Here's an open letter to the 4E designers: You've got an opportunity to finally fix the D&D encumbrance rules. I've discovered what I think is an extremely simple fix, to simply recalibrate all weights to a coarser granularity -- namely in English "stone" (14 pound units). Here are the advantages:
(1) The numbers are much smaller, so it makes adding up encumbrance a snap.
(2) There are so few distinct values, that a player can likely memorize them with a little use.
(3) It provides additional "old world" flavor while playing the game.
(4) The total number can be used directly as a skill check penalty (thereby getting rid of the separate listing for each armor type).
Example
Let's take an example: 3.0 PHB p. 37, Dwarven Fighter Starting Package. He's got scale mail, large wooden shield, dwarven waraxe, shortbow, backpack, waterskin, rations, bedroll, sack, flint & steel, and 20 arrows.
Under standard rules you're adding up: 30 + 10 + 15 + 2 + 2 + 4 + 1 + 5 + 1/2 + 0 + 3 = 72 1/2 lbs. I find that I need a calculator to do this quickly. His armor check penalty is (-4) + (-2) = -6 from the armor table, or -3 from the Carrying Capacity table (he's got Str 15), so the -6 from the armor table takes priority. (Same as example on 3.0 PHB p. 141).
Under the "stone" recalibration, you're just adding up: 2 + 1 + 1 + 0 + 0 + 1/2 + 0 + 1/2 + 0 + 0 + 0 = 5 stone. That's easily done by sight. Also, we'll use this directly as the skill check penalty, i.e., -5, which is nearly the same as the original system (but eliminating the further two table lookups and comparison).
Summary
In general, armor weighs 1 to 4 stone. Light weapons are 1/2 stone; heavy weapons are 1 stone. Most miscellaneous gear is negligible, with bulkier items adding 1/2 stone. That's pretty easy to memorize, in fact. (Stipulate that anyone carrying a great number of smaller items may be assigned an encumbrance value for them. I say that 500 coins equals 1 stone.)
I've attached an equipment listing for my own "Diminutive d20" game that uses this system below. (As an aside you'll see I also recalibrate all base prices into copper pence, which has its own advantages, but I don't expect anyone to follow suit with that.)
Disclosure
For a lot of reasons, I don't personally expect to get 4E. Nontheless, I 've gotten an enormous amount of enjoyment from D&D over the years, especially 3E, and if I can give something back and save a lot of gamers some amount of heartburn, I'd love to see this suggestion taken up.
(1) The numbers are much smaller, so it makes adding up encumbrance a snap.
(2) There are so few distinct values, that a player can likely memorize them with a little use.
(3) It provides additional "old world" flavor while playing the game.
(4) The total number can be used directly as a skill check penalty (thereby getting rid of the separate listing for each armor type).
Example
Let's take an example: 3.0 PHB p. 37, Dwarven Fighter Starting Package. He's got scale mail, large wooden shield, dwarven waraxe, shortbow, backpack, waterskin, rations, bedroll, sack, flint & steel, and 20 arrows.
Under standard rules you're adding up: 30 + 10 + 15 + 2 + 2 + 4 + 1 + 5 + 1/2 + 0 + 3 = 72 1/2 lbs. I find that I need a calculator to do this quickly. His armor check penalty is (-4) + (-2) = -6 from the armor table, or -3 from the Carrying Capacity table (he's got Str 15), so the -6 from the armor table takes priority. (Same as example on 3.0 PHB p. 141).
Under the "stone" recalibration, you're just adding up: 2 + 1 + 1 + 0 + 0 + 1/2 + 0 + 1/2 + 0 + 0 + 0 = 5 stone. That's easily done by sight. Also, we'll use this directly as the skill check penalty, i.e., -5, which is nearly the same as the original system (but eliminating the further two table lookups and comparison).
Summary
In general, armor weighs 1 to 4 stone. Light weapons are 1/2 stone; heavy weapons are 1 stone. Most miscellaneous gear is negligible, with bulkier items adding 1/2 stone. That's pretty easy to memorize, in fact. (Stipulate that anyone carrying a great number of smaller items may be assigned an encumbrance value for them. I say that 500 coins equals 1 stone.)
I've attached an equipment listing for my own "Diminutive d20" game that uses this system below. (As an aside you'll see I also recalibrate all base prices into copper pence, which has its own advantages, but I don't expect anyone to follow suit with that.)
Disclosure
For a lot of reasons, I don't personally expect to get 4E. Nontheless, I 've gotten an enormous amount of enjoyment from D&D over the years, especially 3E, and if I can give something back and save a lot of gamers some amount of heartburn, I'd love to see this suggestion taken up.
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