D&D 5E 5e Inventory Tracking Sheet (with Simplified Encumbrance)

[designbot]

I have just uploaded 5e Inventory Tracking Sheet (with Simplified Encumbrance) to the downloads area.

This sheet is an attempt to combine the simple encumbrance system of Lamentations of the Flame Princess with the D&D 5th Edition rules. Your feedback is welcome.

Credit is due to James Raggi and Mattias Wikström, who have implemented similar systems.

You can find the file here in the downloads section. Please use this thread for comments.

 

[the_redbeard]

Thanks, I was hoping someone had done this, somewhere.

I must say though I liked one of the original slot sizing questions: "Can you palm it?" - too small to count. "Can you hold a group of them in your hand?" - a bundle counts as a slot. "Can you hold it with one hand?" it's a slot. "Do you need two hands?" - it counts as more than one slot.

 

[delericho]

A good sheet. Thanks very much.

 

[designbot]

I must say though I liked one of the original slot sizing questions: "Can you palm it?" - too small to count. "Can you hold a group of them in your hand?" - a bundle counts as a slot. "Can you hold it with one hand?" it's a slot. "Do you need two hands?" - it counts as more than one slot.

Good suggestion, and running the numbers, I think this is actually more accurate. Check out the latest version.

 

[the_redbeard]

Thanks. Favorited. One thing: most groups record treasure on a group sheet, right? A while back we decided that we'd use Lamentations-style encumbrance, but on the group treasure sheet. So each person would tell the treasure recorder (we'd call them the quartermaster and give them an exp bonus for their pains) how many slots they'd have before their next "break point". My co-DM wanted a more finely graduated system than strength in items that I think was too punishing in practice. But here's what the sheet looked like.

Would you be up for sharing the word file if I kept your credit on the sheet?

 

[designbot]

But here's what the sheet looked like.

Would you be up for sharing the word file if I kept your credit on the sheet?

Interesting. I actually never heard of a group treasure sheet before. Cool idea.

I actually don't have a Word file for this—it was created in Adobe Illustrator—but you can do pretty much whatever you like with it.

 

[Ezel]

This is brilliant. Definitely going to use it at my table.
It's so elegant, it doesn't get too finnicky in counting weird details of the shape of bags or the exact weight of things, while it still makes it harder for players to just stack up infinite pounds of stuff like it's nothing.

 

[MonkeezOnFire]

I don't like how characters that start with heavy armour are likely to start out encumbered just from the starting equipment given to them by their class. To me that represents the character's standard stuff that they'd always have on them. I get that people want a model more like real life, but I feel like heavy armour should be a boon and not a trade off.

I like the simplicity of the slots though. For my game I might take the concept but reassign weights for various things. I want to get it to a point where characters can carry their standard equipment without worry, but struggle when they come across 2 chests overflowing with silver pieces.

 

[JValeur]

I don't like how characters that start with heavy armour are likely to start out encumbered just from the starting equipment given to them by their class. To me that represents the character's standard stuff that they'd always have on them. I get that people want a model more like real life, but I feel like heavy armour should be a boon and not a trade off.

I like the simplicity of the slots though. For my game I might take the concept but reassign weights for various things. I want to get it to a point where characters can carry their standard equipment without worry, but struggle when they come across 2 chests overflowing with silver pieces.

I use this sheet, but introduced a backpack system to it. Basically everything that fits in one of the starter kits (like Dungeoneer's pack or whatever) only fills 1 slot. I think that keep's a smidge of realism, while not putting anyone instantly into heavily burdened. But my characters do have to think about, how many weapons they bring, or what they pick up.

 

[Ezel]

I think adding to the archive also a "light" version with the armor points set to around half of the current required slots would be for the best.
Something like: Padded/Leather (1), Studded/Hide (2), Chain Shirt / Breastplate (3), Half Plate / Ring Mail (4), Scale Mail (5), Chain Mail (6), Splint (7), Plate (8).
So that someone with a plate and 16 strength still has 8 slots free, like a wizard with 8 strength and no armor. No need for extreme realism, just enough to give the feeling of realism, with some calculated balance thrown in.

I would do it myself but I would have to re-do the whole thing from scratch and I'm not that good at formatting. So I can only say please :'P

 

[designbot]

Those variations sound like perfectly reasonable house rules that would make it easier to play. I might even use something like that myself.

I think the current sheet is closer to the official encumbrance rules, though, which is what I was aiming for. Under those, a person with 16 Strength can carry up to 80 pounds before becoming encumbered. Plate takes up 65 of that, leaving 15 pounds free. Add a 5-pound waterskin, 4-pound traveler's clothes, and a 6-pound greatsword, and you're at the limit. I assume that's why plate armor usually has a 15 Strength requirement (though you can ignore that when you use encumbrance).

It's pretty harsh. Heavy armor is definitely a trade off.

 

[Quajek]

...a person with 16 Strength can carry up to 80 pounds before becoming encumbered. Plate takes up 65 of that, leaving 15 pounds free. Add a 5-pound waterskin, 4-pound traveler's clothes, and a 6-pound greatsword, and you're at the limit. I assume that's why plate armor usually has a 15 Strength requirement (though you can ignore that when you use encumbrance).

I was under the impression that clothes only count as weight if you're carrying them rather than wearing them.

If you wear your clothes, you've freed up another 4 pounds.

A waterskin only weighs 5 lbs when it's full. If you're in a town or city, or in the wilderness with a Ranger or anyone with the Outlander background, feel free to empty out that waterskin and get another 5 lbs of carrying capacity back.

Note on the sheet (which I love), maybe add a toggle or something for Large creatures, or Goliaths, who have 2x the carrying capacity of a Medium creature with an equal Strength score, and for Small creatures, who have half.

 

[designbot]

I was under the impression that clothes only count as weight if you're carrying them rather than wearing them…
Note on the sheet (which I love), maybe add a toggle or something for Large creatures, or Goliaths, who have 2x the carrying capacity of a Medium creature with an equal Strength score, and for Small creatures, who have half.

The standard rules aren't clear on this. The simplified encumbrance sheet does specify that worn clothing doesn't count toward encumbrance.

Check the latest version—it includes a note about Large and Tiny creatures. (Small creatures actually have the same carrying capacity as Medium ones.)

 

[the_redbeard]

We had the first session of my campaign using my slightly edited version of designbot's sheets (and my group sheet) last night. A short session, but encumbrance came up. An armored character dumped his backpack (labeled on the map) so that they could avoid penalties. The barbarian carried the treasure. So far the players were cool with it, and encumbrance is a part of the game _without_ slowing it down.

 

[Lackhand]

...

Late but perhaps helpful, I've transcribed (very, very, very badly; stripping out all of the beauty of your design!) this sheet into a google doc,
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...rOMuf0RjZuCwhElmgbOVgQ2xok/edit#gid=0&vpid=A1 .
This makes keeping a consistent copy somewhat easier if you play in an environment which makes updating from tablet/phone/whatever easy (we do).

 

[the_redbeard]

I've rated the different equipment packs (explorer's, dungeoneers, etc) for this encumbrance scheme to help new players. It does take a few judgement calls.

ugly word file for packs with simplified encumbrance

 

[Staccat0]

My love for this and my laziness and battling to the death with my desire to slightly tweak it. Really cool stuff.

 

[designbot]

My love for this and my laziness and battling to the death with my desire to slightly tweak it. Really cool stuff.

How would you tweak it?

 

[Staccat0]

How would you tweak it?

A few teensy tiny things. Mainly, I think I'd like to see five faint gray bubbles in the corner of the inventory slots to make tracking things like torches a little cleaner. At least to my stupid brain.

I'd like to cheat padded armor to cost 1 point instead of 2.

Also, if I were already monkeying around with it, in my next campaign I am axing studded leather so I would probably do that too. I really like this though and will probably stick with this than messing with an uglier thing I would make.

 

[designbot]

I gave it a shot: View attachment 5e Inventory Tracking Sheet (Alternate).pdf