Wizards can make use of the item spell to "tokenize" all sorts of useful objects. Including a lit campfire or a (small) banquet or a sack stuffed full of supplies.
My uncles used to go on "adventures" in the woods, claiming that the "essential" items were a roll of duct-tape, some zip-ties, an axe, a hammer, a crowbar, and a shovel. (And I never understood exactly why although I still find this particular selection of "essential" gear a little disturbing.)
"Survival gear" is often overlooked. It depends on the terrain, of course. You won't last long wearing a padded parka or without some water containers in the desert. You won't last long wearing a chainmail bikini or without a source of fire in the arctic. Not every adventure carries one through a generic "Sherwood Forest" setting like Cormyr or the Dales, filled with easy game and burbling streams and sunny afternoons.
Rangers tend to travel light, carrying everything they need to "live off the land" on their person (and/or on their mount). Paladins tend to require a little pile of holy paraphernalia, although the more militant ones can often incorporate holy symbols into whatever arms and crests they bear. Wizards and thieves require all sorts of little tools and components to practice their craft. Although part of their craft involves methods to collect, store, carry, repurpose, and even improvise with these sorts of materials. Dwarves and halflings might argue that a small wagon of ale or beer or mead is needed for survival, although this is debatable.
Anyone carrying any kind of blade (even an eating utensil or carving blade) needs a good whetstone to keep the edge. Anyone wearing chain can maintain and patch the armor on the field by pulling links (extra links intended for this purpose) from the edges of the sleeves or hems and linking them where needed. Anyone wearing plate can use a stone to pound the worst dents and malformations into rough shape. And anyone wearing these (or even leather) armors would need to regularly apply some oil or wax with a cleaning rag to prevent corrosion. Regular visits to real smiths would be needed for real repairs on these weapons and armors.
PCs are (theoretically) "real" people. They'd need all sorts of small items and games and entertainments, more than just dice for that gambling skill or books for the scholar or poems for the bard. Only the most seriously grim characters would utterly lack interest in anything outside of their quest focus.
Wizards can make use of the item spell to "tokenize" all sorts of useful objects. Including a lit campfire or a (small) banquet or a sack stuffed full of supplies.
My uncles used to go on "adventures" in the woods, claiming that the "essential" items were a roll of duct-tape, some zip-ties, an axe, a hammer, a crowbar, and a shovel. (And I never understood exactly why although I still find this particular selection of "essential" gear a little disturbing.)
Ummm, I think I can solve that little mystery, though I'd bet I'm wrong. Still..... ummm... Ayrik, were any people suddenly "disappearing" after these adventures on the local news?
So many PCs never use a machete, happily using their swords to cut and chop their way through jungles, forests, and bush.
This Machete vs Sword article is fairly comprehensive. But it seems to assume "sword" means "big, long sword". Does one really need a proper machete when a D&D-type (thick, stabby, 12" to 18" long) short sword is cheap and commonly available?
Can we safely assume, then, that you've no mundane items to add to this list?
Personally, I think there have been a lot of handy suggestions in this list. Characters need more than just a +2 Sword of Niftiness or a Cloak of Calrissian* when they're not in combat, and it's easy to overlook such things before heading out into the wild.
My Mage is blind, uses magic to see. Carries a wand of minor creation, A folding boat, which works as a bucket, a ladder, a cabin, a bridge... can be used to slide down hills in winter. etc... If you need a pole it has oars. Minor creation, creation, fabricate, stone shape, move earth, Overland flight, gaseous form, fly, teleport, scrying, detect thoughts or ESP. Mount spell. Polymorph other, polymorph self.
So in other words, no, you don't have anything to add to a discussion about non-magical items.
What he's saying Wooly is that he creates whatever he needs using a specific magic item and thus doesn't have to carry everything that people might list. He wants a non-magical crowbar? He creates it. He wants a 10' pole? He creates it. In this way he doesn't have to tote a bunch of items
Mostly, he's roleplaying. Of course, along these same lines, a person could also note everything they carry so that they see them and think about them... and much like the folding both, they go into an extradimensonal space..... along with the 5 weeks of food they're also carrying... the raw meat for their griffon that they keep in a magical refrigerator that's also in that extradimensional space... and the skeletal servants that they keep as well.
Don't spells mainly in Wand or Potion form eliminate the mundane. I can understand a Fighter needing a rope or a Thief, tools.
For me the only mundane items are books, with spells written inside. Components kept in individual packets wrapped in waxed paper and stored in a foil or green leaf. Some not wrapped components and the specials wands of eating which are not mundane just used in a mundane fashion.
The only other Mundane items a Red Wizard might use are Weapons. A Staff, a Sling, Dagger or a Heavy Crossbow. Occasionally a Flail. Quivers for Bolts of various kinds. Or various clothes before we enchant them. Maybe a sack at lower levels or ???
Don't spells mainly in Wand or Potion form eliminate the mundane. I can understand a Fighter needing a rope or a Thief, tools.
For me the only mundane items are books, with spells written inside. Components kept in individual packets wrapped in waxed paper and stored in a foil or green leaf. Some not wrapped components and the specials wands of eating which are not mundane just used in a mundane fashion.
Every PC without exception uses and requires some sort of mundane item whether of magical origin or not.
I don't think anyone mentioned a small shovel. Useful to make sure your campfire doesn't start a forest fire, burying a kill so buzzards don't give away your position (assuming you can't burn it), and for digging a latrine (why make it easier for whatever is hunting you to follow you).
"Iriaebor is a fine city. So what if you can have violence between merchant groups break out at any moment. Not every city can offer dinner AND a show."
Mundane Items Every Adventurer Needs...
Posted - 16 Sep 2017 : 05:59:05
