Daniel D. Fox
Explorer
Encumbrance seems to be one of those items a lot of games make a fuss over. Furthermore, it becomes a point of contention ofttimes. ZWEI proposes a super simple system that is simple and easy, with a few general guidelines -
Encumbrance
Encumbrance is a measure of how much a character can carry with them. It isn't necessarily a measure of how much weight a character can haul around, as encumbrance defines how a character handles items without impeding his or her ability to perform physically. It relies solely on a few basic rules, and the GM makes judgement calls otherwise:
Every character has a number of encumbrance "slots", equal to his or her Strength bonus.
Any reasonably large item, such as armor, a shield, a sword, a two-handed sword, a bow with quiver, a polearm, a backpack full of miscellaneous gear, a bedroll, tent or otherwise, takes up one slot each.
Awkward or particularly heavy items, such as 10' ladders, a stone idol, a wagon wheel or otherwise, cannot be hauled without being encumbered, despite the character's strength.
Things small enough to be carried in one's pockets or a pouch do not take up a slot. Knives, throwing axes and the like can be paired together in groups of 3, taking up one slot.
Reasonable assumptions trump basic rules under these circumstances. Just because armor takes up one slot, doesn't mean someone with a 7 Strength bonus can carry 7 suits of armor.
For every additional item a character carries beyond their maximum allotment, they suffer a cumulative -10% to Athletics and Coordination.
Encumbrance
Encumbrance is a measure of how much a character can carry with them. It isn't necessarily a measure of how much weight a character can haul around, as encumbrance defines how a character handles items without impeding his or her ability to perform physically. It relies solely on a few basic rules, and the GM makes judgement calls otherwise:
Every character has a number of encumbrance "slots", equal to his or her Strength bonus.
Any reasonably large item, such as armor, a shield, a sword, a two-handed sword, a bow with quiver, a polearm, a backpack full of miscellaneous gear, a bedroll, tent or otherwise, takes up one slot each.
Awkward or particularly heavy items, such as 10' ladders, a stone idol, a wagon wheel or otherwise, cannot be hauled without being encumbered, despite the character's strength.
Things small enough to be carried in one's pockets or a pouch do not take up a slot. Knives, throwing axes and the like can be paired together in groups of 3, taking up one slot.
Reasonable assumptions trump basic rules under these circumstances. Just because armor takes up one slot, doesn't mean someone with a 7 Strength bonus can carry 7 suits of armor.
For every additional item a character carries beyond their maximum allotment, they suffer a cumulative -10% to Athletics and Coordination.
