You’ve rolled your stats, sketched a half-decent back-story, and picked a class that definitely won’t get you killed at level one. Now you need stuff. Enter D&D 5e equipment kits. These are pre-packed bundles that keep newbies from forgetting rope, torches, or their lucky bottle opener. Below, we unpack each kit from the Player’s Handbook, show you how its knick-knacks save lives, and sprinkle in the odd table tale for flavor.
Explorer’s Pack: The Swiss Army Knife of the wilds
What’s inside? Backpack, bedroll, mess kit, tinderbox, ten torches, ten days of rations, waterskin, and 50 feet of hempen rope.
Why you’ll love it: If Bear Grylls ran a fantasy Etsy store, this is what he’d ship. The torches double as makeshift clubs for smacking goblin knees. Hemp rope? Classic cliff-hanger insurance. My group once used the mess kit lid as a signal mirror to distract an owlbear. Didn’t work and we almost got a TPK, but it was a good idea.
Best for: Rangers, barbarians, or anyone who thinks trees make cozy pillows.
Dungeoneer’s Pack: Because caves chew up amateurs
Contents: Backpack, crowbar, hammer, ten pitons, ten torches, tinderbox, ten days of rations, waterskin, and 50 feet of rope.
Pro tips: Pitons plus hammer equal instant climbing kit. Crowbar cracks open jammed sarcophagi (sarcophaguses?). Keep torches ready; darkvision fails to reveal trip wires coated in bacon grease. Ask my rogue, who learned that lesson the crispy way.
Ideal for: Fighters, paladins, and anyone allergic to daylight.
Burglar’s Pack: Stealth with style
Gear list: Backpack, two 50-foot hemp ropes (one with a hook), hooded lantern, two flasks of oil, five candles, tinderbox, crowbar, hammer, ten pitons, and a pouch with 100 ball bearings, plus string and a bell.
Why it rocks: The grappling hook rope turns vertical walls into polite slopes. Ball bearings transform narrow corridors into kobold slip-n-slides. A hooded lantern sheds light only where you aim it, perfect for creeping while the cleric snores.
Use with: Rogues, bards, daring warlocks. It screams “Ocean’s Eleven—Forgotten Realms edition.”
Diplomat’s Pack: Charm first, stab later
Inside scoop: Chest, two cases for maps or scrolls, set of fine clothes, bottle of ink, ink pen, lamp, two flasks of oil, five sheets of paper, perfume vial, sealing wax, and soap.
Utility: Seal treaties with wax, then draft ransom notes on the same paper. Be efficient. Perfume masks the smell of dungeon mildew before royal audiences. In one campaign, our bard greased a rickety drawbridge with lamp oil and soap, sending charging orcs into the moat. Diplomacy is flexible, folks.
Great for: Bards, sorcerers, paladins who prefer words to warhammers.
Entertainer’s Pack: For show-stopping shenanigans
Contents: Backpack, bedroll, two costumes, five candles, five days of rations, waterskin, disguise kit, and same trusty rope.
Stage magic meets survival: Costumes double as decoys or impromptu bandages. Disguise kit lets you bluff guards after a botched stealth check. During our last session, the wizard posed as a goblin jester to distract the tribe while the fighter yoinked their loot. Comedy gold, literal gold.
Who needs it: Bards (obviously), flamboyant wizards, anyone who believes flair is more fun than firepower.
Priest’s Pack: Holy tools of the trade
What’s packed: Backpack, blanket, ten candles, tinderbox, alms box, two blocks of incense, censer, vestments, two days of rations, waterskin.
Divine hacks: Candles double as wax sealants for leaky boats. Incense smoke reveals hidden air currents (could be, say, handy for spotting invisible stalkers). I once purified rancid rations by waving a censer around; the paladin insists it was divine intervention, but cinnamon-scented miracle sounds right too.
Perfect for: Clerics, druids with a spiritual twist, zealous monks.
Scholar’s Pack: Brains over brawn
Inventory: Backpack, book of lore, bottle of ink, ink pen, ten sheets of parchment, little bag of sand, and a small knife.
Creative uses: Sand dries wet scrolls or blinds foes in a pinch—academic sand-blast. The lore book provides improvised clubbing power; knowledge hits hard. That small knife? Letter opener by day, emergency lock pick by night. Our wizard once dissected a mimic with it—slow but oddly satisfying.
Recommended for: Wizards, artificers, know-it-all rogues.
How to choose between D&D 5e equipment kits
- Environment: Expecting dank caverns? Grab the Dungeoneer’s Pack. Planning a royal heist? Burglar or Diplomat will shine.
- Class needs: Casters crave components and parchment. Martial types need torches and rope for vertical justice.
- Party coverage: Avoid five Explorer’s Packs. Variety keeps the toolbox fresh.
A quick table talk solves overlap; nobody wants to lug six hammers and zero food.
Upgrading your D&D 5e equipment kits: Little tweaks, big wins
- Swap hemp for silk rope when gold allows; your shoulders will thank you.
- Add a signal whistle. Standard price is two coppers, and it can be a lifesaver.
- Throw in chalk to mark labyrinth walls; Minotaurs hate breadcrumbs.
These small additions rarely break encumbrance yet boost versatility.
Final thoughts: pack smart, live long
Whether you’re scaling wizard towers or sweet-talking liches, D&D 5e equipment kits keep rookie heroes from turning their first adventure into a cautionary tale. Pick the bundle that fits your style, sprinkle in smart add-ons, and you’ll stride into the next session ready for glory. Or at least a hilarious story for the tavern crowd.
Now close that rulebook, shoulder your pack, and roll initiative. The gear’s sorted; the fun is about to start!
