D&D 5E (2014) Kicking off "Out of the Abyss" - Seeking Opinions [MINOR SPOILERS]

[Bigassgeek]

I'm starting my OotA campaign in a week, and I've got a decision to make, so I thought I'd take advantage of this forum's collective wisdom

I am not sure how to handle the character's equipment. I can't decide whether it should all be stored in one place, making it relatively easy for the characters to reclaim, or scattered among two or more locations. Logically, I could justify it either way, but I'm not sure what's best for the campaign.

If the PC's escape into the Underdark with piecemeal equipment, it makes it harder on them and makes foraging and crafting necessary. This isn't a bad thing - it helps enforce the dire nature of their situation. On the other hand, OotA will be tough for low level characters to survive even with their equipment, and I don't want to handicap my players unfairly.

Opinions?

 

[Zaran]

Man, I'd almost say they don't get anything and have to scrounge for new stuff.

 

[77IM]

I was thinking about this. I would probably tell players to just NOT pick any starting equipment. Then I'd make sure the armory has a slightly better selection of weapons and armor, plus maybe some thieve's tools and component pouches. This way, most players won't feel the need to search for "their" equipment.

The spellbooks and holy symbols are supposed to be in the drow priestess's chambers, but I might put them elsewhere if the PCs are planning to flee without trying to go in there. You can also put a spellbook as treasure on a "random" encounter. E.g., the party encounters carrion crawler eating the remains of a wizard, and the party can loot the spellbook and some spell-scribing materials.

 

[Coredump]

One idea I am contemplating:

Let them escape without getting into the armory, so will very little gear. They get chased but have a few encounters along the way.
Then they get caught and brought back.

Now the are 2nd level.... next time they break out they are tough enough to deal with the guards and get into the Armory and get some gear, including *some* of their old gear. But not all of it.

I think a large part of the fun of the adventure is figuring out how to scrounge gear, how to create magical components, etc. If they escape and find all their gear.... seems to contrived, and nullfies the uniqueness of starting captured.

 

[aramis erak]

I'm starting my OotA campaign in a week, and I've got a decision to make, so I thought I'd take advantage of this forum's collective wisdom

I am not sure how to handle the character's equipment. I can't decide whether it should all be stored in one place, making it relatively easy for the characters to reclaim, or scattered among two or more locations. Logically, I could justify it either way, but I'm not sure what's best for the campaign.

If the PC's escape into the Underdark with piecemeal equipment, it makes it harder on them and makes foraging and crafting necessary. This isn't a bad thing - it helps enforce the dire nature of their situation. On the other hand, OotA will be tough for low level characters to survive even with their equipment, and I don't want to handicap my players unfairly.

Opinions?

There is a mention of specifically where PC's valuables are kept. I'm adding their armor and weapons to the Armory, tho'. Which means two places. I had my Players list all their PC's gear on index cards, and then told them it's gone, good luck finding it.

 

[Daern]

I've started running it by email. I let players continue with older chars or make new ones. Telling them to describe to me how they got caught by drow was the campaign intro.
I'm not promising any gear, and they haven't asked yet, though I think some drow would have lock picks and a spellbook in a chest seems reasonable as well. Armor and weapons aren't likely to be treasured by drow.