DRAGON ADVENTURES
D20 RPG BETA
This work includes material taken from the System Reference
Document 5.1 (“SRD 5.1”) by Wizards of
the Coast LLC and available at https://dnd.wizards.com/resources/systems-reference-document.
The
SRD 5.1 is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution
THE QUEST FOR THE GOLDEN ARROWS
Weapon & Equipment Guide
Equipment
Common coins come in several different
denominations based on the relative worth of the
metal from which they are made. The three most
common coins are the gold piece (gp), the silver
piece (sp), and the copper piece (cp).
With one gold piece, a character can buy a bedroll,
50 feet of good rope, or a goat. A skilled (but not
exceptional) artisan can earn one gold piece a day.
The gold piece is the standard unit of measure for
wealth, even if the coin itself is not commonly used.
When merchants discuss deals that involve goods or
services worth hundreds or thousands of gold pieces,
the transactions don’t usually involve the exchange
of individual coins. Rather, the gold piece is a
standard measure of value, and the actual exchange
is in gold bars, letters of credit, or valuable goods.
One gold piece is worth ten silver pieces, the most
prevalent coin among commoners. A silver piece
buys a laborer’s work for half a day, a flask of lamp
oil, or a night’s rest in a poor inn.
One silver piece is worth ten copper pieces, which
are common among laborers and beggars. A single
copper piece buys a candle, a torch, or a piece of
chalk.
In addition, unusual coins made of other precious
metals sometimes appear in treasure hoards. The
electrum piece (ep) and the platinum piece (pp)
originate from fallen empires and lost kingdoms, and
they sometimes arouse suspicion and skepticism
when used in transactions. An electrum piece is
worth five silver pieces, and a platinum piece is
worth ten gold pieces.
A standard coin weighs about a third of an ounce,
so fifty coins weigh a pound.
Standard Exchange Rates
Coin CP SP EP GP PP
Copper (cp) 1 1/10 1/50 1/100 1/1,000
Silver (sp) 10 1 1/5 1/10 1/100
Electrum (ep) 50 5 1 1/2 1/20
Gold (gp) 100 10 2 1 1/10
Platinum (pp) 1,000 100 20 10 1
Selling Treasure
Opportunities abound to find treasure, equipment,
weapons, armor, and more in the dungeons you
explore. Normally, you can sell your treasures and
trinkets when you return to a town or other
settlement, provided that you can find buyers and
merchants interested in your loot.
Arms, Armor, and Other Equipment. As a general
rule, undamaged weapons, armor, and other
equipment fetch half their cost when sold in a
market. Weapons and armor used by monsters are
rarely in good enough condition to sell.
Magic Items. Selling magic items is problematic.
Finding someone to buy a potion or a scroll isn’t too
hard, but other items are out of the realm of most but
the wealthiest nobles. Likewise, aside from a few
common magic items, you won’t normally come
across magic items or spells to purchase. The value
of magic is far beyond simple gold and should always
be treated as such.
Gems, Jewelry, and Art Objects. These items
retain their full value in the marketplace, and you
can either trade them in for coin or use them as
currency for other transactions. For exceptionally
valuable treasures, the GM might require you to find
a buyer in a large town or larger community first.
Trade Goods. On the borderlands, many people
conduct transactions through barter. Like gems and
art objects, trade goods—bars of iron, bags of salt,
livestock, and so on—retain their full value in the
market and can be used as currency.
Armor
Fantasy gaming worlds are a vast tapestry made up
of many different cultures, each with its own
technology level. For this reason, adventurers have
access to a variety of armor types, ranging from
leather armor to chain mail to costly plate armor,
with several other kinds of armor in between. The
Armor table collects the most commonly available
types of armor found in the game and separates
them into three categories: light armor, medium
armor, and heavy armor. Many warriors supplement
their armor with a shield.
The Armor table shows the cost, weight, and other
properties of the common types of armor worn in
fantasy gaming worlds.
Armor Proficiency. Anyone can put on a suit of
armor or strap a shield to an arm. Only those
proficient in the armor’s use know how to wear it
effectively, however. Your class gives you proficiency
with certain types of armor. If you wear armor that
you lack proficiency with, you have disadvantage on
any ability check, saving throw, or attack roll that
involves Strength or Dexterity, and you can’t cast
spells.
Armor Class (AC). Armor protects its wearer from
attacks. The armor (and shield) you wear
determines your base Armor Class.
System Reference Document 5.1 63
Heavy Armor. Heavier armor interferes with the
wearer’s ability to move quickly, stealthily, and
freely. If the Armor table shows “Str 13” or “Str 15”
in the Strength column for an armor type, the armor
reduces the wearer’s speed by 10 feet unless the
wearer has a Strength score equal to or higher than
the listed score.
Stealth. If the Armor table shows “Disadvantage”
in the Stealth column, the wearer has disadvantage
on Dexterity (Stealth) checks.
Shields. A shield is made from wood or metal and
is carried in one hand. Wielding a shield increases
your Armor Class by 2. You can benefit from only
one shield at a time.
Light Armor
Made from supple and thin materials, light armor
favors agile adventurers since it offers some
protection without sacrificing mobility. If you wear
light armor, you add your Dexterity modifier to the
base number from your armor type to determine
your Armor Class.
Padded. Padded armor consists of quilted layers
of cloth and batting.
Leather. The breastplate and shoulder protectors
of this armor are made of leather that has been
stiffened by being boiled in oil. The rest of the armor
is made of softer and more flexible materials.
Studded Leather. Made from tough but flexible
leather, studded leather is reinforced with close-‐‑set
rivets or spikes.
Medium Armor
Medium armor offers more protection than light
armor, but it also impairs movement more. If you
wear medium armor, you add your Dexterity
modifier, to a maximum of +2, to the base number
from your armor type to determine your Armor
Class.
Hide. This crude armor consists of thick furs and
pelts. It is commonly worn by barbarian tribes, evil
humanoids, and other folk who lack access to the
tools and materials needed to create better armor.
Chain Shirt. Made of interlocking metal rings, a
chain shirt is worn between layers of clothing or
leather. This armor offers modest protection to the
wearer’s upper body and allows the sound of the
rings rubbing against one another to be muffled by
outer layers.
Scale Mail. This armor consists of a coat and
leggings (and perhaps a separate skirt) of leather
covered with overlapping pieces of metal, much like
the scales of a fish. The suit includes gauntlets.
Breastplate. This armor consists of a fitted metal
chest piece worn with supple leather. Although it
leaves the legs and arms relatively unprotected, this
armor provides good protection for the wearer’s
vital organs while leaving the wearer relatively
unencumbered.
Half Plate. Half plate consists of shaped metal
plates that cover most of the wearer’s body. It does
not include leg protection beyond simple greaves
that are attached with leather straps.
Heavy Armor
Of all the armor categories, heavy armor offers the
best protection. These suits of armor cover the
entire body and are designed to stop a wide range of
attacks. Only proficient warriors can manage their
weight and bulk.
Heavy armor doesn’t let you add your Dexterity
modifier to your Armor Class, but it also doesn’t
penalize you if your Dexterity modifier is negative.
Ring Mail. This armor is leather armor with heavy
rings sewn into it. The rings help reinforce the armor
against blows from swords and axes. Ring mail is
inferior to chain mail, and it's usually worn only by
those who can’t afford better armor.
Chain Mail. Made of interlocking metal rings,
chain mail includes a layer of quilted fabric worn
underneath the mail to prevent chafing and to
cushion the impact of blows. The suit includes
gauntlets.
Splint. This armor is made of narrow vertical
strips of metal riveted to a backing of leather that is
worn over cloth padding. Flexible chain mail
protects the joints.
Plate. Plate consists of shaped, interlocking metal
plates to cover the entire body. A suit of plate
includes gauntlets, heavy leather boots, a visored
helmet, and thick layers of padding underneath the
armor. Buckles and straps distribute the weight over
the body.
Armor
Armor Cost Armor Class (AC) Strength Stealth Weight
Light Armor
Padded 5 gp 11 + Dex modifier — Disadvantage 8 lb.
System Reference Document 5.1 64
Leather 10 gp 11 + Dex modifier — — 10 lb.
Studded leather 45 gp 12 + Dex modifier — — 13 lb.
Medium Armor
Hide 10 gp 12 + Dex modifier (max 2) — — 12 lb.
Chain shirt 50 gp 13 + Dex modifier (max 2) — — 20 lb.
Scale mail 50 gp 14 + Dex modifier (max 2) — Disadvantage 45
lb.
Breastplate 400 gp 14 + Dex modifier (max 2) — — 20 lb.
Half plate 750 gp 15 + Dex modifier (max 2) — Disadvantage 40
lb.
Heavy Armor
Ring mail 30 gp 14 — Disadvantage 40 lb.
Chain mail 75 gp 16 Str 13 Disadvantage 55 lb.
Splint 200 gp 17 Str 15 Disadvantage 60 lb.
Plate 1,500 gp 18 Str 15 Disadvantage 65 lb.
Shield
Shield 10 gp +2 — — 6 lb.
Getting Into and Out of Armor
The time it takes to don or doff armor depends on
the armor’s category.
Don. This is the time it takes to put on armor. You
benefit from the armor’s AC only if you take the full
time to don the suit of armor.
Doff. This is the time it takes to take off armor. If
you have help, reduce this time by half.
Donning and Doffing Armor
Category Don Doff
Light Armor 1 minute 1 minute
Medium Armor 5 minutes 1 minute
Heavy Armor 10 minutes 5 minutes
Shield 1 action 1 action
Weapons
Your class grants proficiency in certain weapons,
reflecting both the class’s focus and the tools you are
most likely to use. Whether you favor a longsword or
a longbow, your weapon and your ability to wield it
effectively can mean the difference between life and
death while adventuring.
The Weapons table shows the most common
weapons used in the fantasy gaming worlds, their
price and weight, the damage they deal when they
hit, and any special properties they possess. Every
weapon is classified as either melee or ranged. A
melee weapon is used to attack a target within 5
feet of you, whereas a ranged weapon is used to
attack a target at a distance.
Weapon Proficiency
Your race, class, and feats can grant you proficiency
with certain weapons or categories of weapons. The
two categories are simple and martial. Most people
can use simple weapons with proficiency. These
weapons include clubs, maces, and other weapons
often found in the hands of commoners. Martial
weapons, including swords, axes, and polearms,
require more specialized training to use effectively.
Most warriors use martial weapons because these
weapons put their fighting style and training to best
use.
Proficiency with a weapon allows you to add your
proficiency bonus to the attack roll for any attack
you make with that weapon. If you make an attack
roll using a weapon with which you lack proficiency,
you do not add your proficiency bonus to the attack
roll.
Weapon Properties
Many weapons have special properties related to
their use, as shown in the Weapons table.
Ammunition. You can use a weapon that has the
ammunition property to make a ranged attack only if
you have ammunition to fire from the weapon. Each
time you attack with the weapon, you expend one
piece of ammunition. Drawing the ammunition from
a quiver, case, or other container is part of the attack
(you need a free hand to load a one-‐‑handed weapon).
At the end of the battle, you can recover half your
expended ammunition by taking a minute to search
the battlefield.
If you use a weapon that has the ammunition
property to make a melee attack, you treat the
weapon as an improvised weapon (see “Improvised
Weapons” later in the section). A sling must be
loaded to deal any damage when used in this way.
Finesse. When making an attack with a finesse
weapon, you use your choice of your Strength or
Dexterity modifier for the attack and damage rolls.
You must use the same modifier for both rolls.
System Reference Document 5.1 65
Heavy. Small creatures have disadvantage on
attack rolls with heavy weapons. A heavy weapon’s
size and bulk make it too large for a Small creature
to use effectively.
Light. A light weapon is small and easy to handle,
making it ideal for use when fighting with two
weapons.
Loading. Because of the time required to load this
weapon, you can fire only one piece of ammunition
from it when you use an action, bonus action, or
reaction to fire it, regardless of the number of attacks
you can normally make.
Range. A weapon that can be used to make a
ranged attack has a range in parentheses after the
ammunition or thrown property. The range lists two
numbers. The first is the weapon’s normal range in
feet, and the second indicates the weapon’s long
range. When attacking a target beyond normal range,
you have disadvantage on the attack roll. You can’t
attack a target beyond the weapon’s long range.
Reach. This weapon adds 5 feet to your reach
when you attack with it, as well as when
determining your reach for opportunity attacks with
it.
Special. A weapon with the special property has
unusual rules governing its use, explained in the
weapon’s description (see “Special Weapons” later
in this section).
Thrown. If a weapon has the thrown property, you
can throw the weapon to make a ranged attack. If the
weapon is a melee weapon, you use the same ability
modifier for that attack roll and damage roll that you
would use for a melee attack with the weapon. For
example, if you throw a handaxe, you use your
Strength, but if you throw a dagger, you can use
either your Strength or your Dexterity, since the
dagger has the finesse property.
Two-‐‑Handed. This weapon requires two hands
when you attack with it.
Versatile. This weapon can be used with one or
two hands. A damage value in parentheses appears
with the property—the damage when the weapon is
used with two hands to make a melee attack.
Improvised Weapons
Sometimes characters don’t have their weapons and
have to attack with whatever is at hand. An
improvised weapon includes any object you can
wield in one or two hands, such as broken glass, a
table leg, a frying pan, a wagon wheel, or a dead
goblin.
Often, an improvised weapon is similar to an
actual weapon and can be treated as such. For
example, a table leg is akin to a club. At the GM’s
option, a character proficient with a weapon can use
a similar object as if it were that weapon and use his
or her proficiency bonus.
An object that bears no resemblance to a weapon
deals 1d4 damage (the GM assigns a damage type
appropriate to the object). If a character uses a
ranged weapon to make a melee attack, or throws a
melee weapon that does not have the thrown
property, it also deals 1d4 damage. An improvised
thrown weapon has a normal range of 20 feet and a
long range of 60 feet.
Silvered Weapons
Some monsters that have immunity or resistance to
nonmagical weapons are susceptible to silver
weapons, so cautious adventurers invest extra coin
to plate their weapons with silver. You can silver a
single weapon or ten pieces of ammunition for 100
gp. This cost represents not only the price of the
silver, but the time and expertise needed to add
silver to the weapon without making it less effective.
Special Weapons
Weapons with special rules are described here.
Lance. You have disadvantage when you use a
lance to attack a target within 5 feet of you. Also, a
lance requires two hands to wield when you aren’t
mounted.
Net. A Large or smaller creature hit by a net is
restrained until it is freed. A net has no effect on
creatures that are formless, or creatures that are
Huge or larger. A creature can use its action to make
a DC 10 Strength check, freeing itself or another
creature within its reach on a success. Dealing 5
slashing damage to the net (AC 10) also frees the
creature without harming it, ending the effect and
destroying the net.
When you use an action, bonus action, or reaction
to attack with a net, you can make only one attack
regardless of the number of attacks you can
normally make.
Weapons
Name Cost Damage Weight Properties
Simple Melee Weapons
System Reference Document 5.1 66
Club 1 sp 1d4 bludgeoning 2 lb. Light
Dagger 2 gp 1d4 piercing 1 lb. Finesse, light, thrown (range
20/60)
Greatclub 2 sp 1d8 bludgeoning 10 lb. Two-‐handed
Handaxe 5 gp 1d6 slashing 2 lb. Light, thrown (range 20/60)
Javelin 5 sp 1d6 piercing 2 lb. Thrown (range 30/120)
Light hammer 2 gp 1d4 bludgeoning 2 lb. Light, thrown (range
20/60)
Mace 5 gp 1d6 bludgeoning 4 lb. —
Quarterstaff 2 sp 1d6 bludgeoning 4 lb. Versatile (1d8)
Sickle 1 gp 1d4 slashing 2 lb. Light
Spear 1 gp 1d6 piercing 3 lb. Thrown (range 20/60), versatile
(1d8)
Simple Ranged Weapons
Crossbow, light 25 gp 1d8 piercing 5 lb. Ammunition (range
80/320), loading, two-‐handed
Dart 5 cp 1d4 piercing 1/4 lb. Finesse, thrown (range 20/60)
Shortbow 25 gp 1d6 piercing 2 lb. Ammunition (range 80/320),
two-‐handed
Sling 1 sp 1d4 bludgeoning — Ammunition (range 30/120)
Martial Melee Weapons
Battleaxe 10 gp 1d8 slashing 4 lb. Versatile (1d10)
Flail 10 gp 1d8 bludgeoning 2 lb. —
Glaive 20 gp 1d10 slashing 6 lb. Heavy, reach, two-‐handed
Greataxe 30 gp 1d12 slashing 7 lb. Heavy, two-‐handed
Greatsword 50 gp 2d6 slashing 6 lb. Heavy, two-‐handed
Halberd 20 gp 1d10 slashing 6 lb. Heavy, reach, two-‐handed
Lance 10 gp 1d12 piercing 6 lb. Reach, special
Longsword 15 gp 1d8 slashing 3 lb. Versatile (1d10)
Maul 10 gp 2d6 bludgeoning 10 lb. Heavy, two-‐handed
Morningstar 15 gp 1d8 piercing 4 lb. —
Pike 5 gp 1d10 piercing 18 lb. Heavy, reach, two-‐handed
Rapier 25 gp 1d8 piercing 2 lb. Finesse
Scimitar 25 gp 1d6 slashing 3 lb. Finesse, light
Shortsword 10 gp 1d6 piercing 2 lb. Finesse, light
Trident 5 gp 1d6 piercing 4 lb. Thrown (range 20/60), versatile
(1d8)
War pick 5 gp 1d8 piercing 2 lb. —
Warhammer 15 gp 1d8 bludgeoning 2 lb. Versatile (1d10)
Whip 2 gp 1d4 slashing 3 lb. Finesse, reach
Martial Ranged Weapons
Blowgun 10 gp 1 piercing 1 lb. Ammunition (range 25/100), loading
Crossbow, hand 75 gp 1d6 piercing 3 lb. Ammunition (range 30/120),
light, loading
Crossbow, heavy 50 gp 1d10 piercing 18 lb. Ammunition (range
100/400), heavy, loading, two-‐handed
Longbow 50 gp 1d8 piercing 2 lb. Ammunition (range 150/600),
heavy, two-‐handed
Net 1 gp — 3 lb. Special, thrown (range 5/15)
Adventuring Gear
This section describes items that have special rules
or require further explanation.
Acid. As an action, you can splash the contents of
this vial onto a creature within 5 feet of you or throw
the vial up to 20 feet, shattering it on impact. In
either case, make a ranged attack against a creature
or object, treating the acid as an improvised weapon.
On a hit, the target takes 2d6 acid damage.
Alchemist’s Fire. This sticky, adhesive fluid ignites
when exposed to air. As an action, you can throw this
flask up to 20 feet, shattering it on impact. Make a
ranged attack against a creature or object, treating
the alchemist's fire as an improvised weapon. On a
hit, the target takes 1d4 fire damage at the start of
each of its turns. A creature can end this damage by
using its action to make a DC 10 Dexterity check to
extinguish the flames.
Antitoxin. A creature that drinks this vial of liquid
gains advantage on saving throws against poison for
1 hour. It confers no benefit to undead or constructs.
Arcane Focus. An arcane focus is a special item—
an orb, a crystal, a rod, a specially constructed staff, a
wand-‐‑like length of wood, or some similar item—
designed to channel the power of arcane spells. A
System Reference Document 5.1 67
sorcerer, warlock, or wizard can use such an item as
a spellcasting focus.
Ball Bearings. As an action, you can spill these
tiny metal balls from their pouch to cover a level,
square area that is 10 feet on a side. A creature
moving across the covered area must succeed on a
DC 10 Dexterity saving throw or fall prone. A
creature moving through the area at half speed
doesn’t need to make the save.
Block and Tackle. A set of pulleys with a cable
threaded through them and a hook to attach to
objects, a block and tackle allows you to hoist up to
four times the weight you can normally lift.
Book. A book might contain poetry, historical
accounts, information pertaining to a particular field
of lore, diagrams and notes on gnomish contraptions,
or just about anything else that can be represented
using text or pictures. A book of spells is a spellbook
(described later in this section).
Caltrops. As an action, you can spread a bag of
caltrops to cover a square area that is 5 feet on a side.
Any creature that enters the area must succeed on a
DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or stop moving this
turn and take 1 piercing damage. Taking this damage
reduces the creature’s walking speed by 10 feet until
the creature regains at least 1 hit point. A creature
moving through the area at half speed doesn’t need
to make the save.
Candle. For 1 hour, a candle sheds bright light in a
5-‐‑foot radius and dim light for an additional 5 feet.
Case, Crossbow Bolt. This wooden case can hold
up to twenty crossbow bolts.
Case, Map or Scroll. This cylindrical leather case
can hold up to ten rolled-‐‑up sheets of paper or five
rolled-‐‑up sheets of parchment.
Chain. A chain has 10 hit points. It can be burst
with a successful DC 20 Strength check.
Climber’s Kit. A climber’s kit includes special
pitons, boot tips, gloves, and a harness. You can use
the climber’s kit as an action to anchor yourself;
when you do, you can’t fall more than 25 feet from
the point where you anchored yourself, and you
can’t climb more than 25 feet away from that point
without undoing the anchor.
Component Pouch. A component pouch is a small,
watertight leather belt pouch that has compartments
to hold all the material components and other
special items you need to cast your spells, except for
those components that have a specific cost (as
indicated in a spell's description).
Crowbar. Using a crowbar grants advantage to
Strength checks where the crowbar’s leverage can
be applied.
Druidic Focus. A druidic focus might be a sprig of
mistletoe or holly, a wand or scepter made of yew or
another special wood, a staff drawn whole out of a
living tree, or a totem object incorporating feathers,
fur, bones, and teeth from sacred animals. A druid
can use such an object as a spellcasting focus.
Fishing Tackle. This kit includes a wooden rod,
silken line, corkwood bobbers, steel hooks, lead
sinkers, velvet lures, and narrow netting.
Healer’s Kit. This kit is a leather pouch containing
bandages, salves, and splints. The kit has ten uses. As
an action, you can expend one use of the kit to
stabilize a creature that has 0 hit points, without
needing to make a Wisdom (Medicine) check.
Holy Symbol. A holy symbol is a representation of
a god or pantheon. It might be an amulet depicting a
symbol representing a deity, the same symbol
carefully engraved or inlaid as an emblem on a
shield, or a tiny box holding a fragment of a sacred
relic. Appendix PH-‐‑B "Fantasy-‐‑Historical Pantheons"
lists the symbols commonly associated with many
gods in the multiverse. A cleric or paladin can use a
holy symbol as a spellcasting focus. To use the
symbol in this way, the caster must hold it in hand,
wear it visibly, or bear it on a shield.
Holy Water. As an action, you can splash the
contents of this flask onto a creature within 5 feet of
you or throw it up to 20 feet, shattering it on impact.
In either case, make a ranged attack against a target
creature, treating the holy water as an improvised
weapon. If the target is a fiend or undead, it takes
2d6 radiant damage.
A cleric or paladin may create holy water by
performing a special ritual. The ritual takes 1 hour to
perform, uses 25 gp worth of powdered silver, and
requires the caster to expend a 1st-‐‑level spell slot.
Hunting Trap. When you use your action to set it,
this trap forms a saw-‐‑toothed steel ring that snaps
shut when a creature steps on a pressure plate in the
center. The trap is affixed by a heavy chain to an
immobile object, such as a tree or a spike driven into
the ground. A creature that steps on the plate must
succeed on a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw or take
1d4 piercing damage and stop moving. Thereafter,
until the creature breaks free of the trap, its
movement is limited by the length of the chain
(typically 3 feet long). A creature can use its action
to make a DC 13 Strength check, freeing itself or
another creature within its reach on a success. Each
failed check deals 1 piercing damage to the trapped
creature.
System Reference Document 5.1 68
Lamp. A lamp casts bright light in a 15-‐‑foot radius
and dim light for an additional 30 feet. Once lit, it
burns for 6 hours on a flask (1 pint) of oil.
Lantern, Bullseye. A bullseye lantern casts bright
light in a 60-‐‑foot cone and dim light for an additional
60 feet. Once lit, it burns for 6 hours on a flask (1
pint) of oil.
Lantern, Hooded. A hooded lantern casts bright
light in a 30-‐‑foot radius and dim light for an
additional 30 feet. Once lit, it burns for 6 hours on a
flask (1 pint) of oil. As an action, you can lower the
hood, reducing the light to dim light in a 5-‐‑foot
radius.
Lock. A key is provided with the lock. Without the
key, a creature proficient with thieves’ tools can pick
this lock with a successful DC 15 Dexterity check.
Your GM may decide that better locks are available
for higher prices.
Magnifying Glass. This lens allows a closer look at
small objects. It is also useful as a substitute for flint
and steel when starting fires. Lighting a fire with a
magnifying glass requires light as bright as sunlight
to focus, tinder to ignite, and about 5 minutes for the
fire to ignite. A magnifying glass grants advantage on
any ability check made to appraise or inspect an
item that is small or highly detailed.
Manacles. These metal restraints can bind a Small
or Medium creature. Escaping the manacles requires
a successful DC 20 Dexterity check. Breaking them
requires a successful DC 20 Strength check. Each set
of manacles comes with one key. Without the key, a
creature proficient with thieves’ tools can pick the
manacles’ lock with a successful DC 15 Dexterity
check. Manacles have 15 hit points.
Mess Kit. This tin box contains a cup and simple
cutlery. The box clamps together, and one side can
be used as a cooking pan and the other as a plate or
shallow bowl.
Oil. Oil usually comes in a clay flask that holds 1
pint. As an action, you can splash the oil in this flask
onto a creature within 5 feet of you or throw it up to
20 feet, shattering it on impact. Make a ranged attack
against a target creature or object, treating the oil as
an improvised weapon. On a hit, the target is
covered in oil. If the target takes any fire damage
before the oil dries (after 1 minute), the target takes
an additional 5 fire damage from the burning oil. You
can also pour a flask of oil on the ground to cover a
5-‐‑foot-‐‑square area, provided that the surface is level.
If lit, the oil burns for 2 rounds and deals 5 fire
damage to any creature that enters the area or ends
its turn in the area. A creature can take this damage
only once per turn.
Poison, Basic. You can use the poison in this vial
to coat one slashing or piercing weapon or up to
three pieces of ammunition. Applying the poison
takes an action. A creature hit by the poisoned
weapon or ammunition must make a DC 10
Constitution saving throw or take 1d4 poison
damage. Once applied, the poison retains potency for
1 minute before drying.
Potion of Healing. A character who drinks the
magical red fluid in this vial regains 2d4 + 2 hit
points. Drinking or administering a potion takes an
action.
Pouch. A cloth or leather pouch can hold up to 20
sling bullets or 50 blowgun needles, among other
things. A compartmentalized pouch for holding spell
components is called a component pouch (described
earlier in this section).
Quiver. A quiver can hold up to 20 arrows.
Ram, Portable. You can use a portable ram to
break down doors. When doing so, you gain a +4
bonus on the Strength check. One other character
can help you use the ram, giving you advantage on
this check.
Rations. Rations consist of dry foods suitable for
extended travel, including jerky, dried fruit, hardtack,
and nuts.
Rope. Rope, whether made of hemp or silk, has 2
hit points and can be burst with a DC 17 Strength
check.
Scale, Merchant’s. A scale includes a small
balance, pans, and a suitable assortment of weights
up to 2 pounds. With it, you can measure the exact
weight of small objects, such as raw precious metals
or trade goods, to help determine their worth.
Spellbook. Essential for wizards, a spellbook is a
leather-‐‑bound tome with 100 blank vellum pages
suitable for recording spells.
Spyglass. Objects viewed through a spyglass are
magnified to twice their size.
Tent. A simple and portable canvas shelter, a tent
sleeps two.
Tinderbox. This small container holds flint, fire
steel, and tinder (usually dry cloth soaked in light
oil) used to kindle a fire. Using it to light a torch—or
anything else with abundant, exposed fuel—takes an
action. Lighting any other fire takes 1 minute.
Torch. A torch burns for 1 hour, providing bright
light in a 20-‐‑foot radius and dim light for an
additional 20 feet. If you make a melee attack with a
burning torch and hit, it deals 1 fire damage.
Adventuring Gear
System Reference Document 5.1 69
Item Cost Weight
Abacus 2 gp 2 lb.
Acid (vial) 25 gp 1 lb.
Alchemist’s fire (flask) 50 gp 1 lb.
Ammunition
Arrows (20) 1 gp 1 lb.
Blowgun needles (50) 1 gp 1 lb.
Crossbow bolts (20) 1 gp 1½ lb.
Sling bullets (20) 4 cp 1½ lb.
Antitoxin (vial) 50 gp —
Arcane focus
Crystal 10 gp 1 lb.
Orb 20 gp 3 lb.
Rod 10 gp 2 lb.
Staff 5 gp 4 lb.
Wand 10 gp 1 lb.
Backpack 2 gp 5 lb.
Ball bearings (bag of 1,000) 1 gp 2 lb.
Barrel 2 gp 70 lb.
Basket 4 sp 2 lb.
Bedroll 1 gp 7 lb.
Bell 1 gp —
Blanket 5 sp 3 lb.
Block and tackle 1 gp 5 lb.
Book 25 gp 5 lb.
Bottle, glass 2 gp 2 lb.
Bucket 5 cp 2 lb.
Caltrops (bag of 20) 1 gp 2 lb.
Candle 1 cp —
Case, crossbow bolt 1 gp 1 lb.
Case, map or scroll 1 gp 1 lb.
Chain (10 feet) 5 gp 10 lb.
Chalk (1 piece) 1 cp —
Chest 5 gp 25 lb.
Climber’s kit 25 gp 12 lb.
Clothes, common 5 sp 3 lb.
Clothes, costume 5 gp 4 lb.
Clothes, fine 15 gp 6 lb.
Clothes, traveler’s 2 gp 4 lb.
Component pouch 25 gp 2 lb.
Crowbar 2 gp 5 lb.
Druidic focus
Sprig of mistletoe 1 gp —
Totem 1 gp —
Wooden staff 5 gp 4 lb.
Yew wand 10 gp 1 lb.
Fishing tackle 1 gp 4 lb.
Flask or tankard 2 cp 1 lb.
Grappling hook 2 gp 4 lb.
Hammer 1 gp 3 lb.
Hammer, sledge 2 gp 10 lb.
Healer’s kit 5 gp 3 lb.
Holy symbol
Amulet 5 gp 1 lb.
Emblem 5 gp —
Reliquary 5 gp 2 lb.
Holy water (flask) 25 gp 1 lb.
Hourglass 25 gp 1 lb.
Hunting trap 5 gp 25 lb.
Ink (1 ounce bottle) 10 gp —
Ink pen 2 cp —
Jug or pitcher 2 cp 4 lb.
Ladder (10-‐foot) 1 sp 25 lb.
Lamp 5 sp 1 lb.
Lantern, bullseye 10 gp 2 lb.
Lantern, hooded 5 gp 2 lb.
Lock 10 gp 1 lb.
Magnifying glass 100 gp —
Manacles 2 gp 6 lb.
Mess kit 2 sp 1 lb.
Mirror, steel 5 gp 1/2 lb.
Oil (flask) 1 sp 1 lb.
Paper (one sheet) 2 sp —
Parchment (one sheet) 1 sp —
Perfume (vial) 5 gp —
Pick, miner’s 2 gp 10 lb.
Piton 5 cp 1/4 lb.
Poison, basic (vial) 100 gp —
Pole (10-‐foot) 5 cp 7 lb.
Pot, iron 2 gp 10 lb.
Potion of healing 50 gp 1/2 lb.
Pouch 5 sp 1 lb.
Quiver 1 gp 1 lb.
Ram, portable 4 gp 35 lb.
Rations (1 day) 5 sp 2 lb.
Robes 1 gp 4 lb.
Rope, hempen (50 feet) 1 gp 10 lb.
Rope, silk (50 feet) 10 gp 5 lb.
Sack 1 cp 1/2 lb.
Scale, merchant’s 5 gp 3 lb.
Sealing wax 5 sp —
Shovel 2 gp 5 lb.
Signal whistle 5 cp —
Signet ring 5 gp —
Soap 2 cp —
Spellbook 50 gp 3 lb.
Spikes, iron (10) 1 gp 5 lb.
Spyglass 1,000 gp 1 lb.
Tent, two-‐person 2 gp 20 lb.
Tinderbox 5 sp 1 lb.
Torch 1 cp 1 lb.
Vial 1 gp —
Waterskin 2 sp 5 lb. (full)
Whetstone 1 cp 1 lb.
Container Capacity
Container Capacity
Backpack* 1 cubic foot/30 pounds of gear
Barrel 40 gallons liquid, 4 cubic feet solid
Basket 2 cubic feet/40 pounds of gear
Bottle 1½ pints liquid
Bucket 3 gallons liquid, 1/2 cubic foot solid
Chest 12 cubic feet/300 pounds of gear
System Reference Document 5.1 70
Flask or tankard 1 pint liquid
Jug or pitcher 1 gallon liquid
Pot, iron 1 gallon liquid
Pouch 1/5 cubic foot/6 pounds of gear
Sack 1 cubic foot/30 pounds of gear
Vial 4 ounces liquid
Waterskin 4 pints liquid
* You can also strap items, such as a bedroll or a coil of rope,
to the outside of a backpack.
Equipment Packs
The starting equipment you get from your class includes a
collection of useful adventuring gear, put together in a pack.
The contents of these packs are listed here. If you are buying
your starting equipment, you can purchase a pack for the
price shown, which might be cheaper than buying the items
individually.
Burglar’s Pack (16 gp). Includes a backpack, a bag of 1,000
ball bearings, 10 feet of string, a bell, 5 candles, a crowbar, a
hammer, 10 pitons, a hooded lantern, 2 flasks of oil, 5 days
rations, a tinderbox, and a waterskin. The pack also has 50
feet of hempen rope strapped to the side of it.
Diplomat’s Pack (39 gp). Includes a chest, 2 cases for maps
and scrolls, a set of fine clothes, a bottle of ink, an ink pen, a
lamp, 2 flasks of oil, 5 sheets of paper, a vial of perfume,
sealing wax, and soap.
Dungeoneer’s Pack (12 gp). Includes a backpack, a
crowbar, a hammer, 10 pitons, 10 torches, a tinderbox, 10
days of rations, and a waterskin. The pack also has 50 feet of
hempen rope strapped to the side of it.
Entertainer’s Pack (40 gp). Includes a backpack, a bedroll,
2 costumes, 5 candles, 5 days of rations, a waterskin, and a
disguise kit.
Explorer’s Pack (10 gp). Includes a backpack, a bedroll, a
mess kit, a tinderbox, 10 torches, 10 days of rations, and a
waterskin. The pack also has 50 feet of hempen rope
strapped to the side of it.
Priest’s Pack (19 gp). Includes a backpack, a blanket, 10
candles, a tinderbox, an alms box, 2 blocks of incense, a
censer, vestments, 2 days of rations, and a waterskin.
Scholar’s Pack (40 gp). Includes a backpack, a book of lore,
a bottle of ink, an ink pen, 10 sheets of parchment, a little
bag of sand, and a small knife.
Tools
A tool helps you to do something you couldn't
otherwise do, such as craft or repair an item, forge a
document, or pick a lock. Your race, class,
background, or feats give you proficiency with
certain tools. Proficiency with a tool allows you to
add your proficiency bonus to any ability check you
make using that tool. Tool use is not tied to a single
ability, since proficiency with a tool represents
broader knowledge of its use. For example, the GM
might ask you to make a Dexterity check to carve a
fine detail with your woodcarver’s tools, or a
Strength check to make something out of
particularly hard wood.
Tools
Item Cost Weight
Artisan’s tools
Alchemist’s supplies 50 gp 8 lb.
Brewer’s supplies 20 gp 9 lb.
Calligrapher's supplies 10 gp 5 lb.
Carpenter’s tools 8 gp 6 lb.
Cartographer’s tools 15 gp 6 lb.
Cobbler’s tools 5 gp 5 lb.
Cook’s utensils 1 gp 8 lb.
Glassblower’s tools 30 gp 5 lb.
Jeweler’s tools 25 gp 2 lb.
Leatherworker’s tools 5 gp 5 lb.
Mason’s tools 10 gp 8 lb.
Painter’s supplies 10 gp 5 lb.
Potter’s tools 10 gp 3 lb.
Smith’s tools 20 gp 8 lb.
Tinker’s tools 50 gp 10 lb.
Weaver’s tools 1 gp 5 lb.
Woodcarver’s tools 1 gp 5 lb.
Disguise kit 25 gp 3 lb.
Forgery kit 15 gp 5 lb.
Gaming set
Dice set 1 sp —
Playing card set 5 sp —
Herbalism kit 5 gp 3 lb.
Musical instrument
Bagpipes 30 gp 6 lb.
Drum 6 gp 3 lb.
Dulcimer 25 gp 10 lb.
Flute 2 gp 1 lb.
Lute 35 gp 2 lb.
Lyre 30 gp 2 lb.
Horn 3 gp 2 lb.
Pan flute 12 gp 2 lb.
Shawm 2 gp 1 lb.
Viol 30 gp 1 lb.
Navigator’s tools 25 gp 2 lb.
Poisoner’s kit 50 gp 2 lb.
Thieves’ tools 25 gp 1 lb.
Vehicles (land or water) * *
* See the “Mounts and Vehicles” section.
Artisan’s Tools. These special tools include the
items needed to pursue a craft or trade. The table
shows examples of the most common types of tools,
each providing items related to a single craft.
Proficiency with a set of artisan’s tools lets you add
your proficiency bonus to any ability checks you
make using the tools in your craft. Each type of
artisan’s tools requires a separate proficiency.
System Reference Document 5.1 71
Disguise Kit. This pouch of cosmetics, hair dye,
and small props lets you create disguises that change
your physical appearance. Proficiency with this kit
lets you add your proficiency bonus to any ability
checks you make to create a visual disguise.
Forgery Kit. This small box contains a variety of
papers and parchments, pens and inks, seals and
sealing wax, gold and silver leaf, and other supplies
necessary to create convincing forgeries of physical
documents. Proficiency with this kit lets you add
your proficiency bonus to any ability checks you
make to create a physical forgery of a document.
Gaming Set. This item encompasses a wide range
of game pieces, including dice and decks of cards (for
games such as Three-‐‑Dragon Ante). A few common
examples appear on the Tools table, but other kinds
of gaming sets exist. If you are proficient with a
gaming set, you can add your proficiency bonus to
ability checks you make to play a game with that set.
Each type of gaming set requires a separate
proficiency.
Herbalism Kit. This kit contains a variety of
instruments such as clippers, mortar and pestle, and
pouches and vials used by herbalists to create
remedies and potions. Proficiency with this kit lets
you add your proficiency bonus to any ability checks
you make to identify or apply herbs. Also,
proficiency with this kit is required to create
antitoxin and potions of healing.
Musical Instrument. Several of the most common
types of musical instruments are shown on the table
as examples. If you have proficiency with a given
musical instrument, you can add your proficiency
bonus to any ability checks you make to play music
with the instrument. A bard can use a musical
instrument as a spellcasting focus. Each type of
musical instrument requires a separate proficiency.
Navigator’s Tools. This set of instruments is used
for navigation at sea. Proficiency with navigator's
tools lets you chart a ship's course and follow
navigation charts. In addition, these tools allow you
to add your proficiency bonus to any ability check
you make to avoid getting lost at sea.
Poisoner’s Kit. A poisoner’s kit includes the vials,
chemicals, and other equipment necessary for the
creation of poisons. Proficiency with this kit lets you
add your proficiency bonus to any ability checks you
make to craft or use poisons.
Thieves’ Tools. This set of tools includes a small
file, a set of lock picks, a small mirror mounted on a
metal handle, a set of narrow-‐‑bladed scissors, and a
pair of pliers. Proficiency with these tools lets you
add your proficiency bonus to any ability checks you
make to disarm traps or open locks.
Mounts and Vehicles
A good mount can help you move more quickly
through the wilderness, but its primary purpose is to
carry the gear that would otherwise slow you down.
The Mounts and Other Animals table shows each
animal’s speed and base carrying capacity.
An animal pulling a carriage, cart, chariot, sled, or
wagon can move weight up to five times its base
carrying capacity, including the weight of the vehicle.
If multiple animals pull the same vehicle, they can
add their carrying capacity together.
Mounts other than those listed here are available
in fantasy gaming worlds, but they are rare and not
normally available for purchase. These include flying
mounts (pegasi, griffons, hippogriffs, and similar
animals) and even aquatic mounts (giant sea horses,
for example). Acquiring such a mount often means
securing an egg and raising the creature yourself,
making a bargain with a powerful entity, or
negotiating with the mount itself.
Barding. Barding is armor designed to protect an
animal’s head, neck, chest, and body. Any type of
armor shown on the Armor table can be purchased
as barding. The cost is four times the equivalent
armor made for humanoids, and it weighs twice as
much.
Saddles. A military saddle braces the rider,
helping you keep your seat on an active mount in
battle. It gives you advantage on any check you make
to remain mounted. An exotic saddle is required for
riding any aquatic or flying mount.
Vehicle Proficiency. If you have proficiency with a
certain kind of vehicle (land or water), you can add
your proficiency bonus to any check you make to
control that kind of vehicle in difficult circumstances.
Rowed Vessels. Keelboats and rowboats are used
on lakes and rivers. If going downstream, add the
speed of the current (typically 3 miles per hour) to
the speed of the vehicle. These vehicles can’t be
rowed against any significant current, but they can
be pulled upstream by draft animals on the shores. A
rowboat weighs 100 pounds, in case adventurers
carry it over land.
Mounts and Other Animals
Item Cost Speed
Carrying
Capacity
Camel 50 gp 50 ft. 480 lb.
Donkey or mule 8 gp 40 ft. 420 lb.
Elephant 200 gp 40 ft. 1,320 lb.
System Reference Document 5.1 72
Horse, draft 50 gp 40 ft. 540 lb.
Horse, riding 75 gp 60 ft. 480 lb.
Mastiff 25 gp 40 ft. 195 lb.
Pony 30 gp 40 ft. 225 lb.
Warhorse 400 gp 60 ft. 540 lb.
Tack, Harness, and Drawn Vehicles
Item Cost Weight
Barding ×4 ×2
Bit and bridle 2 gp 1 lb.
Carriage 100 gp 600 lb.
Cart 15 gp 200 lb.
Chariot 250 gp 100 lb.
Feed (per day) 5 cp 10 lb.
Saddle
Exotic 60 gp 40 lb.
Military 20 gp 30 lb.
Pack 5 gp 15 lb.
Riding 10 gp 25 lb.
Saddlebags 4 gp 8 lb.
Sled 20 gp 300 lb.
Stabling (per day) 5 sp —
Wagon 35 gp 400 lb.
Waterborne Vehicles
Item Cost Speed
Galley 30,000 gp 4 mph
Keelboat 3,000 gp 1 mph
Longship 10,000 gp 3 mph
Rowboat 50 gp 1½ mph
Sailing ship 10,000 gp 2 mph
Warship 25,000 gp 2½ mph
Trade Goods
Most wealth is not in coins. It is measured in
livestock, grain, land, rights to collect taxes, or rights
to resources (such as a mine or a forest).
Guilds, nobles, and royalty regulate trade.
Chartered companies are granted rights to conduct
trade along certain routes, to send merchant ships to
various ports, or to buy or sell specific goods. Guilds
set prices for the goods or services that they control,
and determine who may or may not offer those
goods and services. Merchants commonly exchange
trade goods without using currency. The Trade
Goods table shows the value of commonly
exchanged goods.
Trade Goods
Cost Goods
1 cp 1 lb. of wheat
2 cp 1 lb. of flour or one chicken
5 cp 1 lb. of salt
1 sp 1 lb. of iron or 1 sq. yd. of canvas
5 sp 1 lb. of copper or 1 sq. yd. of cotton cloth
1 gp 1 lb. of ginger or one goat
2 gp 1 lb. of cinnamon or pepper, or one sheep
3 gp 1 lb. of cloves or one pig
5 gp 1 lb. of silver or 1 sq. yd. of linen
10 gp 1 sq. yd. of silk or one cow
15 gp 1 lb. of saffron or one ox
50 gp 1 lb. of gold
500 gp 1 lb. of platinum
Expenses
When not descending into the depths of the earth,
exploring ruins for lost treasures, or waging war
against the encroaching darkness, adventurers face
more mundane realities. Even in a fantastical world,
people require basic necessities such as shelter,
sustenance, and clothing. These things cost money,
although some lifestyles cost more than others.
Lifestyle Expenses
Lifestyle expenses provide you with a simple way to
account for the cost of living in a fantasy world. They
cover your accommodations, food and drink, and all
your other necessities. Furthermore, expenses cover
the cost of maintaining your equipment so you can
be ready when adventure next calls.
At the start of each week or month (your choice),
choose a lifestyle from the Expenses table and pay
the price to sustain that lifestyle. The prices listed
are per day, so if you wish to calculate the cost of
your chosen lifestyle over a thirty-‐‑day period,
multiply the listed price by 30. Your lifestyle might
change from one period to the next, based on the
funds you have at your disposal, or you might
maintain the same lifestyle throughout your
character’s career.
Your lifestyle choice can have consequences.
Maintaining a wealthy lifestyle might help you make
contacts with the rich and powerful, though you run
the risk of attracting thieves. Likewise, living frugally
might help you avoid criminals, but you are unlikely
to make powerful connections.
Lifestyle Expenses
Lifestyle Price/Day
Wretched —
Squalid 1 sp
System Reference Document 5.1 73
Poor 2 sp
Modest 1 gp
Comfortable 2 gp
Wealthy 4 gp
Aristocratic 10 gp minimum
Wretched. You live in inhumane conditions. With
no place to call home, you shelter wherever you can,
sneaking into barns, huddling in old crates, and
relying on the good graces of people better off than
you. A wretched lifestyle presents abundant dangers.
Violence, disease, and hunger follow you wherever
you go. Other wretched people covet your armor,
weapons, and adventuring gear, which represent a
fortune by their standards. You are beneath the
notice of most people.
Squalid. You live in a leaky stable, a mud-‐‑floored
hut just outside town, or a vermin-‐‑infested boarding
house in the worst part of town. You have shelter
from the elements, but you live in a desperate and
often violent environment, in places rife with disease,
hunger, and misfortune. You are beneath the notice
of most people, and you have few legal protections.
Most people at this lifestyle level have suffered some
terrible setback. They might be disturbed, marked as
exiles, or suffer from disease.
Poor. A poor lifestyle means going without the
comforts available in a stable community. Simple
food and lodgings, threadbare clothing, and
unpredictable conditions result in a sufficient,
though probably unpleasant, experience. Your
accommodations might be a room in a flophouse or
in the common room above a tavern. You benefit
from some legal protections, but you still have to
contend with violence, crime, and disease. People at
this lifestyle level tend to be unskilled laborers,
costermongers, peddlers, thieves, mercenaries, and
other disreputable types.
Modest. A modest lifestyle keeps you out of the
slums and ensures that you can maintain your
equipment. You live in an older part of town, renting
a room in a boarding house, inn, or temple. You don’t
go hungry or thirsty, and your living conditions are
clean, if simple. Ordinary people living modest
lifestyles include soldiers with families, laborers,
students, priests, hedge wizards, and the like.
Comfortable. Choosing a comfortable lifestyle
means that you can afford nicer clothing and can
easily maintain your equipment. You live in a small
cottage in a middle-‐‑class neighborhood or in a
private room at a fine inn. You associate with
merchants, skilled tradespeople, and military
officers.
Wealthy. Choosing a wealthy lifestyle means
living a life of luxury, though you might not have
achieved the social status associated with the old
money of nobility or royalty. You live a lifestyle
comparable to that of a highly successful merchant, a
favored servant of the royalty, or the owner of a few
small businesses. You have respectable lodgings,
usually a spacious home in a good part of town or a
comfortable suite at a fine inn. You likely have a
small staff of servants.
Aristocratic. You live a life of plenty and comfort.
You move in circles populated by the most powerful
people in the community. You have excellent
lodgings, perhaps a townhouse in the nicest part of
town or rooms in the finest inn. You dine at the best
restaurants, retain the most skilled and fashionable
tailor, and have servants attending to your every
need. You receive invitations to the social gatherings
of the rich and powerful, and spend evenings in the
company of politicians, guild leaders, high priests,
and nobility. You must also contend with the highest
levels of deceit and treachery. The wealthier you are,
the greater the chance you will be drawn into
political intrigue as a pawn or participant.
Self-Sufficiency
The expenses and lifestyles described here assume that you
are spending your time between adventures in town, availing
yourself of whatever services you can afford—paying for food
and shelter, paying townspeople to sharpen your sword and
repair your armor, and so on. Some characters, though,
might prefer to spend their time away from civilization,
sustaining themselves in the wild by hunting, foraging, and
repairing their own gear.
Maintaining this kind of lifestyle doesn’t require you to
spend any coin, but it is time-‐consuming. If you spend your
time between adventures practicing a profession, you can
eke out the equivalent of a poor lifestyle. Proficiency in the
Survival skill lets you live at the equivalent of a comfortable
lifestyle.
Food, Drink, and Lodging
The Food, Drink, and Lodging table gives prices for
individual food items and a single night’s lodging.
These prices are included in your total lifestyle
expenses.
Food, Drink, and Lodging
Item Cost
Ale
Gallon 2 sp
Mug 4 cp
System Reference Document 5.1 74
Banquet (per person) 10 gp
Bread, loaf 2 cp
Cheese, hunk 1 sp
Inn stay (per day)
Squalid 7 cp
Poor 1 sp
Modest 5 sp
Comfortable 8 sp
Wealthy 2 gp
Aristocratic 4 gp
Meals (per day)
Squalid 3 cp
Poor 6 cp
Modest 3 sp
Comfortable 5 sp
Wealthy 8 sp
Aristocratic 2 gp
Meat, chunk 3 sp
Wine
Common (pitcher) 2 sp
Fine (bottle) 10 gp
Services
Adventurers can pay nonplayer characters to assist
them or act on their behalf in a variety of
circumstances. Most such hirelings have fairly
ordinary skills, while others are masters of a craft or
art, and a few are experts with specialized
adventuring skills.
Some of the most basic types of hirelings appear
on the Services table. Other common hirelings
include any of the wide variety of people who
inhabit a typical town or city, when the adventurers
pay them to perform a specific task. For example, a
wizard might pay a carpenter to construct an
elaborate chest (and its miniature replica) for use in
the secret chest spell. A fighter might commission a
blacksmith to forge a special sword. A bard might
pay a tailor to make exquisite clothing for an
upcoming performance in front of the duke.
Other hirelings provide more expert or dangerous
services. Mercenary soldiers paid to help the
adventurers take on a hobgoblin army are hirelings,
as are sages hired to research ancient or esoteric
lore. If a high-‐‑level adventurer establishes a
stronghold of some kind, he or she might hire a
whole staff of servants and agents to run the place,
from a castellan or steward to menial laborers to
keep the stables clean. These hirelings often enjoy a
long-‐‑term contract that includes a place to live
within the stronghold as part of the offered
compensation.
Services
Service Pay
Coach cab
Between towns 3 cp per mile
Within a city 1 cp
Hireling
Skilled 2 gp per day
Untrained 2 sp per day
Messenger 2 cp per mile
Road or gate toll 1 cp
Ship’s passage 1 sp per mile
Skilled hirelings include anyone hired to perform a
service that involves a proficiency (including
weapon, tool, or skill): a mercenary, artisan, scribe,
and so on. The pay shown is a minimum; some
expert hirelings require more pay. Untrained
hirelings are hired for menial work that requires no
particular skill and can include laborers, porters,
maids, and similar workers.
Spellcasting Services
People who are able to cast spells don’t fall into the
category of ordinary hirelings. It might be possible
to find someone willing to cast a spell in exchange
for coin or favors, but it is rarely easy and no
established pay rates exist. As a rule, the higher the
level of the desired spell, the harder it is to find
someone who can cast it and the more it costs.
Hiring someone to cast a relatively common spell
of 1st or 2nd level, such as cure wounds or identify, is
easy enough in a city or town, and might cost 10 to
50 gold pieces (plus the cost of any expensive
material components). Finding someone able and
willing to cast a higher-‐‑level spell might involve
traveling to a large city, perhaps one with a
university or prominent temple. Once found, the
spellcaster might ask for a service instead of
payment—the kind of service that only adventurers
can provide, such as retrieving a rare item from a
dangerous locale or traversing a monster-‐‑infested
wilderness to deliver something important to a
distant settlement.