I think that encumbrance is one of the most common rules that people skip over, because it gets too complicated to track. However, I think it is still useful to have some reasonable limits on how much characters can carry. So, I came up with this simplified encumbrance system (inspired by similar systems on several D&D blogs).
I'm keeping the existing limits of 10xStr in weight drops your speed by 10' and gives disadvantage on rolls, and 20xStr is your max. However, I'm going to try to make as many things multiples of 5 lbs as possible.
Weight is tracked in 5 places: Armor, Weapons, Beltpouches, Sacks and your Backpack. Round up to the nearest 5lbs within each location. You can also carry things in your hands, but your "standard gear" should all have a location.
Armor: As printed, since everything is in 5lb increments.
Weapons: Here I simplify a lot. There are four possible weights: 2.5lbs, 5lbs, 10lbs, 15lbs. Finesse weapons and Simple Missile weapons start at 2.5 lbs as a base, everything else is 5lbs. Move up one category if Two Handed, another category if Reach (So a short sword is 2.5lbs, a Katana is 5 lbs, and a Glaive is 15 lbs). Ammo is 50 bullets or 20 arrows/bolts per sack(quiver). Common sense limits the number of weapons not in your backpack (e.g. you probably can't have 5 different swords in scabbards on your belt).
Containers: Use common sense to decide what can fit in a pouch, sack or backpack. Pouches count as 2.5lbs each, sacks as 5lbs each. You can get an item during combat from pouches/sacks that have only one type of item with no problem. If the pouch/sack has multiple kinds of items it takes 1d4 rounds to find something, and attackers have advantage while you are searching. Backpacks are either "mostly empty", "half full" or "full", counting as 10 lbs / 30 lbs / 50 lbs depending on how full it is.
Anything that is really awkward might make you encumbered at the DM's discretion even if it's not very heavy (e.g. carrying multiple polearms/10' poles/magical staves).
Here are three examples based on the suggested equipment (Double slash denotes separate pouch/sack). I think it's pretty reasonable, and shows that encumbrance can still matter. The fighter should be fine, but if the Thief has a dump stat 8 Str he's pretty close to being encumbered. The Wizard is fine even with a low strength.
Fighter (Protector)/Soldier:
Chainmail+Shield
Longword, Hand Crossbow
Sack: 20 Bolts // Healer’s Kit
Backpack: Adventurer’s Kit, Soldier stuff
Weight = 40+5; 5+2.5 (round up to 10); 5+5; 30 = 95
Rogue (Thief)/Charlatan:
Leather Armor
Rapier, 5xDaggers
Belt: Thieves tools // small mirror, lampblack, oilcan
Sack: Healer’s Kit // Disguise Kit, vials w/ water
Backpack: adventurer’s kit, rest of the charlatan stuff
Weight = 15; 6*2.5; 2.5+2.5; 5+5; 30 = 75
Wizard/Sage
Robes
Quarterstaff
Sack: Healer's Kit
Backpack: Spellbook, adventurer's kit
Weight: 0; 5; 5; 30 = 40
I'm keeping the existing limits of 10xStr in weight drops your speed by 10' and gives disadvantage on rolls, and 20xStr is your max. However, I'm going to try to make as many things multiples of 5 lbs as possible.
Weight is tracked in 5 places: Armor, Weapons, Beltpouches, Sacks and your Backpack. Round up to the nearest 5lbs within each location. You can also carry things in your hands, but your "standard gear" should all have a location.
Armor: As printed, since everything is in 5lb increments.
Weapons: Here I simplify a lot. There are four possible weights: 2.5lbs, 5lbs, 10lbs, 15lbs. Finesse weapons and Simple Missile weapons start at 2.5 lbs as a base, everything else is 5lbs. Move up one category if Two Handed, another category if Reach (So a short sword is 2.5lbs, a Katana is 5 lbs, and a Glaive is 15 lbs). Ammo is 50 bullets or 20 arrows/bolts per sack(quiver). Common sense limits the number of weapons not in your backpack (e.g. you probably can't have 5 different swords in scabbards on your belt).
Containers: Use common sense to decide what can fit in a pouch, sack or backpack. Pouches count as 2.5lbs each, sacks as 5lbs each. You can get an item during combat from pouches/sacks that have only one type of item with no problem. If the pouch/sack has multiple kinds of items it takes 1d4 rounds to find something, and attackers have advantage while you are searching. Backpacks are either "mostly empty", "half full" or "full", counting as 10 lbs / 30 lbs / 50 lbs depending on how full it is.
Anything that is really awkward might make you encumbered at the DM's discretion even if it's not very heavy (e.g. carrying multiple polearms/10' poles/magical staves).
Here are three examples based on the suggested equipment (Double slash denotes separate pouch/sack). I think it's pretty reasonable, and shows that encumbrance can still matter. The fighter should be fine, but if the Thief has a dump stat 8 Str he's pretty close to being encumbered. The Wizard is fine even with a low strength.
Fighter (Protector)/Soldier:
Chainmail+Shield
Longword, Hand Crossbow
Sack: 20 Bolts // Healer’s Kit
Backpack: Adventurer’s Kit, Soldier stuff
Weight = 40+5; 5+2.5 (round up to 10); 5+5; 30 = 95
Rogue (Thief)/Charlatan:
Leather Armor
Rapier, 5xDaggers
Belt: Thieves tools // small mirror, lampblack, oilcan
Sack: Healer’s Kit // Disguise Kit, vials w/ water
Backpack: adventurer’s kit, rest of the charlatan stuff
Weight = 15; 6*2.5; 2.5+2.5; 5+5; 30 = 75
Wizard/Sage
Robes
Quarterstaff
Sack: Healer's Kit
Backpack: Spellbook, adventurer's kit
Weight: 0; 5; 5; 30 = 40
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