Spending Points on Starting Equipment?

[Bullet_Magnate]

I'm not actually sure this is a good idea, but thought it was interesting enough to at least toss out for consideration ...

 

What if, instead of spending character creation points on professions / traits, you could spend some on starting equipment? 

 

This would permit greater challenges by allowing people to play characters with severe disadvantages, and initially offsetting those problems with gear.  Balance could be maintained by (1) making the gear cost a lot of points, (2) limiting the number of points that can be spent on equipment, (3) limiting it to things that wear out or get used up, etc etc etc ... 

 

This could allow for some really interesting builds.  (One that springs to mind for me might be a 90-year old lady with a shotgun who's trying to defend her remote farmhouse ... )

 

Weapons and food are obvious possibilities, but for a lot of points maybe you could even get the key to that beat-up old Chevalier out front ... 

 

I'm aware of the sandbox option to start with some initial gear, but that doesn't perform the same function because it doesn't eat up character points you're otherwise compelled to spend.  

 

Interested to know what people think of this idea.  

 

[mimo_za]

I wouldn't spend points on equipment that can be found in the game.
I always choose traits that give not +1 to something, for example, but give a unique ability - immunity to the weather, better hearing, etc. After all, equipment is easy to find in the game, and any characteristic can be pumped, and you will not acquire unique abilities in the game, they can only be taken at the start.

[Xyberviri]

A better suggestion would be for each of the starting professions to have better starting items.

 

For example of the mods that deals with addiction adds a can of beer and cigarette to the starting character when picking the alcoholic or smoker trait.

[vek]

3 hours ago, Xyberviri said:

A better suggestion would be for each of the starting professions to have better starting items.

 

For example of the mods that deals with addiction adds a can of beer and cigarette to the starting character when picking the alcoholic or smoker trait.

 

The initial set of items, depending on the story of the hero chosen at the beginning, has already been discussed here.
In my opinion, this is a good idea.
The lumberjack starts with an axe.
A policeman with a rubber baton.
Welder with a gas burner and a welder's mask.
A cook with a meat cleaver and an apron.
An auto mechanic with an adjustable wrench.
etc.

 

But here we must understand that the initial set of items that depend on the profession of the character, if done, is a disabled option. Like a baseball bat and a backpack right now.
After all, it is interesting for an experienced player to just start with an absolute zero of equipment.
If I have a bat from the very beginning, then "the devil himself is not my brother."

Edited August 2, 2022 by vek