D&D 5E Simple Encumbrance system (to make Strength matter)?

[Tonguez]

Heres a simple system I saw somewhere
A PC can carry half their Str in Stones (round up) so Str 18 = 9 stones

• Light, Medium and Heavy armor weighs 1, 2 and 3 stones respectively.
• Most weapons weigh 1 stone unless they have the Heavy property (2-handed weapons, large bows), then they weigh 2 stones.
• Medium-sized, important items weigh 1 stone. (50ft of rope, a loaded backpack, a spellbook)
• Heavy or bulky items weigh 2 stones (carrying a chest, a rolled up tapestry slung over the shoulder).
• Small items and weapons (daggers, knives, slings) are not tracked and PCs can assume they have them within reason (and GM’s discretion).

Warrior (16 Str) with heavy plate (3), shield (1) a long sword (1) and a backpack is at 6 out of 8 stones.
A Wizard (8 Str) with a quarterstaff, spellbook and loaded backpack is at 3 out 4 stones.

A Cleric (14 Str) with scale mail(2), shield, mace, heavy crossbow(2), a loaded backpack and carrying a bag of gold is at 8 out of 7 stones and encumbered.

When Encumbered make a DC 10 Con check, fail gains a level of exhaustion

 

[Cap'n Kobold]

I've never played in a game where encumbrance was strictly tracked, but I do want to point out that if you are using point buy or standard array that the 8 usually has to go somewhere. Unless you are playing a mostly SAD character, you just don't have enough points to put 10-12 in all your off stats. Take the standard high elf wizard as an example. You want 16 int, 14-16 dex, decent con, and as much wis as you can spare. Assuming a 14 dex, 13 con to prepare for resilient, and a 12 wis, you can have two 10s in cha and str but can't get to a 12 in either without an 8 in the other. If you want to start with 16 dex for a higher armor class the problem gets even worse. I do try to play to my weaknesses, but strict encumbrance tracking designed to make people value strength would make me much more reluctant to play a caster or any MAD non strength character simply because I can't put a decent strength score without rolled stats or dumping something equally important. I'm not saying an encumbrance system is bad, just that it's hard to avoid having a low strength if your class doesn't focus on it.

Edit: By playing to my weaknesses in this case I mean not carrying much more than my gear if i'm weak.

That sounds like the system is working. You could choose to take less Dex, Con, or Wis, and not dump Str if you didn't want to play a character who was physically weak, with all the penalties that implies.
Note that in the absence of encumbrance, there are very few penalties for dumping your Str.
It is exactly as hard to avoid having a low strength as it is to avoid having a low any other stat.
Strict encumbrance tracking merely brings Str towards the level of some of the other abilities. - The only thing this does is make it a bit harder to min/max a non-strength character.

Strength characters have exactly the same issues: they would rather not dump Dex, for example, because ranged attacks, some useful skills and initiative all key off Dex.

 

[DND_Reborn]

Again, I would like to emphasize that a STR 10 is normal, and with the normal encumbrance rules allows you to carry 150 lbs without worrying about it and no effect on movement!

Now, if you use the variant option and have normal encumbrance of STR x5, this is still 50 lbs. Only a character in heavy armor should fine that restricting IMO unless you are trying to carry a lot of gear. And even for heavy armors, you are likely to have a STR 13 or much higher.

Even using the variant rule, though sometimes a bit tight, I have never found it to keep me from having the stuff that really matters. At lower levels and for more extended journeys, pack animals or hired bearers works well IME.

So ultimately, using the default STR x15 without the variant is plenty. If you are finding that restrictive, stop carry hardware stores on your back.

 

[Adamant]

To be clear, I don't find the default rules restrictive, even with my 6 strength kobold monk, but with the strength x5 variant a 10 strength character can't even carry their explorer's pack without being encumbered. A 12 strength character can carry the pack but only has 1 pound free after. Again, I don't mind trying to boost strength based characters, I just don't want to punish casters and monks while I'm at it. I think this is why the OP didn't just use the variant rule right out of the player's handbook. Personally, I hate dumping int and I try to avoid dumping str, but sometimes I have to choose between one of the two. I think monks are the most extreme example of the problem, since they have to max 2 stats for their most important abilities and their ac, but medium and heavy armor characters under the default variant rules would be unable to carry their armor and a pack without being encumbered even with 16 strength. While you could drop the pack, as someone else pointed out that means you can't draw your weapon that turn without using your action. What I think is underestimated is the impact of -10 speed in the first 2 rounds of combat.

Edit: I just realized, maybe the problem isn't the weakness of strength but the big three, little three design for the stats. The importance of dex, con, and wis means it really hurts to have a low score in them, even at the cost of being unable to have high scores in other areas. For casters it's worse, because your ac depends on dex as well.

Edit 2: Just did some math, a caster cleric would have to have 12 strength or more simply to carry their pack and armor without being heavily encumbered until they could afford a breastplate. While that is possible without going to an 8 in another stat, that's just to carry their essential equipment, leaving no room for an above average strength character to carry anything else.

 

[Horwath]

Again, I would like to emphasize that a STR 10 is normal, and with the normal encumbrance rules allows you to carry 150 lbs without worrying about it and no effect on movement!

Now, if you use the variant option and have normal encumbrance of STR x5, this is still 50 lbs. Only a character in heavy armor should fine that restricting IMO unless you are trying to carry a lot of gear. And even for heavy armors, you are likely to have a STR 13 or much higher.

Even using the variant rule, though sometimes a bit tight, I have never found it to keep me from having the stuff that really matters. At lower levels and for more extended journeys, pack animals or hired bearers works well IME.

So ultimately, using the default STR x15 without the variant is plenty. If you are finding that restrictive, stop carry hardware stores on your back.

I agree that PHB rules are far than generous with weight allowance, but then again they have missed weight of 90% of weapons by a big margin. Almost every weapon is 50-100% overweight in PHB and many armours are also too heavy.

 

[Ancalagon]

I take the Black Hack inventory management system:

Number of slots = to str score, x 1.5 for those with the Powerful build trait
Most items take 1 slot.
Small items (gems, same type potions, daggers) of the same types can be stacked up to 5 per slot
Coins stacked up to 250 pieces per slot
Heavy items or those with str requirement take 2 slot.

Rations/light/ammo take 1 slot each and are tracked with dice: 1d4 to 1d20. Roll when you camp or after combat, depending on the usage. On a roll of 1 or 2, reduce the size of the die by one.

The GLOG has something quite similar. Troika! has no strength score so it's just a default of 12 slots, which works well.

 

[Arvok]

Quick thought:
At the end of each day have the PCs make a Con save vs. exhaustion with their Str modifier added in also. Anyone who fails the save suffers one level of exhaustion for every 5 points they miss the save (DC is set by DM, depending on how hard the day was). Any character carrying a medium load or heavier (and you could SWAG that as DM) suffers disadvantage on the save.

 

[Arvok]

I agree that PHB rules are far than generous with weight allowance, but then again they have missed weight of 90% of weapons by a big margin. Almost every weapon is 50-100% overweight in PHB and many armours are also too heavy.

The PHB weapon weights are supposed to include the weight of the scabbard and any other associated things. That makes it a little bit better for swords and such, but the weights are still off.

 

[DND_Reborn]

To be clear, I don't find the default rules restrictive, even with my 6 strength kobold monk, but with the strength x5 variant a 10 strength character can't even carry their explorer's pack without being encumbered. A 12 strength character can carry the pack but only has 1 pound free after. Again, I don't mind trying to boost strength based characters, I just don't want to punish casters and monks while I'm at it. I think this is why the OP didn't just use the variant rule right out of the player's handbook. Personally, I hate dumping int and I try to avoid dumping str, but sometimes I have to choose between one of the two. I think monks are the most extreme example of the problem, since they have to max 2 stats for their most important abilities and their ac, but medium and heavy armor characters under the default variant rules would be unable to carry their armor and a pack without being encumbered even with 16 strength. While you could drop the pack, as someone else pointed out that means you can't draw your weapon that turn without using your action. What I think is underestimated is the impact of -10 speed in the first 2 rounds of combat.

Edit: I just realized, maybe the problem isn't the weakness of strength but the big three, little three design for the stats. The importance of dex, con, and wis means it really hurts to have a low score in them, even at the cost of being unable to have high scores in other areas. For casters it's worse, because your ac depends on dex as well.

Edit 2: Just did some math, a caster cleric would have to have 12 strength or more simply to carry their pack and armor without being heavily encumbered until they could afford a breastplate. While that is possible without going to an 8 in another stat, that's just to carry their essential equipment, leaving no room for an above average strength character to carry anything else.

Well, when you consider the example of the explorer's pack, think about what is in it:

Backpack (5 lbs.), containing:
bedroll (7)
mess kit (1)
tinderbox (1)
10 torches (10)
10 days of rations (20)
waterskin (5)

and 50 feet of hemp rope (10) strapped to the side.

Now, a backpack can only hold up to 30 lbs. of stuff. This "pack" has 44 lbs. already, almost 50% more than a backpack is suppose to be able to hold. So, I don't put much stock in the 5E design team for this bit of brilliance.

If you assume instead the bedroll is strapped to the top (common enough), the mess kit and tinderbox are both tied or hooked to a side, as well as the waterskin, then only the 10 torches and 10 days of rations are inside, the full 30 lbs of capacity.

However you look at it, this is a good amount of gear to be carrying around. 10 days of food (even rations) is heavy and bulky, torches are not small by any means. a 50' coil of rope is bulky, and a rolled up bedroll is also a hefty thing really. So, I could see a normal person (STR 10) being hampered by a load such as this.

Here are the rough weights of the different packs in the PHB:

• Burglar's = 47.5
• Diplomat's = 36
• Dungeoneer's = 61.5
• Entertainer's = 38
• Explorer's = 59
• Priest's = 25
• Scholar's = 11.25

Even if you (or whoever) feel the weights aren't accurate that's fine, but I think a lot of players bog down their PCs with too much gear without a lot of thought and then end up complaining about the weight. What you might consider essential, others might consider excessive.

As for your edit#2, IMO the weight associated with the big three scores vs. the little three is overblown in most cases. How important CON and DEX are depends a lot on how much combat your game has in many cases. WIS is used a lot in exploration and some decent amount in social even. While I wouldn't want to have a penalty in these scores, I also don't like a penalty in STR, INT, or CHA if possible.

Too much importance is placed on maxing out a prime score or two if possible, even though a good score (say 14-16) is usually sufficient, even if it makes the game a bit more challenging.

 

[iserith]

Side note on this based on my experience with the variant encumbrance rules. I've run dozens of players through scenarios using them. Here are a couple of observations:

1. Players hate any hit to speed. Even when they are in a dungeon with a lot of close-quarters combat, the thought of losing 10 feet off their speed is completely unacceptable to them. They will work to get around that speed hit by any means they can, even if in context it doesn't actually matter all that much.

2. Players will not stash their backpacks - it must be on their person at all times. In my games, I make it an action in combat to disentangle oneself from a cumbersome pack on par with doffing a shield. I've suggested they just find a place to put the backpack and come back to it if they need some gear, but they look at me like I'm crazy.

These two issues combined have caused almost every single group I've run through such scenarios to bring hirelings along to carry their stuff. Also, if races with powerful build are an option, someone's probably going to take it. However, powerful build and variant encumbrance has a weird interaction by the strict letter of the wording such that you're still technically encumbered like everyone else even though you can carry more. So that would probably need an adjustment to work better.