D&D 5E Starting gear for Tomb of Horrors

[Trit One-Ear]

Hey all,

In a few weeks I'll be running the D&D NEXT playtest version of Tomb of Horrors for some old friends, and can't freaking wait. I've played it as a player before and had a fantastic time being turned into a nervous wreck.

My question is: With such loose rules regarding magic items in 5th, what's the best balance of power to give my players before entering a death trap?

When I played it, our DM gave us a solid amount of magic items and enough gold to buy potions enough to swim in. It felt both like a waste of time (we didn't end up using most of our consumables) and too generous. While we still suffered at the hands of the tomb, we had an abundance of resources that helped us feel comparably safe.

I'm looking at the guidelines given in the DM's guide and starting my players with items for a normal setting at 11th level (despite them being only 10th). That means 2 uncommon magic items each, and gold enough to buy a rare and some consumables/other basic equipment.

Has anyone explored starting magic items for 10th level characters? Especially in the context of Tomb or Horrors (where combat is less the focus)?

Trit

 

[TerraDave]

This is the ToH that was in the online Dungeon? Very close to the original?

If that is the case...it will only matter so much, as so much depends on the players figuring things out, or dying if they don't.

In that vein, I guess would be wary any divination type items that could be abused, but again that is really a function of your adjudication as a DM rather then the spell or item itself.

 

[Trit One-Ear]

Yes, the online Dungeon one.

I agree, most of the traps are negated by players making "good choices," even if those choices are somewhat arbitrary at times:

Spoiler

The crown and scepter is a 50/50 chance of instant death for example.

We were just built out to the point where we had an answer to lots of things when they went bad: resistances, advantage against gasses etc, true seeing...
None of this bothers me as a DM, I just want to be sure to see my players sweat.

Trit

 

[Shiroiken]

Starting gear for Tomb of Horrors:

Diapers
Tissues
Horde of exceptionally loyal NPCs
Backup Character
Backup Character
Backup Character
Backup Character
etc.

 

[Remathilis]

Rod of Resurrection?

 

[Crothian]

1000 chickens

 

[IgnatiusJ.Reilly]

We never made it through AD&D version, I imagine there will saving throws and everything in this new-fangled version. Just keep in mind that when characters die, and they should die, they'll be looted by the survivors and back-up characters. I would suggest encouraging the characters to survive by the own wits and class abilities, instead of bags of consumables and too many magic items. This will heavily affect the atmosphere of the tomb. My god, that was a thank-less and hellish place. I'm not sure I'd go through that one again.

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

Horn of Valhalla could be useful.

 

[Zaruthustran]

Let the dice decide. Assume they've had a number of successful adventures, and roll on the appropriate loot tables. Do this 3-4 times, with rewards commiserate with their increasing level. Those are the treasure they "found" prior to the Tomb.

Do not let them hand-pick or buy their treasure/magic items. That's no fun.

To make it more interactive and add fun, do a Mad-Libs style background for the party. "In your first adventure, you were sent by ____ to recover ____ from a _____ located in ______." That sort of thing. In 15 minutes you can have a fun history and travelogue, and the players will have some context for their gear.

 

[Saeviomagy]

10 foot poles. Lots of 10 foot poles.
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