottles filled with colored liquid, a set of weighted dice, a deck of marked cards, or a signet ring of an imaginary duke), and a belt pouch containing 15 gp

Starting Equipment for the Background Criminal:

Equipment: A crowbar, a set of dark common clothes including a hood, and a belt pouch containing 15 gp

Starting Equipment for the Background Entertainer:

Equipment: A musical instrument (one of your choice), a favor of an admirer (love letter, lock of hair, or trinket), a costume, and a belt pouch containing 15 gp

Starting Equipment for the Background Folk Hero:

Equipment: A set of artisan’s tools (one of your choice), a shovel, an iron pot, a set of common clothes, and a belt pouch containing 10 gp

Starting Equipment for the Background Guild Artisan:

Equipment: A set of artisan’s tools (one of your choice), a letter of introduction from your guild, a set of traveler’s clothes, and a belt pouch containing 15 gp

Starting Equipment for the Background Hermit:

Equipment: A scroll case stuffed full of notes from your studies or prayers, a winter blanker, a set of common clothes, an herbalism kit, and a belt pouch containing 5 gp

Starting Equipment for the Background Noble:

Equipment: A set of fine clothes, a signet ring, a scroll of pedigree, and a belt pouch containing 25 gp

Starting Equipment for the Background Outlander:

Equipment: A staff, a hunting trap, a trophy from an animal you killed, a set of traveller’s clothes, and a belt pouch containing 10 gp

Starting Equipment for the Background Sage:

Equipment: A bottle of black ink, a quill, a small knife, a letter from a dead colleague posing a question you have not yet been able to answer, a set of common clothes, and a belt pouch containing 10 gp

Starting Equipment for the Background Sailor:

Equipment: A belaying pin (club), 50 feet of silk rope, a lucky charm such as a rabbit foot or a small stone with a hole in the center (or you may toll for a random trinket on the Trinkets table in chapter 5), a set of common clothes, and a belt pouch containing 10 gp

Starting Equipment for the Background Soldier:

Equipment: An insignia of rank, a trophy taken from a fallen enemy (a dagger, broken blade, or piece of a banner), a set of bone dice or deck of cards, a set of common clothes, and a belt pouch containing 10 gp

Starting Equipment for the Background Urchin:

Equipment: A small knife, a map of the city you grew up in, a pet mouse, a token to remember your parents by, a set of common clothes, and a belt pouch containing 10 gp