What archetypes does 5E not represent well?

Insomniac · Post by **Insomniac** » Fri May 22, 2015 9:59 pm

The page 38 DMG says a player gets 20,000 GP, but to spend upon what? Magical armor and weaponry is in the +1 territory, and even then considered rare. I do not even know if you can explicitly purchase magical armor, shields and weaponry in the system and if there is a rule saying you can, it is almost certainly followed by a clause that it is optional and the DM can deny you it.

So what do you spend 20 grand on? Buy your character a village? Your own little militia? If you do not do that, your character has 500 pounds of gold doing nothing.

Even a concept as basic as "knight in shining armor" is not mechanically reflected well. I bet 500 pounds of bullion could get you really burnished armor, though.

Username17 · Post by **Username17** » Sat May 23, 2015 7:28 am

Insomniac wrote:So what do you spend 20 grand on?

Literally hundreds of scrolls and potions of 1st level spells. Those are the only "Common" magic items in the DMG, and those are the only things you can spend that starting cash on. And they cost less than 100 gp each. Remember that the rare items that include any actual magic armor at all are things that characters are supposed to find at fifth level, but which you are not allowed to select as starting equipment at sixteenth level.

So basically all characters start essentially naked and completely dependent on the DM for any weapons, armor, or plausibly level appropriate items. It's just that if you start at higher level you get to come into play with essentially limitless healing potions.

-Username17

CapnTthePirateG · Post by **CapnTthePirateG** » Sat May 23, 2015 4:14 pm

That seems to be the theme of the edition - no one is allowed to do anything without arguing with the DM.

Dogbert · Post by **Dogbert** » Sat May 23, 2015 6:13 pm

I can't wait for 2016 to arrive to see whether Mandrake Mearls' reality bubble finally bursts or people still lavishes 5E.