Starting equipment for TL9-12

[mavikfelna]

Ok, my "standard" equipment thread was pretty well negatively received, I get it, it was more of my aspirational list than a good standard list.
So, I want to discuss what you all think a regular starting character should be looking to pick up. A standard PC has 10,000Cr of equipment and possibly a little gear from mustering out. Muster out gear is limited to TL12 in all cases I'm aware of, so we'll set that as the top TL available for a standard character.

Starting at the beginning of CSC, I'd say the first thing is pick up a set of TL10 Cloth armor and a set of Minefield boots. I'd say add Eye Protection, An Environment Sensor and a Helmet light. 910 Cr

If you get an Armor Benefit, get a TL10 Vacc Suit. Otherwise, hopefully your ship's locker has some

There are no augments that are affordable. If you have the Augments benefit, I'd recommend either the TL11 Improved Enhanced Mobility or TL12 Metastatic Platelet Injection along with a TL12 Neurocomm and TL10 Peripheral Vision Enhancement or TL11 Ballistic Tracking Lenses. The benefit isn't limited to just 1 by how I read the rule, just a limit of 75,000Cr and TL12.

Pick up a TL12 Commdot for 10Cr

Get a Computer/2 Mobile Comm TL12 for 125Cr with camera and communications and Translator 0 program 50Cr.

Breathing Mask TL5 150Cr (Would recommend the TL10 implant for 2000Cr)
Improved First Aid Kit TL5 125Cr
Get a Cold Light Lantern TL6 for 20Cr
Backpack TL6 75Cr
Canteen TL3 10Cr
Field Kit TL6 100Cr
Improved Rope TL9 50Cr
Survival Kit 100Cr
1,725 Cr spent so far, 3,575Cr if you get the implant

That leaves enough to pick up a TL9 P-HUD, 1500Cr, and a weapon module for it, 250Cr
5,325Cr with the implant
Then weapons to choice, depending on what your combat skills are.

4,675Cr is enough for a good stunner and a zero-g slug weapon and a good blade.

A Gun or Weapon benefit is TL12 and 3,000 Cr, A Blade Bene is TL12 and 1,000 Cr, but you'll really need to decide based on the skills you have.

The other benefit that grant equipment is the Scientific Equipment. It's limited to TL12 and 2,000 Cr and there's not alot in that range but it again comes down to what skill you have as to what kit you'd want.

What does everyone think?

 

[Saladman]

The benefit isn't limited to just 1 by how I read the rule, just a limit of 75,000Cr and TL12.

Well that's interesting. I've been running it as limited to 1, and I played with a GM online who ran it as 1, but I'm biased by previous editions.

You're right about plain letter of the law, "gain any augmentations." Except that's immediately followed by a sentence that implies one augmentation. So either the plural s is an error, or the rest of the paragraph should have been rewritten when the first sentence was changed.

In other words, it's either an editing error or an editing error. RAWists may incline towards the credit limit only, especially if you're starting with the current edition, but contextualists can make a case for the whole paragraph being controlling.

A standard PC has 10,000Cr of equipment and possibly a little gear from mustering out.

Even this gets into playstyle and assumptions. Often but not universally I'll see players take one or two cash benefit rolls and the rest on Other. Which can lead to some careers starting with several item benefits but only a few thousand credits, while others have six figures they're itching to spend after play starts.

Still, 10k is a reasonable figure for discussion for a well equipped PC, and securing that much before making any Other benefit rolls is one strategy for players to pursue.

Ok, my "standard" equipment thread was pretty well negatively received, I get it, it was more of my aspirational list than a good standard list.

Sorry about that. I respected the work more than I got across, it just struck me as more of a mid-campaign list than a starting loadout.

But I'm beginning to suspect I'm looking at Traveller as more of a street level game than some players and GMs do. I'm taking seriously the old school advice for advancement via gear, credits and connections, but a consequence of that is I like to start with somewhere to go. Whereas there's a school of thought on the Discord that any limit on starting credits spent is too much, that players should just go to town and the GM should power up from there.

If you have the Augments benefit, I'd recommend...

Wafer Jack is the single most popular augment I've seen. (So much so I've gotten a little tired of it and would rather go with something else, but that's another thread, and a topic I don't expect to be in the majority on.) But it's definitely not the best use of the credit limit if you are limited to 1 per; if getting it in play early is a reasonable option that's worth pursuing.

If you get an Armor Benefit, get a TL12 Vacc Suit. Otherwise, hopefully your ship's locker has some

I'm still bitter about the time a GM online steered me away from a CSC Carapace and towards a vacc suit for an army vet character, then dropped enough good vacc suits for everyone in the ship's locker so no one would be disadvantaged. A small thing in itself, but also a needless annoyance.

TL 12 Vacc Suit is a good neutral guess, but there's room to vary it and figure a vacc suit out later.

What does everyone think?

I like the rope, the survival kit, the lantern, and definitely the whole group should be on the same channel with comms. Very OSR, much approve.

I do see toolkits taken pretty often. Even out of cash if there's none from a benefit, but that can take a bite out of starting funds. And it definitely is skill dependent, as you say. And it's another thing that might be rendered superfluous by a ship's locker.

There some other interesting toys in the Tools chapter of CSC. I particularly like aTool Laser when I can get one (though the smaller TL 13 is superior for having one in a pinch). But here you're getting into things you don't need the whole party to have one of, just things one player or another might want to pick up.

 

[rinku]

Don't forget that the armour benefit is "up to 10k" or "up to 25k" with a second result. The TL12 vacc suit is Cr20k, so if you only roll one it's out of budget. However I would think most Referees would allow players to add mustering out cash towards that budget.

 

[mavikfelna]

Well that's interesting. I've been running it as limited to 1, and I played with a GM online who ran it as 1, but I'm biased by previous editions.

You're right about plain letter of the law, "gain any augmentations." Except that's immediately followed by a sentence that implies one augmentation. So either the plural s is an error, or the rest of the paragraph should have been rewritten when the first sentence was changed.

In other words, it's either an editing error or an editing error. RAWists may incline towards the credit limit only, especially if you're starting with the current edition, but contextualists can make a case for the whole paragraph being controlling.



Even this gets into playstyle and assumptions. Often but not universally I'll see players take one or two cash benefit rolls and the rest on Other. Which can lead to some careers starting with several item benefits but only a few thousand credits, while others have six figures they're itching to spend after play starts.

Still, 10k is a reasonable figure for discussion for a well equipped PC, and securing that much before making any Other benefit rolls is one strategy for players to pursue.



Sorry about that. I respected the work more than I got across, it just struck me as more of a mid-campaign list than a starting loadout.

But I'm beginning to suspect I'm looking at Traveller as more of a street level game than some players and GMs do. I'm taking seriously the old school advice for advancement via gear, credits and connections, but a consequence of that is I like to start with somewhere to go. Whereas there's a school of thought on the Discord that any limit on starting credits spent is too much, that players should just go to town and the GM should power up from there.



Wafer Jack is the single most popular augment I've seen. (So much so I've gotten a little tired of it and would rather go with something else, but that's another thread, and a topic I don't expect to be in the majority on.) But it's definitely not the best use of the credit limit if you are limited to 1 per; if getting it in play early is a reasonable option that's worth pursuing.



I'm still bitter about the time a GM online steered me away from a CSC Carapace and towards a vacc suit for an army vet character, then dropped enough good vacc suits for everyone in the ship's locker so no one would be disadvantaged. A small thing in itself, but also a needless annoyance.

TL 12 Vacc Suit is a good neutral guess, but there's room to vary it and figure a vacc suit out later.



I like the rope, the survival kit, the lantern, and definitely the whole group should be on the same channel with comms. Very OSR, much approve.

I do see toolkits taken pretty often. Even out of cash if there's none from a benefit, but that can take a bite out of starting funds. And it definitely is skill dependent, as you say. And it's another thing that might be rendered superfluous by a ship's locker.

There some other interesting toys in the Tools chapter of CSC. I particularly like aTool Laser when I can get one (though the smaller TL 13 is superior for having one in a pinch). But here you're getting into things you don't need the whole party to have one of, just things one player or another might want to pick up.

While Wafer Jack is good, the TL11 version is not worth it to me. There are better thing to spend your money on. Save up for a TL13 Neuorjack later.

Carapace is good armor and a good choice, but I just have had too many times where I needed a Vacc Suit and didn't have one that it's my default choice now.

I like the tool laser, good to get. But save for the TL13 version.

And always take a tool kit if you can, but I can't recommend any one without knowing what skills you have.

 

[mavikfelna]

Don't forget that the armour benefit is "up to 10k" or "up to 25k" with a second result. The TL12 vacc suit is Cr20k, so if you only roll one it's out of budget. However I would think most Referees would allow players to add mustering out cash towards that budget.

Sorry, meant TL10, not 12 for 10KCr, will update.

 

[MasterGwydion]

I don't find any use in starting equipment lists, but that is just Me personally. The last time I actually played, instead of ran, a campaign? I think My character had a cheap computer, some regular clothes, no weapons other than a knife, a toolset, no armor, and no augments as of the completion of the character creation process. I also had a few thousand in Credits.

 

[Sigtrygg]

When did Traveller: The Third Imperium become Cyberpunk?

 

[Condottiere]

When we realized we're actually living in the future.

Also, shotgun.

And a disposable, untraceable, Saturday Night Special.

 

[MonsterX]

As a DNR referee, I think starting equipment should include a TL15 heavy cruiser equipped with laboratory modules, several nuclear warheads, plasma guns, hostile environment suits, long range scout ships, pinnances and an assortment of grav and wheeled vehicles. As well as the NPCs who know how to use them.

 

[Jame Rowe]

For a civilian character, I'd recommend a communication device, a filter/respirator, some sort of cheap eye protection, a hand computer, toolkit and a vacsuit. If they get weapons, then a shotgun, carbine, auto pistol or - pay attention to how that's an "or" - a revolver (if they're feeling lucky, punks) and a melee weapon no bigger than a blade.
A rogue might add in illegal tools.
Anything else depends on how their career went.

 

[Vormaerin]

When did Traveller: The Third Imperium become Cyberpunk?

Knightfall?

 

[Endie]

When did Traveller: The Third Imperium become Cyberpunk?

This question is why I don’t use wafer jacks etc IMTU.

 

[MasterGwydion]

When did Traveller: The Third Imperium become Cyberpunk?

Agents of the Imperium?