Encumbrance - how strict are you?

[Artoomis]

We are a little lose, but it is an important game balance point. It does not take much to slow down (by encumbrance) a STR 8 wizard, for example.

The expectation is that players will calculate this correctly, but every pound we pick up in not necessarily closely tracked.

 

[starwed]

In the past I've only tracked it for those with low Str scores, or when someones carrying a ridiculous amount of stuff.

Normally the people carrying the most stuff have a decent str and are wearing heavy armor anyway, so it'll seldom make an actual difference.

 

[KarinsDad]

DND has heavy weights for a lot of its equipment.

It is easy to get to Medium load for most PCs unless the character has a real high strength.

Typically, this is not an issue for the fighter types since they tend to already be in medium or heavy armor and they tend to be strong, so they are already slowed down.

I find the problem exists more with the Arcane Casters, Rogues, and Monks who tend to not be as strong and not wearing heavier armor, but still managing to carry hundreds of pounds of stuff around without lowering their movement rates.

So, I check the character sheets about once every 3 months or so.

 

[MarkB]

In tabletop games, I'm not too strict, though I'll keep an eye on low-strength characters and those whose class features rely upon light encumbrance.

In online play-by-post games, where it's easier to track such things without interrupting gameplay, I'm pretty strict.

 

[marune]

DND has heavy weights for a lot of its equipment.

Yeah, the weapons are largly over-weighted. It's a common mistake to think that medieval weapons were "heavy and cumbersome". For more about it : http://www.thearma.org/

 

[Stalker0]

We are very loose with encumberance especially once you have bags of holding. I think we put everything in there But unless we have a low strength caster or a ranger in light armor for example we don't worry about it too much.

 

[marune]

We are very loose with encumberance especially once you have bags of holding. I think we put everything in there But unless we have a low strength caster or a ranger in light armor for example we don't worry about it too much.

Don't forget that Bags of Holding are not much resistant from inside, and that they have a fixed opening size.

One thing I would like to know is how you handle Portable holes (actions needed to place/open it/place something inside/close it/etc.

 

[Kalshane]

Yeah, the weapons are largly over-weighted. It's a common mistake to think that medieval weapons were "heavy and cumbersome". For more about it : http://www.thearma.org/

I like to HR it as "effective encumberance". That bastard sword doesn't actually weigh 6lbs, but strapping it to your back does limit your mobility a little bit more than simply having a 3.5-4lb weight in your backpack.

Also, I believe the weapon prices include any neccessary scabbards, belts and straps you need to carry the weapon, which is likely also figured into the weight.

As a player, I keep a close eye on my encumberance. As a DM, I trust my players to keep track, but when things seem odd, or they're trying to haul a lot of stuff I ask them to verify what kind of load they're carrying.

 

[Kularian]

I once caught someone carrying 40, that is 40 with a zero, shortbows and no bags at all!

That's nothing. Before our group started to pay attention, I once had a Ranger with 4 suits of half-plate, 1 suit of full plate, several assorted weapons, and many other things that I couldn't have possibly carried. No bags, no HHH, no nothin'. It was after this event that we paid attention to what was being carried,

But all-in-all, we aren't that strict. Unless the class requires you to be no more than lightly-encumbered, we eyeball it for the most part. The players keep track of what they have, and are usually honest when it comes to such rules. Occassionally, they'll be maybe 10 pounds over, but that's not such a big deal. I guess it depends, really, heh

 

[Votan]

I have the joy of a group that tracks this so well that I think that I'd have trouble improving; they go so far as to calculate trading of equipment between players so high strength characters can help out the lower strength guys.

It doesn't hurt that the druid character has a base 18 strength!