# Your top ten most useful items



## MithrasRahl (Jun 23, 2007)

I was discussing this with a few friends last night as we gamed. What are your (in order) top 10 most useful items? (non-magical, stuff like "50 feet of rope", "a hammer", etc)


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## kyloss (Jun 23, 2007)

fantasy or modern?


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## Vague Jayhawk (Jun 23, 2007)

I'm not sure if I agree, but my players swear upon the usefullness of the 11' pole.


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## Goolpsy (Jun 23, 2007)

1. [Insert] Weapon
2. [Insert] Armor
3. Rope, silk +50ft
4. Torch
5. [Insert] Shield
6. Rope, Hemp +50ft
7. Bottles, Empty
8. A Dagger
9. Acid / Poison
10. Unlimited Gold


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## MithrasRahl (Jun 23, 2007)

Standard D&D, and I guess assuming you have armor, a weapon, and a standard amount of gold.


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## 1500run (Jun 23, 2007)

MithrasRahl said:
			
		

> I was discussing this with a few friends last night as we gamed. What are your (in order) top 10 most useful items? (non-magical, stuff like "50 feet of rope", "a hammer", etc)




candle.  chalk.  twine.  thieves tools.  bell.  winter blanket.

there's 6.  find the next four on your own.


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## Darklone (Jun 23, 2007)

Pipe of the sewers. Don't know how many BBEGs went down in a swarm of rats.


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## phindar (Jun 23, 2007)

There are always a few things that end up on my equipment list with just about any character I play:

*1) Three large sacks.*  One of my earliest D&D games had the group find the Big Room O' Treasure, a Scrooge McDuck sized hoard.  What we realized is that with all our 10' poles and 50' of ropes, we didn't have anything that would help trying to carry out a bunch of coins.  We ended up filling up our backpacks, our boots, and dumping out all our normal gear.  By the time we got back to that room, all the treasure had of course been looted or otherwise moved.  Since then, I've always written down "Three Large Sacks" on just about every D&D character sheet I've had.  

*2) 50' of rope with grappling hook.*  Always good to have rope.  I consider 50' to be about the minimum, if I've got the encumbrance to spare I'll usually lug along another 50'.  If I have a donkey, it probably has 200' of rope on it.  

*3) Bedroll and winterblanket.*  Even though enviromental conditions are rarely mentioned (unless they're part of the module), my characters try to stay warm at night.  Sometimes I tack on a sheet of canvas (for rain shelters) or a hammock (more comfortable than sleeping on the ground).  

*4) Flint and Steel.*  Depending on the edition, this might be a tinderbox, a flint and tender, a sparker or matches.  But again, even though survivial issues rarely seem to be brought up anymore, I tend to have something that can start a fire.

*5) Sunrods.*  The fantasy world version of glowsticks.  Nice to have, even if you only use them to find out if the bottomless pit is really bottomless.

*6) Crowbar.*  Because sometimes the rogue blows his Open Locks roll.  Or opens his Blow Locks roll.  It can happen to anybody.

*7) Waterskins.*  Despite the fact that _Create Water_ is a first level spell and no one has trotted out dehydration rules in some time, I always make sure my character has a gallon of water on him.  Plus, if I get thrown off a boat, I can empty out the water, inflate them and use them as floaties.

*8) Back Up Weapon.*  I like to have a decent but nothing special weapon to use when we're inevitably fighting monsters that break/rust/dissolve or take weapons.  If I get high enough level or we're swimming in them, this will be a masterwork weapon, otherwise it'll probably just be a 5gp light weapon.  This will typically be of a different damage type than my character usually uses, for those situations where a specific damage type is needed.  It'll also be something that has a non-combat use, like a hatchet or a hammer.  

*9) Pajamas.*  If my character wears heavier armor, I usually keep a set of Leather Armor just for sleeping in.  That way, if we're attacked in the middle of the night, I got something.  As I go up, this might be a mithral chain shirt, with magical bonuses if we've run across one.

*10) 3 yards of Common Cloth.*  I used to always take this for wound dressings, even though D&D has pretty much the most available and convenient healing magic in the imaginary world.  I got the idea from a long ago Dragon Magazine article (circa '89?) and it always stuck with me.  You could also use it as a towel, and you should always have a towel with you.


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## Nyarlathotep (Jun 24, 2007)

phindar said:
			
		

> *10) 3 yards of Common Cloth.*  I used to always take this for wound dressings, even though D&D has pretty much the most available and convenient healing magic in the imaginary world.  I got the idea from a long ago Dragon Magazine article (circa '89?) and it always stuck with me.  You could also use it as a towel, and you should always have a towel with you.




You're a froody dude!


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## Whizbang Dustyboots (Jun 24, 2007)

Nyarlathotep said:
			
		

> You're a froody dude!



Hoopy frood, n00b!


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## Wish (Jun 24, 2007)

I'm not going to count up my top 10, but I always like to have:

A dagger, a fire source (and preferably also a non-fire light source), writing materials, backups to critical gear (second holy symbol, just for example), rope.

Other stuff is good, but those are the essentials for my characters (beyond basic combat gear, of course).


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## mcgeedis (Jun 24, 2007)

One of the guys that I game with says having a bag of flour was always useful.  This was the best way to take care of invisible creatures.  

I am partial to tanglefoot bags.  Probably the most effective low level item.


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## KarinsDad (Jun 24, 2007)

Personally, I'd have to agree that Gold is the most useful item in the game.


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## Amazing Triangle (Jun 24, 2007)

These are things that I try to have every character carry.

1. A Mirror - looking around corners is awesome.
2. A Signal Whistle - never know when you will be making a night time attack
3. An Extra Bed Roll - Pack it full of stuff and you have a 50% chance of not getting attacked in your sleep
4. Bottles of Wine and Oil soaked rags - Molotov Cocktails anyone?
5. Silver Dagger - Werewolves even if very little damage
6. Ink/Ink pen/Notebook - So you can take notes on those wonderful things you fight camp formations
7. Cold Iron Dagger - Same as above but doesn't have the same usefulness factor
8. Rope and Grappling hook - Until the party can fly this is one of the few ways over
9. Parchment - Sending notes is fun
10. Ring of Sustenance - Yeah it is magical, but 2 hours a sleep, makes you great for the night watchman


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## Ogrork the Mighty (Jun 24, 2007)

Chalk always proves useful.


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## TarionzCousin (Jun 24, 2007)

Here is something by Lord Drake off of the GiantITP boards a couple (?) years ago.

Basic Supplies
By Lord Drake

The starting package for adventurers is meant to cover the basics of survival in most given situations.  The package is as follows: 

*Oilskin Back pack w/ quick release rings (to keep your stuff dry) 	*
Contents: 
50 ft. of hemp rope w/ grappeling hook 
10 pitons  
1 small hammer axe  
1 flint/steel 
10 bandages and ointment 
1 bedroll & blanket (sissies can have a tent too) 
1 charcoal pencil 
2 week's iron rations 
1 wineskin 
5 vials of oil 
1 large sack 
chow kit 
spare Quick release Rings 
10 torches 
1 sealable silver flask 
1 crowbar 
1 small shovel 
1 sealable scroll tube 
10 sheets of parchment 
10 sheets of Vellum 
ink & quills in a hard case 
10 fishing hooks & line 
sewing Kit 

*Utility Belt contents: *
2 belt pouches 
1 dagger 
Sword Sheath(or other weapon) 
Bullseye lantern w/ shutter 
1 wineskin 
small silver mirror 
3 pieces of chalk 
Signal Whistle 
Whetstone 
4 bandages and ointment 
50 ft fine silk rope 
1 charcoal pencil 
1 flint/steel 
1 torch 

you can add other things to it depending on class .. healers kit for priests 
trade tools for rogues 
spell component kit for mages 
etc 

if you want a deluxe kit you can tweak things like: 
-bullseye lantern has continual flame cast on it(now you can use that oil for good stuff .. like moltov cocktails hehehe) 
-replace the 50 ft of hemp rope with a spool of 300 feet of fine silk rope 
-if you want to really piss away some money replace the large sack with a bag of holding 
-or even better make the plain pack a heward's handy haversack

just did the math for the generic pack 

the pack weighs 62.5 lbs and costs 83 gold and 4 copper (when you figure that weight distributed in a rigid frame pack it really isn't too bad) 
the utility belt (in my realm we treat this like a military web belt so not only can you attach and remove things easily but also it has shoulder straps to disperse the weight) and its items weigh 16.5 lbs and cost 38 gold and 87 copper


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## kaomera (Jun 24, 2007)

10. Gameboy, with Tetris.
9. A good supply of anti-depressants.
8. A rock-solid alibi.
7. Dark sunglasses.
6. Blackmail photos.
5. A clean pair of underwear (and a change of socks).
4. Small keep or castle.
3. The key to the chest you just found.
2. An Etch-A-Sketch.
1. Rhinoceros.

(OK, technically that's the _best_, instead of the _most useful_... But if I can put at least two or three of those on my character sheet, I'm happy.)


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## Sejs (Jun 24, 2007)

In order~

1.  Food and water.  Don't realize how badly you need it until you don't have it.

2.  A knife or dagger.  The most basic of all tools.  

3.  A good, sturdy cloak or coat.  Sleep under it, turn it into an improv sack, use it as a pillow, screen from view, etc, etc.

4.  Fire-starting tools.  Flint, steel, tinder.  Lot of things you can do with fire.

5.  A pole, 5' to 10' long.  Reach things, prop up things, manipulate things from far away, climb things, hang from things.

6.  Rope or twine.  Affix things to other things.  Climb things, descend things.

7.  Writing tools and paper.  Writing can do a lot.. fantastic impact if used properly.  Maps, transcriptions, sketches, notes, etc.

8.  A weapon.  Useful for hunting, self defense, etc.  Good particularly when you don't want to risk losing or damaging your knife.

9.  First-aid resources, mundane or otherwise.  Injury and infection are mean, mean things.  

10.  Money.  Helps get what you need and don't have.


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## Cameron (Jun 25, 2007)

Top ten in no particular order:

Oil - When you have bad guys trying to climb a wall... Hilarious results and potentially a lot of ouchies

Map Tube + Bull's Eye Lantern + Continual Light = Modern day torch with a screw cap.

Bag of Flour - Invisible creatures still leave footprints

Bag of Coloured Water - Invisible creatures drip

Quarterstaff - Doubles as a pole vault & trap detector a la 10ft pole

Light Hammer - For all those square pegs in round holes

Grapple + Hook - Best used for anchoring bad guys

Empty Glass Vial - Who said you can't throw holly berries???

Blank Book - Let me put it this way: "How *many* Explosive Runes...???"

Crowbar + Pick Ax + Shovel - "You brought what???" DM's never seem to expect them...


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## Lord Zardoz (Jun 25, 2007)

1)  Soap:  Sometimes, it is just a good idea not to enter town after slaugtering a few hundred orcs and not bathing for a few months.  Also a handy food additive for those you do not like.

2)  Crowbar:  Good for opening things when stealth is not a concern.  Also ok for hitting things.

3)  Writing implements:  I usually take forgery.

4)  A shovel:  Sometimes you just dont want something / someone to be found.  Sometimes you need to visit the graveyard when your low on cash, or even just lonely.

5)  A Mule:  It can carry things so you dont have to.  When things get grim, he can be a tasty treat.

6)  1 Pound of Sugar:  Give that mule a bit of Zazz.  Seriously, ever taste mule?

7)  A hammer and Nails:  Sometimes you just do not want that door to open.

8)  A wineskin of poisoned wine:  The perfect gift for the man who has everything you want.

9)  Holocaust Cloak:  It can really bring a plan together.

10)  Flamible Oil:  On a cold and dark night, turn that attacking idiot into a source of heat and light.

END COMMUNICATION


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## roguerouge (Jun 25, 2007)

I'll add a few:

A few door stops to make the door to your rest place just a bit harder to open.

Hammer and nails (See above.)

Bottle of ink (You don't want to end up using your blood to write a letter, do you?)

Quarterstaff (It's a weapon. It's two weapons. It's firewood. It's a 5' pole. It's a tool that 
livens up any party with a planar theme. And it's free.)

A pillow (Seriously: feathers for quills, a comfy night's sleep, a sack, and a nonlethal weapon. What more could you want? A quarterstaff?)



P.S. re: Quarterstaff joke. Think about the plane of Limbo.


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## TarionzCousin (Jun 25, 2007)

There was a Dragon magazine article from an issue in the middle double digits that had lots of good non-magical stuff for dungeons. Of course, I don't remember offhand what issue number, and my old Dragons got eaten.

Some things I recall:

Caltrops
Marbles
Chalk, charcoal, flour, etc., as others have mentioned already
Pitons and other climbing aids
A carrier pigeon


/Lord Zardoz made me laugh.


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## AnonymousOne (Jun 26, 2007)

phindar said:
			
		

> You could also use it as a towel, and you should always have a towel with you.



"Don't forget to bring a towel..."


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