D&D 5E Is Anyone Using Variant Encumbrance?

[jedijoshua2885]

What about gold?

In the game I'm going to be starting soon I'm going to use the encumbered rules but let the players max out on gold they start with. If the players are smart they will buy only what they need or get a mule or horse.

 

[Keldryn]

I wish that 5e had included an encumbrance variant similar to the one described on Delta's D&D Hotspot:

http://deltasdnd.blogspot.ca/2007/04/encumbrance.html
http://deltasdnd.blogspot.ca/2010/09/stone-encumbrance-detail-example.html

It uses the old English stone as the unit of measurement, where 1 stone = 14 pounds.

The primary benefit of this is that you are primarily only having to deal with single-digit numbers, which makes calculating encumbrance much quicker and easier.

It also works quite nicely with the default 5e encumbrance rules, where your carrying capacity is 15 times your Strength score. Those numbers are close enough that you could simply state that your carrying capacity is equal to your Strength score. This measurement is intentionally less precise than using pounds, so you can play with the numbers a bit in order to provide greater differentiation within a specific category.

Under the variant encumbrance rules, characters are encumbered at 1/3 of their Strength scores and heavily encumbered at 2/3.

The example values that Delta uses (for OD&D) are:

Plate -- 5 stone
Chain -- 3
Leather -- 2
Shield -- 1
Weapon, heavy -- 1
Weapon, light -- 1 per 3 carried
Misc. Equipment -- 1 (total)

With the addition that tiny items (such as daggers, potions, etc) only count if you're carrying a significant number of them (1 stone per 6 items), and he sets 150 coins to 1 stone.

Jack's Toolbox expands on this

https://jackstoolbox.wordpress.com/2012/05/25/weights-and-measures/
https://jackstoolbox.wordpress.com/2012/05/18/carrying-the-world-on-your-back/

It's definitely less accurate than the standard system, but I think it is far more playable and stands a chance of actually being used in play. I've never seen encumbrance calculated beyond buying initial equipment during character creation.

I'll be trying it out the next time I'm able to run a game (whenever that might be).

 

[KarinsDad]

Plate -- 5 stone
Chain -- 3
Leather -- 2
Shield -- 1
Weapon, heavy -- 1
Weapon, light -- 1 per 3 carried
Misc. Equipment -- 1 (total)

The problem with 5E is that this would work out to (give or take):

Plate -- 5 stone
Chain -- 3
Leather -- 2
Shield -- 1
Weapon, heavy -- 1
Weapon, light -- 1 per 3 carried
Misc. Equipment -- 4 to 8 (total)

And most PCs can only carry 3 to 6 stone with variant encumbrance before losing 10 speed (9 to 17 stone without variant).

 

[EvanNave55]

Thought I might add a real life example that might be more relatable than soldiers.
I'm a 145 lb highschool student of about average strength, though possibly a tiny bit more than average. So 10-12 strength in D&D terms. I use a 50lb backpack for school (I don't have a locker and carry a fair amount of stuff). While in general it didn't slow me down or adversely affect me (aside from the occasional sore shoulders if I've had to carry it for longer than normal) it felt like while running it slowed me some.
While sprinting I can keep pace with cars in town (~25 mph) without my backpack. I had some difficulty keeping up with cars on side roads in town (probably 15-20mph) with it.

So not sure how to convert that in game, maybe light loads no constant penalties but dashing only adds half movement instead of full?

You should keep in mind I don't have the phb in front of me so I can't check rules.

 

[Zinnger]

I have a real problem with a character of any Str. wearing full plate armor and moving as fast and easily as the wizard with no armor at all. When I first saw this in RAW I knew it was a problem. I liked the older versions that made it simple, if you wear this armor you move this fast... Consider the Str. 15 to wear full plate and move at normal speed. The armor alone will use up 65lbs. of capacity leaving only 10lbs. for the weapons, shield, food, etc. I agree with the rules if there is no mandated speed reduction for certain types of armor. But I think the old rules made more sense and were much better for game play.

 

[Syntallah]

I have a real problem with a character of any Str. wearing full plate armor and moving as fast and easily as the wizard with no armor at all. When I first saw this in RAW I knew it was a problem. I liked the older versions that made it simple, if you wear this armor you move this fast... Consider the Str. 15 to wear full plate and move at normal speed. The armor alone will use up 65lbs. of capacity leaving only 10lbs. for the weapons, shield, food, etc. I agree with the rules if there is no mandated speed reduction for certain types of armor. But I think the old rules made more sense and were much better for game play.

The rules do account for this though. As soon as your 15 Str PC in Plate straps on his shield, longsword, and dagger he is at capacity. If he carries anything else his movement drops by 10ft.

 

[CapnZapp]

It would seem like the variant encumbrance rules, if used strictly, would suck some of the fun out of the game. Half or more of the party would often be at least lightly encumbered, just to bring (above and beyond weapons and armor) mostly food, water, bedrolls, and some rope into a dungeon.

And you'd be right.

The variant is there for those (few?) who has a hang-up on carrying capacity specifically, and would find the game less fun if characters could ignore encumbrance.

For all the rest of us, however, encumbrance is just one out of hundreds of aspects where dnd rightfully choose fun over realism! ☺

 

[CapnZapp]

And you'd be right.

The variant is there for those (few?) who has a hang-up on carrying capacity specifically, and would find the game less fun if characters could ignore encumbrance.

For all the rest of us, however, encumbrance is just one out of hundreds of aspects where dnd rightfully choose fun over realism! ☺

Where you do have a valid point is if generous encumbrance rules treats light and heavy characters unfairly.

Such as if there's no point in going light if everyone can wear heavy armor regardless.

Or if Strength becomes a dump stat if you can carry all you need even with Strength 8.

Etc, and so on,...

Personally I feel the variant rule is too restrictive giving disadvantage on Dex. Getting 10 feet less move, as for heavy armor, is more than enough of an incentive.

So I'd say you can carry Strength x 10 without problems.

More than that, you lose 10 ft Speed. (Not on top of the heavy armor speed reduction)

Your max is Strength x 15 as usual.

 

[PnPgamer]

What happens if you dont use the variant rules, and you go over the weight limit?

 

[Halivar]

I generally don't use encumbrance rules because it weighs the game down, and as GM, when it comes to enforcement I have to do all the heavy lifting.
/duck
/run