OSR OSRIC - how much wealth and magic items should 3rd level characters begin with?

[GodDelusion]

I am going to run a one-off Halloween-themed OSRIC session tonight and not being a grognard, I am unsure of how much wealth (coin) and how many magic items to assign to 3rd level PCs.

Can anyone help me with this? I do not want to overdue it and end up with a monty haul or munchkins.

Thanks much.

 

[GodDelusion]

The closest info I can find is in the AD&D DMG, pg 175, under the heading 'Party Magic Items'. This table, and associated tables on the next page, define the probable magic items for a party (by character level) of NPC adventurers encountered in a dungeon.

 

[Gilladian]

I can't say that I've played OSRIC-style in a LONG time, but from my memories of the game, it is much less dependent on the PCs having "the right amount" of magic and money.

As far as money goes, they should have enough to buy the mundane equipment they could need - decent non-magical arms and armor, a mule, all the camp and dungeoneering gear they might want... but not a lot extra. If they were playing in a campaign, they'd be saving to pay for training. In a one-shot they're not motivated to do that, so you want to keep them to pocket-change.

As far as magic goes, I'd give them each a small, expendable item or two; a potion of healing and something else, a scroll and a potion, or a single-use alchemical item or something similar. And then there should be 1 magic weapon or so, and maybe ONE other permanent magic item in the party. I'm presuming this is a party of 4-6 PCs. I'd say by 3rd level they will have acquired one permanent magic item per 2 PCs. If you feel this is unfair to the PCs who don't have a permanent item, feel free to give them an extra expendable item. Just keep all the items low powered. +1 weapon, wand of 1st level spell, or something similar.

That's how I remember the game, anyway!

 

[GodDelusion]

I can't say that I've played OSRIC-style in a LONG time, but from my memories of the game, it is much less dependent on the PCs having "the right amount" of magic and money.

As far as money goes, they should have enough to buy the mundane equipment they could need - decent non-magical arms and armor, a mule, all the camp and dungeoneering gear they might want... but not a lot extra. If they were playing in a campaign, they'd be saving to pay for training. In a one-shot they're not motivated to do that, so you want to keep them to pocket-change.

As far as magic goes, I'd give them each a small, expendable item or two; a potion of healing and something else, a scroll and a potion, or a single-use alchemical item or something similar. And then there should be 1 magic weapon or so, and maybe ONE other permanent magic item in the party. I'm presuming this is a party of 4-6 PCs. I'd say by 3rd level they will have acquired one permanent magic item per 2 PCs. If you feel this is unfair to the PCs who don't have a permanent item, feel free to give them an extra expendable item. Just keep all the items low powered. +1 weapon, wand of 1st level spell, or something similar.

That's how I remember the game, anyway!

Spot on Gilladian! Your assessment confirms my initial feelings, so, I will go with your suggestion(s). Thanks much mate!

 

[Gilladian]

Glad I could help! Sometimes I get the urge to go back to an OS rules set, but then I remember THACO and Initiative, and the urge passes...

 

[S'mon]

I'm running a 1e AD&D game that just had a TPK type situation. New PCs are starting at 5,001 XP, so typically 3rd level, with 500gp each. They can use some of that cash to start with DMG magic items at sale prices.

Edit: Over 2,001 XP, it looks to me that 1 gp per 10 starting XP is a decent guideline.

 

[trancejeremy]

Glad I could help! Sometimes I get the urge to go back to an OS rules set, but then I remember THACO and Initiative, and the urge passes...

THAC0 is almost literally the same as Attack Bonus, only you subtract the AC from it.

Like a character with a 15 THAC0 is attacking a target with an AC of 5, he would need a 10 to hit.

I realize it can sometimes involve negative numbers, but is subtraction really that hard?

 

[Gilladian]

Thaco is not hard, no. I played 2e for its entire existence. I just don't want to go back to descending AC, all the different wacky subsystems, tons of house rules, etc...

I loved 2e, but I find 3e (at the E6 level where I play and run it) to be the game for me. But this thread is not the place for this discussion....

 

[rogueattorney]

Third level is where monsters that can only be hit by magical/silvered weapons come in. Wights, wererats, and the like. So, you should have a couple +1 weapons sprinkled amongst the warrior-types. A low-powered wand of some sort (trap/magic detection, perhaps) with about a dozen charges might be nice for magic-users. A couple single-use potions or protection scrolls would also do some good.

As for money, in a one-off, you should just let them have whatever standard equipment they want off the PHB list.

 

[Halivar]

Consider rolling on the treasure table until you reach 2,500 gp per player worth of gold and items, keeping in mind that items they couldn't use, they would sell. That would be about half the source of their extant xp, which sounds about right to me. Have them divvy up the cash and items.

Also make sure they buy henchmen. As soon as they'd gotten 100 gp in their pocket, they would have gone and hired some. Deduct the crier cost and signing bonus, and divvy up their epic lootz with their henchpeople.