How much equipment can a PC carry?

[tetsujin28]

I would just use the encumberance rules.

Exactly. A PC can carry what a PC can carry.

 

[LostSoul]

Here's something from the old Ghostbusters game. It keeps track of things in "hands".

Hands:
Basically, anything that can be put into a pocket and never thought of again, and that can be manipulated by one hand counts as 0 'hands' of space. Example: A cigarette lighter.

An object that can be carried in one hand but requires two hands to operate effectively with is 1 1/2 'hands' of space. Example: a baseball bat

An object that requires two hands to even carry is a two hand item. Example: a Proton Pack.

Larger items (such as refrigerators) should be restricted according to your common sense. Remember we're not talking weight, here we're also talking pure bulk, too. A large box kite may only weight next to nothing, but still takes up two 'hands' worth of space.

As far as allocating the equipment, a ghostbuster has room for one 'hands' worth of stuff on his head (when outfitted correctly, like a miner's helmet), two on his back (with straps like a parachute), two spaces for one 'hands' items on his belt, and two spaces for one 'hand' items at the end of his arms (Otherwise known as "The Hands"). There is more room for stuff (a policeman could easily have five hands worth of stuff on his belt), but these are reasonable limits.

 

[Xombie Master]

Try and climb anything with all that stuff protruding off of you. You might have the potential weight limit, but let's be real. The occasional "armed to the teeth" character is cool, but enough is enough.

Also, when a character with that many valuables (weapons are expensive to the poor) strolls into town, he should have to occasionally deal with potential muggers. Sorry but six weapons is not intimidating unless you have six hands. Even then, thugs might just have six friends.

 

[Thanee]

Sure, you can carry hammers in your boots, as long as the boots are in your backpack!

Hey, it could be worse, he could wear a spiked chain as a necklace, and a flexible titanium halberd as a belt.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Steverooo]

2 Long swords on his back
2 Short swords on his waist
2 Quivers on his waist
1 Bow over the shoulder
2 Hammers, 1 in each boot

Would you allow this?

Yup. I have carried a pack, two quivers, a bow, a machette under the pack, a knife and handaxe on the belt... The hammers in the boots, barring special custom-built boots with sheaths, I wouldn't allow.

Two quivers is not unusual, either. With the high rates of fire at high levels, especially with Rapid Shot, 20 arrows just isn't much! You can go through that in a few rounds!

Also, historically, belt quivers were the norm. The back-quiver was used by American indians, not Robin Hood. Since they are almost as long as the arrows, and attached to the belt by loops of leather, they tend to hang DOWN, no matter which way you bend. I've never had a problem with drawing arrows from one, either.

The one thing I DO see a problem with is carrying (and drawing) a bow on/from the back with TWO longswords sticking up! On a Fumble, I'd rule the bow wasn't drawn! (Now this one, I haven't tried!)

 

[Steverooo]

Try and climb anything with all that stuff protruding off of you.

Bah! American soldiers are expected to take hills carrying 7+ magazines, four grenades, a 50# full field pack, a bayonet, a flak vest, a helmet, and an M-16 (possibly with a rifle-integral grenade-launcher)! They climb with all that, too. I have climbed with all the gear listed above, save the bow and quivers (and I don't think that those would make that much difference). Just enforce the Encumbrance Penalties for Medium/Heavy Enc. (An additional -3 to Climb, IIRC)

 

[Conaill]

Seems *feasible*, but I would expect a good fraction of NPCs to burst out laughing when they see the PC in question!

 

[Xombie Master]

Bah! American soldiers are expected to take hills carrying 7+ magazines, four grenades, a 50# full field pack, a bayonet, a flak vest, a helmet, and an M-16 (possibly with a rifle-integral grenade-launcher)! They climb with all that, too. I have climbed with all the gear listed above, save the bow and quivers (and I don't think that those would make that much difference). Just enforce the Encumbrance Penalties for Medium/Heavy Enc. (An additional -3 to Climb, IIRC)

Bah! right back at ya, it wasn't weight I was talking about it was size and shape. The only thing you listed that's as long as a long sword is the M-16. Clips don't stick out all over like swords, and bows. My dad's an ex-marine, I'll ask him if he wants to have to lug around two M-16s strapped to his back, two machettes on his hips. How about the "comfort" of two 45s in your jungle boots. All marines want in their boots is fresh socks, maybe a knife sheath if your a Chuck Norris fan, but belt seems more logical.

I'm not saying a guy couldn't pull it off, but why go through all that discomfort, when this sounds so much more reasonable and logical:

1x Longsword
1x Shortsword
2x Quiver, (one hip open, one back covered)
1x Hammer (hanging from pack)
1x Short Bow (In hand unless needs to be strung)

Note: I know for some that saying this is like beating a dead horse, but long bows are LONG! Sure you could sling one over your shoulder, if you didn't have the two longswords strapped there.

Items should have carry limits like magic items. One shoulder slung, two belt hung, one boot (tiny or smaller). One two handed. One bow. I mean what's the point of cool items like Handy Haversacks, and Quivers of Ehlonna if you don't need them.

Just my two gold!

 

[Romnipotent]

one thing to say to the player "Sure, mr clink clink clink clink clink clink."

 

[Darth K'Trava]

I had a ranger who had in his possession:

2 Longswords
1 Shortsword
1 Longbow
1 Crossbow
2 Daggers
1 Handaxe
1 Light Mace

Granted about half that was put on his horse. He actually carried 1 longsword, one shortsword, the daggers and the longbow on his person. Along with the quiver for the bow. It was the running joke for him being the "Weapons Rack" since he had all those weapons (I never got rid of any weapon even when I got a new, magical one to "replace" it with).