D&D 5E Would handing your party 1,000 gp at character creation break your game?

[bedir than]

I love the spyglass. But in 5e it's a 1,000 gp device. There aren't really any rules that explain that cost. Per DnDBeyond, the spyglass just enlarges objects to twice their size. That's not overly powerful. Certain backgrounds might make sense to start with a spyglass -- Sailor/Pirate (though they don't), Navigator (unofficial), Astronomer (Sage variant?), and my own Caravanserai.

The Caravanserai – a 5th edition D&D Background

Before you were a hero you were a Caravanserai, a keeper of an outpost that is inn, trade center, waypoint, and safe haven all at once. The traditional western trope of an innkeeper is provided as …

fullmoonstorytelling.com

The only reason to not give a spyglass is because of the money. Even in a no-magic-shop world you can still boost the party with significant armor upgrades if your character doesn't care about their background. I try to get around this by suggesting that it is an heirloom, handed down from the family (of choice or blood, whatever).

Still, there are those who min/max starting equipment.

How big a deal would this be at your table?

 

[Cadence]

If spyglasses aren't that useful plot wise, what if you made them just worth, say 100 go or whatever if someone asks, and note trade in value is never near 100%?

 

[EzekielRaiden]

I don't run 5e, but if I did, I'd absolutely be willing to hand out stuff like this, if it sparks the player's interest. A beloved item is at no risk of being sold off, and if the player is considering selling it off, I've done a bad job of giving them what they want to begin with. (Or they're being abusive, which is the real problem, not the selling of the spyglass.)

This is the kind of thing where "rulings not rules" should be front and center. Sadly, I find this is where DMs are often major sticklers, while making the parts that players need to rely on for making sound decisions incredibly free-wheeling and even unpredictable. This pattern frustrates me deeply.

 

[commandercrud]

Nothing breaks the game if the DM allows it.

 

[Ace]

A spyglass won't break the game. Its not that powerful. If the player's get super clever with it, good. Clever players, better game. Of course my players know if I gave them something like this, its a plot related item, an heirloom, a macguffin of some kind . It keeps them on their toes.

As for an even grand in GP ? Of course not. I'm the GM and can always jigger encounters a little to deal with a sudden power boost.

 

[EzekielRaiden]

Nothing breaks the game if the DM allows it.

Having rescued a friend from a horrible, horrible gaming experience where the DM allowed one player to ride roughshod over everyone and everything else?

No. This is simply, emphatically false. Being allowed to do something by the DM does not mean that that thing is not broken.

 

[Stephen Shomo]

Would make a great low level adventure...attracts thieves....lots of item saves... needs to repair....etc

 

[CleverNickName]

Just hand them the spyglass. If they try to sell it later for 1000 gold, the shopkeepers always say the same thing: "Oh dear. I'm sorry but that's just too expensive for me. I can give you...(x) gold for it, final offer."

(Where x is the result of their Persuasion check. or whatever.)

 

[Stephen Shomo]

Add glass lens caps with land feature silhouettes that lead dungeons and such.

 

[Asisreo]

Even if I gave them 1000gp in hand and made all shops available, it wouldn't be broken in my games. Worse case scenario? The characters have better armor. Its rare for the starting location to have magic items in my campaign and any items I end up displaying won't break the game when bought so 1,000gp or 1,000,000gp to start won't mean anything more than maybe roleplay stuff (which is easily balanced).