Currency and gold in DnD 5e are incredibly important. Even in fantasy lands, money makes the world go round. Today, we’re looking at starting gold in DnD 5e: how to calculate it, and how to tailor it to your campaign.
Starting Gold Rules
“When you create your character, you receive equipment based on a combination of your class and background. Alternatively, you can start with a number of gold pieces based on your class and spend them on items from the lists in this chapter. See the Starting Wealth by Class table to determine how much gold you have to spend.”
—Player’s Handbook
This can be a bit confusing, but there are basically two ways to determine your starting gold by the rules of 5e.
Players have the choice of either gold or equipment.
If players choose the equipment, their class gives them a few standard choices of equipment that they can choose from, and then their starting gold is determined by their background.
If players choose gold, they’ll roll a set number of dice in order to determine their starting gold and then the players can choose their own equipment at the DM’s discretion.
Both ways are perfectly fine but it all depends upon the DM’s decisions. With the gold route, you may end up with more gold and equipment than before, but it all depends on the roll of the dice.
Level 1 Starting Gold
There are several different ways to determine starting gold in DnD 5e. The first (and probably the easiest) is done by class when first creating your character. Each character class has its own set number of randomized gold. They can roll on the chart or take the average and from there purchase their starting equipment directly from the DM.
This has the potential to get either much better equipment and gold, or it could leave the player with the bare minimum of gold and equipment.
| Class | Gold | Average |
| Artificer | 5d4 x 10gp | 125 gp |
| Barbarian | 2d4 x 10gp | 50 gp |
| Bard | 5d4 x 10gp | 125 gp |
| Cleric | 5d4 x 10gp | 125 gp |
| Druid | 2d4 x 10gp | 50 gp |
| Fighter | 5d4 x 10gp | 125 gp |
| Monk | 5d4 gp | 13 gp |
| Paladin | 5d4 x 10gp | 125 gp |
| Ranger | 5d4 x 10gp | 125 gp |
| Rogue | 4d4 x 10gp | 100 gp |
| Sorcerer | 3d4 x 10gp | 75 gp |
| Warlock | 4d4 x 10gp | 100 gp |
| Wizard | 4d4 x 10gp | 100 gp |
Starting Equipment and Gold by Background
Each background has a set amount of gold that players get when they choose the standard starting equipment. It’s a set amount so players will know exactly how much they’ll receive at level one.
The standard equipment will usually let players pick a starting weapon that they’re able to use and then some tools. This is all standard equipment that’s great for new players.
After players finish choosing their starting equipment, they can choose a background that gives them a set number of starting gold.
| Background | Starting GP |
| Acolyte | 15gp |
| Anthropologist (ToA) | 10gp |
| Archeologist (ToA) | 25gp |
| Charlatan (PHB) | 15gp |
| City Watch / Investigator (SCAG) | 10gp |
| Clan Crafter (SCAG) | 5gp gem and 10gp |
| Cloistered Scholar (SCAG) | 10gp |
| Courtier (SCAG) | 5gp |
| Criminal / Spy | 15gp |
| Entertainer (PHB) | 15gp |
| Faction Agent (SCAG) | 15gp |
| Far Traveler (SCAG) | 10gp jewelry and 5gp |
| Folk Hero | 10gp |
| Gladiator (PHB) | 15gp |
| Guild Artisan/Merchant (PHB) | 15gp |
| Haunted One (COS) | None |
| Hermit (PHB) | 5gp |
| Inheritor (SCAG) | 15gp |
| Knight (PHB) | 25gp |
| Knight of the Order (SCAG) | 10gp |
| Mercenary Veteran (SCAG) | 10gp |
| Noble | 25gp |
| Outlander (PHB) | 10gp |
| Pirate (PHB) | 10gp |
| Sage | 10gp |
| Sailor (PHB) | 10gp |
| Soldier | 10gp |
| Urban Bounty Hunter (SCAG) | 20gp |
| Urchin (PHB) | 10gp |
| Uthgardt Tribe Member (SCAG) | 10gp |
| Waterdhavian Noble (SCAG) | 20gp |
Starting Gold By Levels
What happens when you have players start at higher levels, though?
Good question, dear reader. It all depends on the DM, but if you’re tapped out on ideas the Dungeon Master’s Guide has some help. They have a list that will help you figure out how much equipment and gold if you’re starting out at higher levels.
If you want a quick reference you can check below or on page 38 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide.
| Character Level | Low Magic Campaign | Standard Campaign | High Magic Campaign |
| 1st–4th | Normal starting equipment | Normal starting equipment | Normal starting equipment |
| 5th–10th | 500 gp plus 1d10 × 25 gp, normal starting equipment | 500 gp plus 1d10 × 25 gp, normal starting equipment | 500 gp plus 1d10 × 25 gp, one uncommon magic item, normal starting equipment |
| 11th–16th | 5,000 gp plus 1d10 × 250 gp, one uncommon magic item, normal starting equipment | 5,000 gp plus 1d10 × 250 gp, two uncommon magic items, normal starting equipment | 5,000 gp plus 1d10 × 250 gp, three uncommon magic items, one rare item, normal starting equipment |
| 17th–20th | 20,000 gp plus 1d10 × 250 gp, two uncommon magic items, normal starting equipment | 20,000 gp plus 1d10 × 250 gp, two uncommon magic items, one rare item, normal starting equipment | 20,000 gp plus 1d10 × 250 gp, three uncommon magic items, two rare items, one very rare item, normal starting equipment |
Before starting GameCows with his wife Kendra, he used to teach English Language Arts in the US. He combined his love of gaming with education to create fun game-based learning lessons until he eventually decided to run GameCows with Kendra full-time. He’s known for pouring over rulebooks in his spare time, being the rule master during game night, and as the perma DM in his DnD group. Bryan loves board games, writing, traveling, and above all his wife and partner in crime, Kendra.