D&D 5E Encumbrance Variant

[Prakriti]

Has anyone used the Encumbrance variant on p. 176 of the PHB? It add tiers of encumbrance. Basically:

Carrying 5 x Strength = "Encumbered," -10 speed
Carrying 10 x Strength = "Heavily Encumbered," -20 speed
Carrying 15 x Strength = Immobile

In previous editions, the rules differentiated between worn and carried armor, so a suit of splint armor, for example, weighed less than its 60 pounds when worn. This doesn't seem to be the case in 5E (unless I missed something).

What this means, effectively, is that any character in heavy armor is going to be encumbered. A level-1 character with 16 Strength, for example, can carry up to 80 pounds without being encumbered. But chain mail, shield, and longsword alone add up to about 64 pounds. By my calculation, a level-1 Fighter with just the basic starting gear is carrying 135 pounds. That's well into Encumbered territory and getting close to Heavily Encumbered (-20 speed).

So -- is this intended? If so, does it work well in play? Or does it just unfairly punish heavy-armor wearers?

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Yeah. That rule is harsh. Right now I tend to mix both rules. If you have the required strength for armor, your speed is not reduced by 10 when wearing heavy armor.

 

[Xeviat]

The variant looks too small across all levels. I liked the old 3E chart.


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[thethain]

Variant is just absurdly restrictive, and too micro managing.

A Fighter with 16 starting STR is 30lbs away from heavily encumbered..

Weight max is really for me just a tool to say "You can't walk back to town with literally everything"

 

[Horwath]

Variant is just absurdly restrictive, and too micro managing.

A Fighter with 16 starting STR is 30lbs away from heavily encumbered..

Weight max is really for me just a tool to say "You can't walk back to town with literally everything"

Unless you are Crazy Ivan:



Crazy Ivan can carry everything!

 

[Sadras]

A possible way to incorporate the variant rule is by making armour more significant. In an effort to make fights deadlier with the ever inflatable hit point pool, I've thought of imposing (stealing) a rule from the Westeros RPG system whereby every 5 above the required number reflects an additional success. So if the target AC is 17 and one manages to obtain a 22 on the roll (inclusive of bonuses), then the damage die of the weapon/spell is rolled a second time (like the standard rules for a natural 20).
That would certainly increase the value of heavier armour when attempting to mitigate further damage from additional successes.

With spells saves (such as fireball), it would mean a failure of 5 or more, but I haven't yet sat down to think how armour would play a roll in that as yet.

 

[CydKnight]

I am pretty easy-going with the encumbrance rules in games I run. Where I start to cast a narrower gaze is when I see characters trying to loot 3 sets of plate mail off of some Hobgoblins they killed, or other ridiculously cumbersome items, and think they can go trudging through the wilderness or rest of the dungeon carrying that and all of their other gear without repercussions.

 

[thalmin]

I use the variant Encumbrace rules as written. Seems about right, but I started with 1E.

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

Has anyone used the Encumbrance variant on p. 176 of the PHB? It add tiers of encumbrance. Basically:

Carrying 5 x Strength = "Encumbered," -10 speed
Carrying 10 x Strength = "Heavily Encumbered," -20 speed
Carrying 15 x Strength = Immobile

In previous editions, the rules differentiated between worn and carried armor, so a suit of splint armor, for example, weighed less than its 60 pounds when worn. This doesn't seem to be the case in 5E (unless I missed something).

What this means, effectively, is that any character in heavy armor is going to be encumbered. A level-1 character with 16 Strength, for example, can carry up to 80 pounds without being encumbered. But chain mail, shield, and longsword alone add up to about 64 pounds. By my calculation, a level-1 Fighter with just the basic starting gear is carrying 135 pounds. That's well into Encumbered territory and getting close to Heavily Encumbered (-20 speed).

So -- is this intended? If so, does it work well in play? Or does it just unfairly punish heavy-armor wearers?

Presumably, that heavily-armored PC is supposed to put down all of his camping gear when it's time to fight. Note that plate armor and chain mail weigh almost the same (65 lb. vs. 55 lb.), so it's not like his combat gear weight is going to go up over time. Anyone with Str 15+ can fight unencumbered in plate armor + shield + longsword. Coincidentally, that matches the 15+ to fight unencumbered when you're using regular encumbrance rules.

I'd say that's definitely intended--the variant encumbrance is for tables that don't like PCs who carry everything around on their backs all the time. ObLabyrinth: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8B56YRizoTc

 

[Cyrinishad]

I use the variant encumbrance as written, and it works very well. If you want to carry a bunch of gear, and wear heavy armor, you're going to want to get yourself a horse... Or unarmored opponents will outmaneuver you or be able to run away... and that's exactly what should be happening.