D&D (2024) Equipment for Sale Guideline

[LordEntrails]

Given that a lot of campaigns take place starting around a small village

Why? There is no assumption that says the party starts out in a village. Sure, it's a trope, but so is starting in a tavern of a city. Or receiving a letter from a benefactor. Or...

And, as stated, starting equipment is not purchased, it is starting equipment.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

Having grown up in the boondocks, I totally agree.

Having spent time in the boondocks, yeah, I can remember having to drive "into town" to get things that just weren't available nearby.

 

[Zaukrie]

I didn't think I've ever paid attention to this kind of stuff. My players have access to did sometimes and sometimes they don't. Prices are silly, so I just charge what I feel like. I get others care about the economy, it's just not something we are interested in.

 

[Charlaquin]

Starting equipment is almost always inherited, a gift from someone that crafted it, perhaps found. It just depends on the backstory. If someone is a fighter, who did they train with? Perhaps that person gifted them the equipment and had the PC promise to fulfill a lifelong goal the mentor had failed at. Sounds like and interesting plot line to follow!

But realistically? Padded armor should be pretty ubiquitous and should replace leather armors that likely never existed or were extremely rare. Longbows were frequently used by the person that made them, a spear or maybe a battle axe should be starting equipment. Swords were generally not a primary weapon and so on. But this is D&D.

The etymology of the word cuirass, along with depictions of cuir bouilli in medieval art are pretty definitive proof that it did exist. How common it was is hard to determine due to it not preserving well. But, certainly its function would have been much closer to that of D&D’s “breastplate” armor than to that of padded armor. But, your broader point that D&D’s equipment has never really made historical sense is salient.

(Which is to say, I fundamentally agree with what you’re saying here, I just like having excuses to talk about historical arms and armor.)

 

[Crimson Longinus]

This is more or less how I'd run it anyway, and the list seemed roughly sensible apart short bows. They're a common hunting weapon so should be available even in a small village.

 

[Oofta]

Having spent time in the boondocks, yeah, I can remember having to drive "into town" to get things that just weren't available nearby.

The nearest "big town" was half an hour drive at best - they had a (sort of) mall!

 

[Oofta]

The etymology of the word cuirass, along with depictions of cuir bouilli in medieval art are pretty definitive proof that it did exist. How common it was is hard to determine due to it not preserving well. But, certainly its function would have been much closer to that of D&D’s “breastplate” armor than to that of padded armor. But, your broader point that D&D’s equipment has never really made historical sense is salient.

(Which is to say, I fundamentally agree with what you’re saying here, I just like having excuses to talk about historical arms and armor.)

Leather armor was, at best, extremely rare and last I remember most historians were unsure if it was ever used for anything but practice armor. Of course I'm not a historian so take my word with a grain of salt! On the other hand studded leather was never really a thing. There was brigandine which was metal plates riveted between two layers of flexible material. Which could have possibly been leather.

Armor in D&D has always been a bit silly.

 

[Oofta]

This is more or less how I'd run it anyway, and the list seemed roughly sensible apart short bows. They're a common hunting weapon so should be available even in a small village.

Depending on era and location being modeled even longbows should be common. For a period in Britain able bodied men were pretty much required to train in them.

 

[Charlaquin]

Why? There is no assumption that says the party starts out in a village. Sure, it's a trope, but so is starting in a tavern of a city. Or receiving a letter from a benefactor. Or...

And, as stated, starting equipment is not purchased, it is starting equipment.

I think OP’s point is, “if you start in a village, your starting equipment is likely to be better than anything you’ll be able to buy for a while.”

 

[LordEntrails]

I think OP’s point is, “if you start in a village, your starting equipment is likely to be better than anything you’ll be able to buy for a while.”

ok, that makes sense and pretty much what I would expect.