This is of course taken from the new 5e D&D Basic Rules.
Make them all different (1e) or make them all the same (0e) (my preference), but why make some the same and some different but only by a really teeny amount? What is the purpose of it in terms of player choice, play balance, the aesthetic of the rules, realism, getting players more immersed in the fantasy world or, well, just making things fun?
Contrast:
Everyone begins with 30-180 gold pieces to seek his or her fortune.
with
We mean to comprehensively and accurately describe this alternate fantasy world for you. It's important for us to get it right, and it's important for you to get it right. The average amount of funds that different character classes start out with is similar but not precisely so (due to how the economics of the fantasy world work out, or whatever). The average amount is the same for Clerics and Fighters and the same for Rogues and Wizards, but Clerics and Fighters have slightly higher averages than Rogues and Wizards. In practice of course this doesn't make a huge amount of difference, but still it's important for us to get it right, and it's important for you to get it right. Here is a chart that explains it.
Unfair perhaps, but that's how it appears to me.
I have no idea whether the table was lifted from 4e or 3.5 or not and I don't really care to check. But it's just another example of ill-thought out (or overly thought out) clunkiness.
