Weight Problems

[cignus_pfaccari]

It could be worse.

It could use the Car Wars "grenade-equivalent" system.

The reasoning behind that system did make sense; stuff can be cumbersome beyond its weight. Trying to hold six grenades at once is, definitely. However, it got strange; among other things, you couldn't pick up a spare tire to change it in mid-game, as you didn't know how many grenade-equivalents it was.

Eventually, they went to an "alternate" encumbrance system, using pounds.

Brad

 

[Steverooo]

The Encumbrance System (and I surely HOPE that that's what it is, 'cause the "weight" of a good many weapons is ridiculous, otherwise!) needs a reality check, itself! The "weights" for items are often WAY off...

I have trouble seeing it. I've hiked and camped enough to know better, and I flat-out *KNOW* that I can carry a load of gear that D&D tries to tell me that I can't. Some of the rules are flat-out silly! Ten needles equals a pound, for example... I have a pack of 42, some of which are both large and curved, and they take up no more room than a #11-sized envelope, and weigh mere ounces!

Nope, I posted a query, here, a looooooonnng time ago, about how to reduce ENC when you can't afford another magic item. I didn't get anything more useful than the "drop the pack" idea I was already using, or the wagon/packbeast ideas.

I just calculate my ENC, buy the HHH as my PC's second magic item (right after the Everburning Torch), and keep my ENC just under Medium... Usually, by the time that I've killed something and gained some treasure, I've wasted enough food, water, Tanglefoot Bags, Acid, Holy Water, Alchemists' Fire, and arrows to let me carry out the good stuff.

I wish there was a better way, too. I just grit my teeth, bear it, and calculate the ENC. Converting coin to gems helps, too!