D&D 5E Is Anyone Using Variant Encumbrance?

[Thyrwyn]

I went with x10, x15. Thanks for the suggestion.

I don't think this will break the game

But I was looking at your original numbers: your "typical DEX based fighter" could save herself 25 pounds by switching to a chain shirt - she loses a point of AC, but isn't disadvantaged on Stealth checks, either. Or,she could invest in another point or two of STR. So I'm not sure I see a problem.

 

[Chocolategravy]

I don't think this will break the game

But I was looking at your original numbers: your "typical DEX based fighter" could save herself 25 pounds by switching to a chain shirt - she loses a point of AC, but isn't disadvantaged on Stealth checks, either. Or,she could invest in another point or two of STR. So I'm not sure I see a problem.

And having a good ranged option, which every adventurer should, especially DEX based, could cost another 22 pounds for a heavy crossbow, or 6 or 7 for a bow or hand crossbow. Then there are tools so your armor doesn't rust and you can fix your shield, cloths (4 pounds), belt pouch (1 pound per), coins, scroll case or book, healer's kit (3 pounds per), and of course a towel (1 pound at least) because who exactly would go adventuring without a towel???

 

[Heavy3p0]

In my current game i decided to place a heavy focus on encumbrance and character finance. The idea was to see what kind of stories would develop as the group had to figure out what treasure they could carry out of the dungeon, as well as how to keep it safe when they inevitably left it back in town as they went out to acquire more. Ultimately it appears to not be working out as i planned. The group hasn't acquired more wealth than they could comfortably carry and we all appear to be tiring of the tedious detail of tracking every pound of food and every copper piece spent at the tavern.

 

[machineelf]

In my current game i decided to place a heavy focus on encumbrance and character finance. The idea was to see what kind of stories would develop as the group had to figure out what treasure they could carry out of the dungeon, as well as how to keep it safe when they inevitably left it back in town as they went out to acquire more. Ultimately it appears to not be working out as i planned. The group hasn't acquired more wealth than they could comfortably carry and we all appear to be tiring of the tedious detail of tracking every pound of food and every copper piece spent at the tavern.

Have you tried just not worrying about the weight of coins, and just keeping track of the weight of other things? That might solve some of the over-complexity while still bringing in the rules of carrying capacity.

 

[GMMichael]

The group hasn't acquired more wealth than they could comfortably carry and we all appear to be tiring of the tedious detail of tracking every pound of food and every copper piece spent at the tavern.

Get them a wagon, and the rations weight becomes a non-issue.

Tavern-checkbook-balancing can actually be a good thing, though. It creates the possibility that the burly, male, PC fighter reaches for his coin pouch and comes up short. Then, the lovely barmaid (wench?) mysteriously pulls an emerald out of her smock, flashes it, and says "I'll pay for you tonight, sir." Or worse, the rival mercenary at the end of the bar does the same thing, but says "now you owe me."

Have you tried just not worrying about the weight of coins, and just keeping track of the weight of other things?

Sure, that'll work. But you'll inevitably run into the Final Fantasy moment when PCs say, "okay, let's go shopping. I wonder if we have enough...293,000 Gil!?"

 

[Mercule]

I went with x10, x15. Thanks for the suggestion.

I may do this, too.

As we wrap up Phandelver, we're moving out of "playtest" mode, so I had the players all calculate encumbrance. I've never been a huge stickler for encumbrance rules, but I do check periodically, just for something resembling sanity. The standard 5E rules are a bit loose for my taste, but the variant really surprised me, especially calculating my wife's elven (i.e. dex-based) fighter. She pretty much requires a hireling to carry her stuff for dungeon delving. Even the reasonable amount of coinage looted overburdened her, and that's after dropping most of the "fluff" (elves don't need bedrolls).

 

[KarinsDad]

I may do this, too.

As we wrap up Phandelver, we're moving out of "playtest" mode, so I had the players all calculate encumbrance. I've never been a huge stickler for encumbrance rules, but I do check periodically, just for something resembling sanity. The standard 5E rules are a bit loose for my taste, but the variant really surprised me, especially calculating my wife's elven (i.e. dex-based) fighter. She pretty much requires a hireling to carry her stuff for dungeon delving. Even the reasonable amount of coinage looted overburdened her, and that's after dropping most of the "fluff" (elves don't need bedrolls).

I did all of the character sheets (6 of them) last night in Excel for all of the stuff they are carrying and managed with a Bag of Holding to get all of them with the x10 into the no encumbrance mode. Barely (most of the PCs were in the 80% to 99% range, but most of them have 5 to 7 weapons that they are carrying, armor, explorer's kits which are heavy, etc.). The bag of holding was full and I do not even have the official list of what was in that (one of the players took it home with him and he does not have Email).

From my perspective, this worked out well. The players are nearly maxed out with stuff (several of them are real hoarders) and they will need to make decisions as to what to keep, what to sell, and what to pitch. Otherwise, one or more PCs will be at -10 speed soon.

 

[Wolf118]

I hate to be the one to bring reality into a fantasy game...

The US Army Field Manual states that a soldier's load should not be more than 60 lbs. And studies have found that loads in Afghanistan often range 90-100 lbs. Soldiers are complaining about the weight, that it causes slower reaction times, and impedes their ability to fight. A study at the Joint Readiness Training Center showed that after a week in the field with 90+ lb loadouts, soldiers were exhausted, both physically and mentally.

"Day seven at the JRTC and it showed on the faces of the young infantrymen. Typical central Louisiana weather in November, the nights were turning, often marked by heavy rains. The platoon sergeant worked hard to keep the troops motivated and moving under their combat loads. No one wanted to be cold or wet, so the rucks were especially heavy. With ammo, rations, and water, each soldier carried well over 100 pounds of gear. After seven days of constant operations, the effects of that weight were showing. Even the fittest of the platoon were hollow-eyed with fatigue. Their reactions were slow and their minds fuzzy. They rucked up and moved on toward their next mission, an attack on a suspected strong point five clicks away. Less than 500 meters into the movement, the tired point man missed seeing movement ahead as he cleared the edge of a small grove. The opposing force (OPFOR) ambushed the platoon with complete surprise. No one survived."

And that's just the equipment they need; no treasure carried.

Back to the fantasy game. A good idea posted earlier was dropping the pack when they went into combat; just common sense. Here's also something I'm going to try with my group. Work with your players on a 'basic load'; the pack that everyone is carrying that they drop going into combat. Bedroll, rations, mess kit, waterskin, etc. Figure out that weight and then don't worry about it. Assume that load is only carried part of the time, since they're going to take it off when they take a short rest as well. All the other stuff they consider they 'need' for combat is what is important to track, anyway; armor, weapons, ammunition, flasks of oil, etc. That should cut down on some of the bookkeeping.

I'd add treasure to what's dropped in combat. If you're carrying a sack of coins, you're not going to hold onto that going into combat. It gets dropped at the first sign of a threat (unless they're surprised).

 

[Syntallah]

I hate to be the one to bring reality into a fantasy game...

snip

Back to the fantasy game. A good idea posted earlier was dropping the pack when they went into combat; just common sense. Here's also something I'm going to try with my group. Work with your players on a 'basic load'; the pack that everyone is carrying that they drop going into combat. Bedroll, rations, mess kit, waterskin, etc. Figure out that weight and then don't worry about it. Assume that load is only carried part of the time, since they're going to take it off when they take a short rest as well. All the other stuff they consider they 'need' for combat is what is important to track, anyway; armor, weapons, ammunition, flasks of oil, etc. That should cut down on some of the bookkeeping.

I'd add treasure to what's dropped in combat. If you're carrying a sack of coins, you're not going to hold onto that going into combat. It gets dropped at the first sign of a threat (unless they're surprised).

I use a DM's Card that has all the PC pertinent info on it (e.g. AC, HP, Stats, etc). It has a column for weight and encumbrance. I know the PC's body weight, full equipment weight, and their 'combat kit' (i.e. armor, weapons, holy symbols, etc). I started this years ago when I had to ask a PC's weight as they were crossing a bridge... Everybody metagame panicked "I'm not on the bridge! I'm not on the bridge!". Very messy. Nowadays, I simply glance at my Card, and know which fatty is going to go swimming... muhahahahahahahaha...

 

[Chocolategravy]

I hate to be the one to bring reality into a fantasy game...

The US Army Field Manual states that a soldier's load should not be more than 60 lbs. And studies have found that loads in Afghanistan often range 90-100 lbs. Soldiers are complaining about the weight, that it causes slower reaction times, and impedes their ability to fight. A study at the Joint Readiness Training Center showed that after a week in the field with 90+ lb loadouts, soldiers were exhausted, both physically and mentally.

The average soldier would have a 10 STR. 10 STR can lift 300 pounds which is probably more than many soldiers can.

With the x5/x10 rule a 100 load would slow them down to the point they could barely walk (-20 movement). They couldn't even then pick something up that weighs over 50 pounds as 150 pounds is the maximum and they can barely stagger at that point with 151 to 300 pounds being equally debilitating.

So the rule really isn't working for soldiers, not at all.

Now try with a pro wrestler or MMA fighter, most of these guys would have a 16 STR and many are up around 300 pounds themselves. Even some of the strongest of them with an 18 STR would barely be able to move if they pick up another wrestler as 180 pounds is the point where they can barely stagger around with them when in reality 180 pounds is pretty much trivial for them to handle.

So again, the rule really isn't working for strong guys either. It's even worse if you consider worn weight is far less debilitating then carried.