Ember:
Can we assume to have had downtime prior to starting in order to home-craft gear?
Sure, but that doesn't get you extra gear any more than adventuring or Earning Income prior to the game does. Where your equipment comes from doesn't change how much of it you have.
Booker:
In reply to Elmelio (msg # 29):
Prof in pathfinder starts at trained, which is +3 at 1st level. Then you add stats. Then at 2nd level and up you add in your level.
So 14 dex(+2) plus trained (+3) plus third level (+2) equals a total of +7.
I meant "also." Thanks autocorrect.
And proficiency bonus scales directly with your level. Trained isn't just +2, it's 2
plus your level--that's +5 at 3rd level.
Sorry, I thought you meant improving your proficiency type. That improves with level, too, but not do linearly.