Level 5 characters should have around 500 gp of wealth, with 1 or 2 common magic items and 1 rare mix of consumables and permanents. You've created backstory pages, you've set every score and skill modifier, you've discovered the characteristics of your class, and your character is ready to play, but wait, how much gold do you start with in Dungeons and Dragons 5th edition? How much does this armor cost? Do I have the money I need for these spell components? The initial richness of DD 5e is simple compared to many other editions and systems, but starting gold is still a common obstacle for many players. Prepare your abacus and scale as we review everything you need to know. Once you understand the role that initial magic and gold items play in DnD, you can start considering alternatives.
Remember, if you're trying to figure out how many gold pieces to add to your character sheet, you should always check with your DM. You have a chance of getting much more gold, but the average number of gold rolls will be roughly equal to or lower than what you would have with your basic starting equipment option. We can safely assume that the designers of this game assumed that gold should be spent or they would not be planning for players to have 786K GP more by the end of the game. For whatever reason, the bard class receives on average more gold when rolling than the value of its initial package, usually around 25 pieces of gold.
If you are in a world where you want to sell magic items, this is a pretty good way to decide how much to charge, simply by looking at the average amount of gold a character will have and then determining its price. Just add each piece of gold and the things you got from your environment with what you chose from your class. Usually, in the fifth edition, getting the initial gold is a bet that is not mathematically intelligent, but there are some exceptions and occasions when it is in your best interest to get your gold. For Level 1 characters, figuring out your initial wealth can be as simple as rolling some dice or figuring out how many pieces of gold your fund gives you.
I haven't found any errata or official statement about it yet, but it seems that most DMs agree that the artificer is more similar to a magician and should probably get the same amount of initial gold. A character who retires at level 20 and has the average amount of gold and artwork thrown for him should retire with a total of 786,086 gold pieces. They should get something to spend their money on, but it shouldn't be just transcribing spells into their book, just as fighters and barbarians should be given something to spend their gold on other than just weapons, armor and fur loincloths. But for more advanced DMs, and even for players, resources other than gold or magic items can be a great way to create a backstory, a narrative, and build your character's character.
