Equipment for ECL's

[EOL]

In the DMG (pg. 24) it says the following:

A creature with no class levels has the standard gear for a creature of its kind. A creature with class levels has equipment worth an amount based on the total of those class levels (See Table 2-24)

This seems to indicate that if a player wanted to play a 3rd level Half-Dragon fighter (ECL 7, using Dragon 293) that in addition to having only 3 HD he would also only have the equipment of a 3rd level fighter (2700 gp) instead of the equipment of a 7th level character (19,000 gp).

Now I know that the whole DMG method of doing Monsters as PC is somewhat out-dated, but I have never heard a clarification of how this issue should be handled. I'm inclined especially with the higher ECL's in Dragon 293 to give them the full equipment for the ECL not their class level.

Anybody have any experience with this? The difference in power between a Ogre/Ftr2 equiped as a Ftr2 and an Ogre/Ftr2 equipped as a level 10 character is significant.

 

[kreynolds]

I give equipment based on class/character level, not ECL and not both. They are already powerful enough as is.

 

[Axiomatic Unicorn]

According to the FRCS, starting chars with ECLs get equipment for their total level. Class+ECL.

 

[EOL]

According to the FRCS, starting chars with ECLs get equipment for their total level. Class+ECL.

Thanks! I had missed that, but you're right.

In the FRCS (pg. 21) it says:

Your character's beginning equipment is based on his effective level, not his class level.

With the ECL's on the high side I have no problem with this.

 

[kreynolds]

Uh-oh...my half-dragon player is gonna be pissed!

 

[Archer]

Less equipment if you use the DMG level system, more eq if you use the FRCS system. The problem with the DMG system is that as soon as they do get equipment, monsters become far more powerful than the rest of the party.

 

[Crothian]

I think it's best to use judgement. For instance if I'm starting a campaign and someone is playing a ecl+1 race he will start with the same as any first level character. I'm not giving him any extra just cause he pickeda powerful race.

If the character is new to an existing campaign he will start out with about 10%-20% below what the other characters have. THe other characters have been there longer and have earned what they have, just starting a character at a higher level should not grant you a lot of cool things.

 

[EOL]

I think it's best to use judgement. For instance if I'm starting a campaign and someone is playing a ecl+1 race he will start with the same as any first level character. I'm not giving him any extra just cause he pickeda powerful race.

If the character is new to an existing campaign he will start out with about 10%-20% below what the other characters have. THe other characters have been there longer and have earned what they have, just starting a character at a higher level should not grant you a lot of cool things.

I think this a great point I had to learn the hard way how to handle equipment distribution for entering characters.

The treasure I give out is fairly random, but in the beginning I was allowing entering characters to basically purchase up to their quota. The result was that the entering characters had a much better selection of magic items because they were all specifically useful for the class they were playing, whereas everyone else in the party had items that they were making do with until something better came along.

Now I not only give out a lower amount, but I also make sure that some of the stuff they get takes creativity for it to be useful.

 

[Crothian]

I think this a great point I had to learn the hard way how to handle equipment distribution for entering characters.

The treasure I give out is fairly random, but in the beginning I was allowing entering characters to basically purchase up to their quota. The result was that the entering characters had a much better selection of magic items because they were all specifically useful for the class they were playing, whereas everyone else in the party had items that they were making do with until something better came along.

Now I not only give out a lower amount, but I also make sure that some of the stuff they get takes creativity for it to be useful.

I haven't given out random treasure in maybe five years. To random and it can really effect the game. I also give out lower then the DM suggests in treasure and especially magic items.

 

[wolfpunk]

I always plan out the treasure I give. For balancing issues you just about have to do it that way. Otherwise you run the chance of giving a low level character something that completely unbalances the game for the rest of the group.

I do the same thing with ecl characters as Crothian does, at first level that is what you are, if you are coming in at a later level where you have class levels then I go off of the class level of the character. I don't think ECL levels should equate to treasure.