How to PCs carry all their stuff?

[el-remmen]

The disadvantage is being heavily encumbered and the penalties that gives you in movement/combat.

Ever notice that the listed weights for things in D&D are a little heavier than normal? I always figured that was because that "weight" is taking into account how awkward it is to carry.

For example, a backpack by itself "weighs" two pounds. But in reality I doubt there are many backpacks that weigh a full pound by itself, but backpack can be awkward, shifting your balance unexpectedly as you move and restrict your arm movement some; thus, 2 lbs + whatever is inside of it.

In my games, we have a standing rule. It is assumed that if you are above light encumbrance that you drop your pack and extraneous gear at the beginning of a fight. We mark on the battlemat where the fight started and if your sheet says you keep your potions in your backpack, you need to make your way back to it if you want to use it mid-fight. It makes for some awesome scenes and great tension. It also means that sometimes PCs make the sacrifice and keep their gear on and take the penalties.

 

[Jdvn1]

For example, a backpack by itself "weighs" two pounds. But in reality I doubt there are many backpacks that weigh a full pound by itself, but backpack can be awkward, shifting your balance unexpectedly as you move and restrict your arm movement some; thus, 2 lbs + whatever is inside of it.

Some big backpacks are over two pounds. Like, for hiking and lost-distance travelling and such. I always figured the D&D backpacks were this sort, where you have tons of places to hold things.

You're right, though. Some items are over-weighted.

 

[Balgus]

I played a barb that at lower levels had a riding oxe. I died in a battle one day against an ogre and my group cooked it. They dragged me home and had me revived- but no oxe- Slash sad...

Then we got a bag of holding. and then another- and then another....and that's the end of that.

 

[Felon]

I think there are plenty of illustrations out there of advanturers loaded with gear.

Used to bother me too when I was DM'ing. I would call players on it, until I realized there was very little gain in slowing down gameplay to pester people about how they're carrying their stuff.

I remember the recent article about "proud nails", where DM's wrote in to discuss areas of the rules that they modified to suit their group's needs. One was this DM who went on about how he slammed a player with a -4 penalty to all Dex skills because he was carrying a greatsword strapped to his back. I reallly wondered about that guy. Putting aside the excessiveness of the penalty relative to the penalty armor and shields impose, he actually thought it was such a noteworthy demonstration of DM wisdom that he ought to share it with everyone.

 

[Ed_Laprade]

Some big backpacks are over two pounds. Like, for hiking and lost-distance travelling and such. I always figured the D&D backpacks were this sort, where you have tons of places to hold things.

You're right, though. Some items are over-weighted.

And that's a modern nylon, or whatever, one. I used to have an old, normal sized, WWII backpack made of canvass. It must have weighed at least two pounds. Probably more. That's the sort the PCs are probably using.

 

[Tsillanabor]

I agree-older military packs were MUCH heavier than newer one. Especially if they got wet.

Unless a character starts trying to carry a ridiculous amount of stuff I tend to ignore encumbrance.

 

[Hairfoot]

I always presumed the PHB backpack to be a big, framed traveller's pack. They'd be fairly heavy if built from the material available at D&D's tech level.

 

[Uder]

The first rule of encumbrance is... you don't talk about encumbrance.

At our table it's one of those things - much like mundane ammunition, rations and the ability to start a fire - that we stop worrying about after 3rd-4th level.

 

[Terwox]

The first rule of encumbrance is... you don't talk about encumbrance.

At our table it's one of those things - much like mundane ammunition, rations and the ability to start a fire - that we stop worrying about after 3rd-4th level.

Totally. My players carry their loot "abstractly."

I pay attention to encumberance if stuff is getting silly, or on the low-str characters, otherwise, blah. Maybe it's on a pack mule or something.

If a person wanted to have the level of detail as to what stuff was in which bag, that would be cool -- personally, I'm only interested in where weapons and holy symbols/spell components are stashed about a person. (And that's far more for glamour than for mechanics.)

 

[ephemeron]

For an interesting comparison, take a look at http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/modernwarriorload/ModernWarriorsCombatLoadReport.pdf -- it's a US Army report on what infantry soldiers carried in Afghanistan in 2003. The most useful lesson for D&D characters may be that you should arrange your stuff by how much you're likely to need it in battle, so you can drop containers to fight without encumbrance penalties.