Hireling Carrying Capacity

[VoxRationis]

Is there a good rule of thumb for how much a porter should be able to carry over long distances or for an extended amount of time?

[JNAProductions]

Is there a good rule of thumb for how much a porter should be able to carry over long distances or for an extended amount of time?

For what system?

[Anxe]

US infantry carry about 100 pounds of gear. I looked around for more historical (Medieval) numbers, but there aren't any available. The 100 pounds amount is repeated by backpackers as well.

100 pounds is dangerous over the long-term for real people though. That much weight adds a lot of wear and tear to your body. Not necessarily for PCs though because fantasy doesn't have to match all aspects of reality.

[Tanarii]

The 100 pounds amount is repeated by backpackers as well.Most very long distance backpackers I know aim for 30lb packs, using ultra-light (and super expensive) materials for their gear. Although that's before water, which weighs a lot.

[wumpus]

US infantry carry about 100 pounds of gear. I looked around for more historical (Medieval) numbers, but there aren't any available. The 100 pounds amount is repeated by backpackers as well.

100 pounds is dangerous over the long-term for real people though. That much weight adds a lot of wear and tear to your body. Not necessarily for PCs though because fantasy doesn't have to match all aspects of reality.

Don't try backpacking with 100lbs (or even 50lbs) your first time out. I'd assume these are professional (or at least experienced and strong) porters. Note that in earlier wars US infantrymen traditionally ditched nearly all that gear, I suspect that most of them hitch rides on humvees whenever possible.

[Geddy2112]

There is no rule of thumb;It depends on the system, and how strong/tough the porter is. As said above, army gear loadouts easily break 100lbs, but that is not something most people can even attempt to carry. Over years, carrying heavy loads is very detrimental to the body. There is also

I second 30ish lbs before water, although when I go backpacking I try to be ~20 before water. Hiking with 50lbs+water is incredibly difficult, even if you do it regularly. If you have a wagon and/or beast of burden the amount you can carry skyrockets. Depending on your system/setting, you might have superhuman strength be the norm, or races/species(orcs, dwarves) that can just carry a lot of stuff. Or you have magic like bags of holding capable of carrying things.

[VoxRationis]

I didn't list system because I thought the question was system-agnostic (pounds are pounds), but I'm using AD&D, second edition. Long-term health issues aren't likely a concern because these are medieval peasant hirelings, and almost no part of their life is good for their long-term, or even short-term, health.

[Anxe]

Don't try backpacking with 100lbs (or even 50lbs) your first time out. I'd assume these are professional (or at least experienced and strong) porters. Note that in earlier wars US infantrymen traditionally ditched nearly all that gear, I suspect that most of them hitch rides on humvees whenever possible.

It was the upper amount I found. Most others on those sites said it was a bad idea. And yeah, these would be numbers for people who have trained to carry heavy loads for long distances.

[TheYell]

Be kinder just to get a hireling who can handle mules. Askari work tends to be highly fatal.

[Blymurkla]

There is no rule of thumb;It depends on the system, and how strong/tough the porter is. As said above, army gear loadouts easily break 100lbs, but that is not something most people can even attempt to carry. Over years, carrying heavy loads is very detrimental to the body. There is also

I second 30ish lbs before water, although when I go backpacking I try to be ~20 before water. Hiking with 50lbs+water is incredibly difficult, even if you do it regularly. If you have a wagon and/or beast of burden the amount you can carry skyrockets. Depending on your system/setting, you might have superhuman strength be the norm, or races/species(orcs, dwarves) that can just carry a lot of stuff. Or you have magic like bags of holding capable of carrying things. If I pay a dirt poor third son of a farmer who's sitting in the gutter looking for a job to carry stuff, point to stuff that needs carrying and then the guy only picks up 30 lbs I'd sack the guy, and that's only if I'm feeling particularly nice!

VoxRationis specified that the porter is expected to carry stuff over long distance, which puts constraints on how much he can carry. But 30 pounds, that sounds like the porter only carries the kit he himself needs for the journey. Not much point in having him around, then.

Maybe porters on mount Everest can be used as a comparison? This article (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/mounteverest/10880562/The-tough-lives-of-Sherpas-who-carry-kit-up-Everest.html) is about a westerner who tries working as a porter. He's handed a load weigh 35 kg (that's some 77 pounds), which I assume is about what his Nepalese colleagues lug too. Though there's also a mentioning of a porter carrying what might have been as much as 95 kg (209 pounds).

[Lord Torath]

I didn't list system because I thought the question was system-agnostic (pounds are pounds), but I'm using AD&D, second edition. Long-term health issues aren't likely a concern because these are medieval peasant hirelings, and almost no part of their life is good for their long-term, or even short-term, health.
How fast do you want to move? If you don't want him slowing you down, look up his strength, and find how much he can carry without losing speed. Average strength will be 40 lbs (p 76 - 78 in first printing 2E PHB). Professional porters will likely be stronger, and be able to carry more.

[Tanarii]

I wouldn't expect a group with loaded down porters to be traveling 25-30 miles / day either, which a long-distance backpacker does.

But lbs is lbs isn't accurate. Carrying capacity is not system agnostic. Each system handles encumberance differently. Sometimes in ways that don't make much sense, of course. :smallyuk:

AD&D 2e carrying capacity for humanoids is on Table 47 (p103 in the revised PHB).

[Lord Torath]

I wouldn't expect a group with loaded down porters to be traveling 25-30 miles / day either, which a long-distance backpacker does.Well, the PCs won't be doing that either, unless they Force March. Or use magic. Cross-country travel over clear terrain is double your base move in miles per day. Base move of 12 (tens of yards per minute) for unencumbered humans means 24 miles per day. 30 miles for force marching.

[JellyPooga]

A porter might be able to lug 100lb for you.

A good porter brings a mule or other beast of burden and carries several hundreds.

A porter worth a decent wage drives a cart and includes the cart hire fee in those wages.

A porter you'll never forget is one that actually sticks around when a fight breaks out, follows you down the dungeon and carries a torch. He might even be willing to swing a sword when the chips are down. You don't really care how much this kind of porter can carry, because you know that he'll carry as much as he can while still being a useful companion. He's probably the kind of guy you wouldn't mind sharing a drink or two down the tavern and swapping a tale with...what a guy.

[Nupo]

Is there a good rule of thumb for how much a porter should be able to carry over long distances or for an extended amount of time?
If his name is Nodwick he can carry a heck of a lot. :smalltongue:

[Max_Killjoy]

Depends on how strong your character is and how much the hirelings weigh. \

[hymer]

I'm using AD&D, second edition.

2nd edition has a pretty detailed optional encumbrance system in the PHB, chapter 6: Money & Equipment (towards the end of the chapter). I suggest you use that. A character with str 10-11 can carry 40 lbs without being encumbered, up to 58 lbs lightly encumbered, or 76 lbs moderate encumbrance. You probably don't want to go above that.

[Martin Greywolf]

It depends on a lot of things. If the people are not specifically trained and equipped for it, then 50 kilos/100 pounds is a good top limit. With people that do this for a living and have tricks of the trade for it, you may be able to double it for shorter (e.g. 2 weeks) journeys. For people who carry stuff on an almost daily basis, 40 kg seems to be the top limit, with most loads falling into 25kg range (numbers from modern-day porters from Slovakia, probably last of the profession in Europe, though these guys do it as a hobby these days).

For comparison, having 20 kilos of armor on you barely registers for its weight, and only somewhat for restricting your movement - having a 20 kilo pack on your back is considerably more uncomfortable. How you strap the load to you is rather important.

Of course, it is much better to hire pack animals if you can - donkey can carry just as much, if not more, and is not tempted to run off with your stuff or quit in a huff.

[Nupo]

donkey can carry just as much, if not more, and is not tempted to run off with your stuff or quit in a huff.
The one time I worked with a donkey in real life if did quit in a huff. When we finally got it going, it ran off with our stuff.

[Thrudd]

The one time I worked with a donkey in real life if did quit in a huff. When we finally got it going, it ran off with our stuff.

Failed its morale roll. Your CHA wasn't high enough.

[DavidSh]

Henry Stanley reported that, for an expedition in Africa about 1871, porters could be hired with a carrying capacity of 70 pounds. http://www.gutenberg.org/files/5157/5157-h/5157-h.htm That's close to the previously mentioned loads for Nepalese porters.

For shorter distances, the Canadian voyageurs are said to have typically carried two 90-pound packs simultaneously on portages. That isn't an all-day load, though.

[souridealist]

Personally I would go with the carrying capacity rules in a system that had them, but I think another option is 'the exact weight of the amount of stuff you're willing to let the player bring with them without worrying about the math.' I don't think it's wrong to have a precise number, it'd definitely be my first instinct, but if what's going on is 'I want my wizard and her piddly little strength score to be able to have a tent, please' it may not need much more thought than that.

[Calthropstu]

I've never checked my hireling carrying capacity. Let's find out...
1... *back breaks*
Apparently my hireling carrying capacity is 0.

[Slipperychicken]

Just make your hireling drag a pack mule around. Problem solved.