Evaluation of encumbrance rules variant

[tchntm43]

The default rule for how much you carry (encumbrance) is that you can carry an amount determined by your strength, and that's that. The official variant rule listed reduces your movement relative to how close your weight load is to the maximum. I decided to use the variant rule in our campaign because it is much more realistic.

At this point, we're going to stop using the variant rule. I can't recommend using it. It adds a huge headache-full of extra data for the DM to track. My players have never really known how much they can carry, they were constantly asking me "can I carry this?" or "how much will I slow down if I carry this?" For the most part, nobody wanted to be slowed down at all, and so effectively the carrying limit for each character was much lower than it is in the default rule.

Sometimes, even when it's unrealistic, the simple rule is much better.

[x3n0n]

The default rule for how much you carry (encumbrance) is that you can carry an amount determined by your strength, and that's that. The official variant rule listed reduces your movement relative to how close your weight load is to the maximum. I decided to use the variant rule in our campaign because it is much more realistic.

At this point, we're going to stop using the variant rule. I can't recommend using it. It adds a huge headache-full of extra data for the DM to track. My players have never really known how much they can carry, they were constantly asking me "can I carry this?" or "how much will I slow down if I carry this?" For the most part, nobody wanted to be slowed down at all, and so effectively the carrying limit for each character was much lower than it is in the default rule.

Sometimes, even when it's unrealistic, the simple rule is much better.

FWIW, it's much easier with D&D Beyond (or other automatic tooling).

If I were attempting to do this in paper, I would recommend that people put their heaviest items (like armor) at the top. Everything that's less than 5ish lb is basically noise.

From experience with dndbeyond, it seems to me like medium armor wearers who dump Str are the only ones with problems carrying reasonable stuff.

If you dont mind medium armor wearers also carrying heavy things, then I agree that it's not worth your time.

[JNAProductions]

I'm of the opinion that, in most playgroups, encumbrance is both not particularly fun, and not particularly likely to be abused.

Yes, by RAW, your Wizard might not have the Strength needed to carry their book, a pack, a waterskin, and their spare clothes, along with whatever else they've nabbed. Is it a huge deal, though? To me, not really.

If they come upon a 10' tall golden statue, I've never had a group where the response would be "We take it," without any more detail. If you have a Goliath Bear Totem Barbarian with 20 Strength, though, that might actually be a reasonable answer-they can carry a LOT. BUt, if your strongest member is the 15 Strength Paladin/Hexblade (15 for Plate Mail) then I'd expect most groups would either say "We take it-we're gonna rig up a sled to carry it on, and have everyone drag it," or "Neat statue-shame we can't take it with us."

Basically, in my experience and opinion, encumbrance doesn't really add to the game's fun as anything other than an occasional sanity check.

I know there are some people on the Playground who really enjoy tracking the nitty-gritty of encumbrance, and will do so (and also track arrows and rations) even if the DM doesn't ask for it. I am not one of those people, and I suspect those people are in the minority. Which doesn't make their fun any less valid, just less common.

For a too long, didn't read...

Encumbrance is usually not fun enough to be worth bothering with in any significant way.

[ahyangyi]

A mule is 8gp, by the way.

So anything that you don't equip or needs to be available for immediate use should not really matter much. That includes rations, bedrolls, many types of costumes and probably even the spellbook.

[PhoenixPhyre]

Encumbrance is usually not fun enough to be worth bothering with in any significant way.

Amen to this.

I'll note that certain classes get hit by it way worse than others. Clerics, for instance. Their starting kit requires 15+ strength, and that's just for medium armor.

[Tanarii]

I love it. Having to deal with encumbrance is meaningful resource management, just like ammunition and time. And meaningful resource management is meaningful decision making. Having this kind of thing adds to the game.

I'm not a complete stickler for every tenth of a lb though. What matters is if the PCs can carry their base weight (easily computer if you pre-calculate the standard packs for the players). And if they can carry the treasure they find. That's most important when finding mixed piles of coins, as taking the time to separate out the "chaff" coins on location without triggering wandering monsters is rarely judged worth it. And of course bulky items (trade goods & art objects).

My only complaint is 5e doesn't go far enough for resource management. Coins are too light, and carrying capacity is still too high even with the variant encumbrance rules.

Also base movement speed is too fast, but I dealt with that by extending the DMG "take ten times as long to automatically succeed if you can" rule to moving while searching/scouting, ie at 1/10th speed.

[Elbeyon]

As a player the annoying part is always asking the dm how much stuff weighs. I do not like to have any empty spots on my sheet if I am suppose to be tracking something. I am going to ask how much every item weighs and that can be an awkward question to answer off the cuff. It is even worse if something gets misjudged and becomes too light or too heavy.


Also base movement speed is too fast, but I dealt with that by extending the DMG "take ten times as long to automatically succeed if you can" rule to moving while searching/scouting, ie at 1/10th speed.When people move ten times as slow do you let them automatically succeed all their perception/investigation/stealth/etc checks?