Does armor check penalty from heavy load affect attack rolls?

[RoboEmperor]

This is for a character who does not have any armor proficiency.

Heavy load = heavy armor therefore requires heavy armor proficiency?

[gooddragon1]

This is for a character who does not have any armor proficiency.

Heavy load = heavy armor therefore requires heavy armor proficiency?

No.


A medium or heavy load counts as medium or heavy armor for the purpose of abilities or skills that are restricted by armor.

Like armor, a character’s load affects his or her maximum Dexterity bonus to AC, carries a check penalty (which works like an armor check penalty), reduces the character’s speed, and affects how fast the character can run, as shown on Table: Carrying Loads. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/carryingCapacity.htm#tableCarryingLoads)

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/carryingCapacity.htm#weight

Abilities: When wearing armor, using a shield, or carrying a medium or heavy load, a monk loses her AC bonus, as well as her fast movement and flurry of blows abilities.
Skills: See armor check penalty multiplier (swim x2 for example)

It is not nonproficiency. It merely applies the penalties described above.

[RoboEmperor]

Like armor, a character’s load affects his or her maximum Dexterity bonus to AC, carries a check penalty (which works like an armor check penalty), reduces the character’s speed, and affects how fast the character can run, as shown on Table: Carrying Loads. A medium or heavy load counts as medium or heavy armor for the purpose of abilities or skills that are restricted by armor. Carrying a light load does not encumber a character.

The bolded parts are what is confusing me. Heavy load counts as heavy armor, and check penalty works like armor check penalty, so a character with heavy load would have armor check penalty as if he was wearing heavy armor, is one possible interpretation...


for the purpose of abilities or skills that are restricted by armor.

But I guess this is specific enough to exclude everything except abilities or skills. Thanks, you were immensely helpful in settling a debate :)