What's the most critical piece of dungeoneering equipment?

[falcarrion]

A bag of walnuts!

quick food suppy.
Shells work great as a warning system if someone is sneaking up on you.
(sprinkle shells behind you or around your camp)
missle weapon
great for putting a fire trap spell on.
checking depth of pit
shells can be used for the shell game con
good subsatute for a bag of marbles
cast enlarge on a shell half and get a small boat

 

[coyote6]

Duct tape.

 

[Celebrim]

A sharp mind.


One can live without any physical piece of equipment, as long as one has a flexible, adaptive, and imaginative mind. The only thing you can't live without.

Test that theory out some time, and if you live, tell me how well it works.

 

[Deset Gled]

Just behind a bag and light source, I would say that food and water would be extremely important to have.

 

[El Mahdi]

deleted

 

[SKyOdin]

My number one vote is rope. If you run into a cliff you need to climb or a pit you need to descend, there is no substitute, and it has many, many other uses. The rope is quickly followed by the lantern with oil. It has superior light to the humble torch, is still affordable by a 1st level character, and oil always has a myriad number of effective uses. Third on the list is a backpack to carry all of your stuff. Fourth is food and water. And rounding out the top five is the humble shovel. When you suddenly realize you need to dig up a grave before night falls and the vampire awakens, you will really regret not buying a shovel.

Of course, in any setting with easily obtainable explosives, those quickly climb the list.

To be honest, I never really got the whole 10' pole thing. How is it supposed to be practical? The only thing I have ever seen anyone mention is prodding for traps, but to be honest, I am not convinced ten feet is sufficient distance for intentionally triggering a trap. A good perception score seems to be a lot more useful.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

To be honest, I never really got the whole 10' pole thing. How is it supposed to be practical? The only thing I have ever seen anyone mention is prodding for traps, but to be honest, I am not convinced ten feet is sufficient distance for intentionally triggering a trap. A good perception score seems to be a lot more useful.

You can't pole-vault with rope...

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tGVSnwlKzg]YouTube - Tremors Pole Vaulting Scene[/ame]

 

[Piratecat]

A sharp mind.

Hardly. They don't keep an edge worth a damn, sharpening them turns your whetstone into a wet stone, and you need one just to pry another one out of its bony shell. There's got to be something better.

Like a mule.

 

[ajanders]

Celebrim wins the Berenstain Bears Wisdom award.

"Three little bears.
One with a light, one with a rope, one with a stick."

[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Berenstain-Bears-Spooky-Bright-Early/dp/0394839102]Amazon.com: The Berenstain Bears and the Spooky Old Tree (Bright & Early…[/ame]

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Test that theory out some time, and if you live, tell me how well it works.

I don't know El Mahdi, but I do know of people who strongly resemble the fictional MacGyver.

Me...I'd at least need a Swiss Army Mule.