EQUIPMENT, MOVEMENT, AND ENCUMBRANCE
Starting Funds
Rolling for starting funds can be done on the table below, based on the PC's class.
| Cleric, Druid |
30-180 gp (3d6 x10) |
| Fighter, Paladin, Ranger |
50-200 gp (5d4 x 10) |
| Magic User, Illusionist |
20- 80 gp (2d4 x10) |
| Thief, Assassin |
20-120 gp (2d6 x 10) |
| Monk |
5- 20 gp (5d4 x 10) |
Monetary System & Conversion
The economy is based on gold pieces (gp) in AD&D 1E. Other coinage is also found, mainly being of copper pieces (cp), silver pieces (sp), electrum pieces (ep; a gold and silver alloy), and platinum pieces (pp). The conversion factors between these metal coins is as follows:
| Coins of This Metal |
Equal to This Many Coins |
| 10 copper pieces (cp) | 1 silver piece (sp) = 1/10 gold piece (gp) |
| 20 silver pieces (sp) | 1 gold piece (gp) |
| 2 electrum pieces (ep) | 1 gold piece (gp) |
| 1 platinum piece (pp) | 5 gold pieces (gp) |
| Therefore, we have: 200 cp = 20 sp = 2 ep = 1 gp = 1/5 pp |
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Equipment
Equipment lists (handouts)
Equipment Kits (House Rule)
Simple starting kits of equipment that do not total more than a specified amount can be created and be made available to players. Each of these kits is "defined" to be 20 lbs of encumberance for the character.
This kit method can speed up character building. Players can select other items to add to the starter kit of equipment, as they wish.
| Cleric Equipment Kit (Cost: 56 gp) |
Backpack Bedroll Blanket Candle Chalk Flask of Holy Water Hammer Holy Symbol Incense |
Ink (1 oz. bottle) Ink Pen Oil (1 flask) Rations (10 days) Rope, Hempen (50 feet) Sealing Wax Tinderbox Torches (10) Waterskin |
| Fighter Equipment Kit (Cost: 48 gp) |
Backpack Bedroll Blanket Candle Chalk Oil (1 flask) Grappling Hook Hammer Ink (1 oz. bottle) Ink Pen |
Hooded Lantern Mirror Pitons (12) Rations (10 days) Rope, Hempen (50 feet) Sealing Wax Tinderbox Torches (10) Waterskin |
| Magic User Equipment Kit (Cos: 54 gp) |
Backpack Bedroll Blanket Candle (x2) Chalk (x2) Component Pouch Ink (1 oz. bottle) Ink Pen |
Parchment (10 sheets) Rations (10 days) Rope, Hempen (50 feet) Sealing Wax Spellbook Tinderbox Torches (10) Waterskin |
| Thief Equipment Kit (Cost: 48 gp) |
Backpack Bedroll Blanket Candle Chalk Crowbar Disguise Kit Oil (3 flasks) |
Rations (10 days) Rope, Hempen (50 feet) Sealing Wax Tinderbox Torches (10) Waterskin |
| Subtract kit cost from starting funds. If bank is still non-zero, let players determine what to add to these lists |
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Starting Equipment (House Rule)
Characters get some starting equipment as part of their "gradudation" into Level 1.
Cleric: Silver holy symbol, wooden holy symbol
Fighter: Suit of leather armor, dagger
Magic User: Spell book with 5 1st level spells known to the caster, Crystal candle
Thief: Thieves tools, matched pair of throwing daggers
Weapons and Armor
Weapons list (handout)
Armor List, Costs, Encumberance, and Movement
| Type |
Armor Class |
Average Cost (gp) |
Relative Encumbrance |
Movement Rate |
| Plate mail |
3 |
400 |
bulky / 45# |
6" |
| Banded or Splint mail |
4 |
80 |
bulky / 35-40# |
9" / 6" |
| Chain mail |
5 |
75 |
fairly / 30# |
9" |
| Scale mail |
6 |
45 |
fairly / 40# |
6" |
| Ring mail or Studded leather |
7 |
30 / 15 |
fairly / 20-25# |
12" |
| Leather or Padded |
8 |
5 / 4 |
non- / 15# fairly / 10# |
12" / 9" |
| Shield, small |
-1 |
10 |
non- / 5# |
- |
| Shield, small wooden |
-1 |
1 |
non- / 3# |
- |
| Shield, large (wall shield) |
-1 |
15 |
bulky / 10# |
- |
Movement
Human characters move at a base rate of 12" per round. This can be changed by what the character wears or carries, which is especially true in the case of armor or lugging around chests of gold coins.
As shown below, encumberance typically changes movement rates in steps of 3".
What is Encumbrance and What does it do to my Character?
Encumbrance is a combination of both weight and volume of material that the Player Character is carrying. Weight clearly encumbers the PC, but wrangling something like a light-yet-bulky item will produce a similar effect, which is a reduction in speed and dexterity. Movement is slowed and combat abilities, to include Reaction and Initiative, may be affected if the material is not set down or discarded.
Strength bonus can offset the 150 lbs carry limitation and allow more weight to be transported without impacting Movement. Concsider this when you are planning for your dungeon delve. What will it take to transport the treasure out of the dungeon, and convey to back to your home base? AD&D 1E is called a "Game of Logistics" for this among other reasons.
| Encumbrance | Movement | Reaction and Initiative |
| normal gear; about 35# and no great bulk |
12”; subject can run quickly | normal or better |
| heavy gear; armor and/or equipment of about 70# or fairly bulky | 9”; subject can make a lumbering run | normal, no bonuses |
| very heavy gear; armor and/or equipment of 105# and bulky (such as plate armor) | 6"; subject can trot for short distances | slowed |
| encumbered; armor and/or equipment over 105# weight and/or (very) bulky | 3" to 4"; no trotting possible | slowed greatly |
