Options for low strength character 3.5

[Ubercaledor]

OK, so we are in a low tech (stone age) setting, character is lvl3 druid, just levelled. Party is low op and quest is only likely to last until level 5 Max, so I don't need a complicated build. My problem is that I have a strength 6 and light load 20lb. I currently wear light armour, but even leather is 15lb. My question is are there any viable feats to increase carry capacity, or alternatively boost AC so I can drop the armour altogethe.? My other party members can carry things, but it just makes it annoying that I can't pick up random objects.

[silverwolfer]

go stright casting druid and wear robes?

You are level 3, with a mission ending at level 5?


Just enjoy it and rp the struggles of being a weakling .

[Urpriest]

Your animal companion can carry most of what you need, except for armor. Get some pack saddles and load it up.

[eggs]

Mule: 8 gp.

[Ubercaledor]

Good suggestions, however:

no domestication. No saddles. My animal companion is a serval (read "slightly stronger housecat").

It's not critical, the bardbarian can carry a 100lb or so, it was more for the ability to carry things with me. If in doubt, I'll just drop the armour like suggested.

[Spuddles]

Aspect of the Wolf, from SpC is a great spell for low level combat. Decent duration, too.

[tyckspoon]

Unpopular option: Just deal with carrying a Medium load instead. It's not any worse than what your big beefy friends deal with for wearing Medium-class armor.

If your DM doesn't mind borrowing sources: Pathfinder has a spell called Ant Haul. (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/advanced/spells/antHaul.html#ant-haul-) It'll pretty much solve your problem if allowed and you're willing to spend a spell slot on it.

[Slipperychicken]

Mule: 8 gp.

Are there even stats for a Mule's carry capacity? This has frustrated me to no end.


@OP: When in doubt, hirelings. For great lulz, get one and refer to it as your "squire". Be sure to humiliate it at every turn, and make it cart both you and your Animal Companion Mr. Snuffles around in a rickshaw. The moment you attach a cannon to the rickshaw is the moment you win at D&D.

[tyckspoon]

Are there even stats for a Mule's carry capacity? This has frustrated me to no end.


Of course there are. Mule, (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/mule.htm) Carrying Capacity. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/carryingCapacity.htm) A Mule is a Strength 16 (light load 76 lb) Large Quadruped (multiply carrying capacity by 3.) A Mule can lug around 228 pounds as a light load

[TuggyNE]

Of course there are. Mule, (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/mule.htm) Carrying Capacity. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/carryingCapacity.htm) A Mule is a Strength 16 (light load 76 lb) Large Quadruped (multiply carrying capacity by 3.) A Mule can lug around 228 pounds as a light load

Annoyingly, my dim memory of camping handbooks suggests (and Wikipedia backs this up (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mule#Size_and_performance)) that that is closer to the maximum load that they can safely be given to haul for any length of time.

It's almost as if the designers of D&D had never had to load an actual mule, but we know that can't have been the case... right?

[Spuddles]

Annoyingly, my dim memory of camping handbooks suggests (and Wikipedia backs this up (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mule#Size_and_performance)) that that is closer to the maximum load that they can safely be given to haul for any length of time.

It's almost as if the designers of D&D had never had to load an actual mule, but we know that can't have been the case... right?

All the carrying capacities are way off. You don't need a handbook on mules to tell you that. Try fighting with any of the "light loads" on your back.

[Ubercaledor]

Be sure to humiliate it at every turn, and make it cart both you and your Animal Companion Mr. Snuffles around in a rickshaw. The moment you attach a cannon to the rickshaw is the moment you win at D&D.

My animal companion has a higher number of kobold kills than anyone else in the party. I think he channels Mr. Scruffy in that regard.

Others: Thanks for the useful suggestions, I will check out the "ant haul" and I'll also check out "aspect of the Wolf", though I don't think that will necessarily help in day-to-day carrying capacity, but yes, it would indeed assist in combat.

[TuggyNE]

All the carrying capacities are way off. You don't need a handbook on mules to tell you that. Try fighting with any of the "light loads" on your back.

I have maybe 10 or 12 str, and while my fighting experience is limited to a bit of Taekwondo sparring, I suspect I could manage to fight reasonably well with 43 lb on my back. Whether I could fight essentially unencumbered at that weight I'm not so sure, nor whether I'd still be effective with 86 lbs, even properly tied down.

In other words, it's not obvious to me from personal experience* how far off the numbers are for humans; it is obvious to me, however, from what I know, that they are off for mules.


*Indicating that my earlier mocking of their inexperience was a bit hypocritical. Ah well.

[Azoth]

Trust me, fighting with more than what you normally carry in your pockets is a hassle. You are constantly compensating for the weight putting you off balance. If someone manages to catch hold of your pack...prepair to eat dirt hard. Hell, just wear a pair of tripp pants and put something in the bottom leg pockets. You can't run well due to it shifting and/or smacking into your shin.

Carrying a load is much different from fighting with it. D&D has no system to incorporate this factor. Thankfully, they also don't worry about placement either. Because as little as 10-20lb in the wrong place when moving will wreck your day.

While I don't consider myself an authority on this, I feel as an MMA enthusiast and bouncer/barback on bourbon st I have a fair amount of experience in this department.

[Wonton]

1) I feel like D&D adventurers do most of their fighting with 30+ lbs on their back... so it seems to me that they would be used to it.

2) You might say that even if you were used to it, you would still fight better with no load. Which would probably be true, except...

3) D&D's not supposed to be a gritty, accurate representation of reality anyway. Ever tried holding your breath underwater? Chances are you didn't get above 45 seconds. Well, the average commoner can hold their breath for 2 minutes without the slightest problem. The game's designed to be fun to play first and foremost.

[sleepyphoenixx]

If your DM still lets you change it, the Deadly Hunter Druid Variant (from UA)
gets a Monks WIS to AC plus some other goodies.

you have to give up wild shape, but since the campaign ends at level 5 anyway its not really a drawback in this case:smallsmile:

[Kelb_Panthera]

You're level 3. You're so vulnerable to sheer luck at this point that I wouldn't give overmuch concern about it. How much more do you really have to carry around anyway?

@the fighting while loaded thing: why wouldn't the D&D characters do the same thing real people do when a fight starts; drop their packs and fight as unencumbered as possible? Nevermind that the way they fight is -very- different from a fist fight. These guys are armored and swinging weapons that are rarely shorter than your arm.

[Slipperychicken]

You're level 3. You're so vulnerable to sheer luck at this point that I wouldn't give overmuch concern about it. How much more do you really have to carry around anyway?

@the fighting while loaded thing: why wouldn't the D&D characters do the same thing real people do when a fight starts; drop their packs and fight as unencumbered as possible? Nevermind that the way they fight is -very- different from a fist fight. These guys are armored and swinging weapons that are rarely shorter than your arm.

Because the preponderance of dnd characters are suicidally-insane kleptomaniacs and pathological liars who will risk life and limb just to inconvenience you?

[Kelb_Panthera]

Because the preponderance of dnd characters are suicidally-insane kleptomaniacs and pathological liars who will risk life and limb just to inconvenience you?

....... :smallconfused: I don't follow.

[Ashtagon]

Mules. Failing that, hirelings.

[Ubercaledor]

Because the preponderance of dnd characters are suicidally-insane kleptomaniacs and pathological liars who will risk life and limb just to inconvenience you?

^This.

There was a point where we found a few kobold eggs, DM'd at 4lb each, which would put me into medium load. Do you think I left them where they were and came back later?

no chance. Not while I had non-somatic-component spells prepared, and could carry one in each hand.

Re: UA, just got a copy of that the other day, will definitely check it. But I think you

HOLY MOLY THAT VARIANT IS AWESOME!!!

[Gavinfoxx]

HOLY MOLY THAT VARIANT IS AWESOME!!!

Only in games that don't go above level 5. Wild Shape is really that good. Wild Shape, Natural Spell at level 6, any of the many many many items that lets you commuicate with others while in Wild Shape? Yea...

[Zdrak]

Be a Gnome or Halfling. I'm serious. Yes, this drops 2 more points of Str down to 6, and reduces your carrying capacity by 25%, however, armor and weapons made for Small creatures only weighs half as much, so you can actually carry more.

[Slipperychicken]

....... :smallconfused: I don't follow.

PCs will steal everything that isn't nailed down, in front of the owner, sometimes without attempting a Sleight of Hand check. Even things that are nailed down, if they look valuable enough. If a PC's best friend dies in his arms, the first thing that PC will do is empty the guy's pockets. Sometimes while the friend is still breathing.

NPCs are more variable, depending on DM. If the DM is feeling mean enough, those NPCs will literally say and do anything to make the PCs lives worse. If they have so much as a hint of your character's personal secrets, they will immediately parade around shouting about it, even if they have no interest in doing so, even while being stabbed to death. They will start feeding you misinformation the moment the DM starts having a bad day, and will attempt to separate you from the McGuffin (and any gold you still have) at all times, by any means necessary.


Basically, because that equipment will be stolen if you put it down.

[Ubercaledor]

Only in games that don't go above level 5. Wild Shape is really that good. Wild Shape, Natural Spell at level 6, any of the many many many items that lets you commuicate with others while in Wild Shape? Yea...

Well, yes. I suppose I should have added that qualifier.


Be a Gnome or Halfling. I'm serious. Yes, this drops 2 more points of Str down to 6, and reduces your carrying capacity by 25%, however, armor and weapons made for Small creatures only weighs half as much, so you can actually carry more.

This is also a great suggestion, though not useful for me (human-only campaign), but definitely a good suggestion given that I haven't specified that in the OP.

[sleepyphoenixx]

Only in games that don't go above level 5. Wild Shape is really that good. Wild Shape, Natural Spell at level 6, any of the many many many items that lets you commuicate with others while in Wild Shape? Yea...

True, but even a druid that loses Wild Shape and gains nothing is still a
full spellcaster and has the animal companion.

Another benefit is that you don't have to do the bookkeeping
for multiple animal forms.

It's a good variant to simplify the class for newer players or just to speed up play
since in my experience a druid is strong enough for most groups even without wildshaping.

[Kelb_Panthera]

PCs will steal everything that isn't nailed down, in front of the owner, sometimes without attempting a Sleight of Hand check. Even things that are nailed down, if they look valuable enough. If a PC's best friend dies in his arms, the first thing that PC will do is empty the guy's pockets. Sometimes while the friend is still breathing.

NPCs are more variable, depending on DM. If the DM is feeling mean enough, those NPCs will literally say and do anything to make the PCs lives worse. If they have so much as a hint of your character's personal secrets, they will immediately parade around shouting about it, even if they have no interest in doing so, even while being stabbed to death. They will start feeding you misinformation the moment the DM starts having a bad day, and will attempt to separate you from the McGuffin (and any gold you still have) at all times, by any means necessary.


Basically, because that equipment will be stolen if you put it down.

That's a rather cynical outlook.

I was aware of the preponderance of the saying "If it's not nailed down or on fire, it's loot," and the addendum "If you can put it out, it's not really on fire; and if you can pry it loose, it's not really nailed down."

I just haven't often seen that attitude applied between one pc and another.

I've also only rarely seen a DM get especially vindictive over minor sleights. I've seen the occasional vicious, meat-grinder DM though.