Pistol: Masterwork is currently just out of my reach.  For weapons, I'm a point short, so I'll be able to do it as soon as I add another rank or get some masterwork tools.  For armor, I'll probably be able to pull it off at level 2 if I get my hands on some masterwork tools.  Unfortunately, skill shards are a psionic item, or it'd be slightly more attainable right now.  A hireling would be somewhat dubious.  Basically?  The methods for getting a masterwork weapon at level one (before any adventuring) are probably not worth it (particularly if you intend to advance to plate mail later), and it would be a tight fit.<br/><br/>The current suite of longsword/longspear/chainmail/heavy steel shield costs 190 gold by default.  Senna making it would cost 71 gold, 2 silver, and 5 copper.  A savings of 118.75g.  Upgrading to banded mail would run you 108.75g for the suite, still saving 80.25g.  Throwing in a light crossbow and a hundred bolts as a standard sidearm, along with locked gauntlets as an emergency measure (because being disarmed sucks) would bring it to 126.75g.  Still saving 63.25g.<br/><br/>And theoretically, Senna could probably save you five eighths of a gold on rations by making them herself with Craft: Cooking, but really, who cares?<br/><br/>ESG: Well, worst case, we muddle through the first few levels, then when level 4 hits, we pool some resources so I can build an army of zombie-eating robot dinosaurs made of equal parts awesome and win to shore up the front line.  Though I'll have to double check to see if they get bonuses from Bard/Marshal abilities.