Encumbrance - Revision history

Tao alexis: /* Determining Encumbrance */

2026-04-18T03:38:49Z

Determining Encumbrance

Tao alexis at 03:37, 18 April 2026

2026-04-18T03:37:18Z

Tao alexis: /* Determining Encumbrance */

2026-04-16T18:18:00Z

Determining Encumbrance

Tao alexis: /* The Campaign */

2025-01-30T18:05:49Z

The Campaign

Tao alexis at 18:01, 30 January 2025

2025-01-30T18:01:42Z

Tao alexis: /* Determining Encumbrance */

2025-01-30T18:01:05Z

Determining Encumbrance

Tao alexis at 17:52, 30 January 2025

2025-01-30T17:52:35Z

Tao alexis at 00:28, 3 December 2022

2022-12-03T00:28:50Z

Tao alexis at 22:28, 4 October 2021

2021-10-04T22:28:11Z

Tao alexis at 22:09, 4 October 2021

2021-10-04T22:09:02Z

@@ Line 7: / Line 7: @@
 == Determining Encumbrance ==
-The determination is made using a straightforward Excel calculator, which can be accessed [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/17he_l43NRLwu1DzYbSfr-fDrGTVuE4wJ/edit?usp=drive_link&ouid=114467354541246086674&rtpof=true&sd=true/view HERE] (and then opened with Google Sheets). Separate tabs allow for calculations specific to "humanoid" and "cartage," with the latter detailing how much an [[Animal|animal]] or team of animals can pull or carry. At the bottom of this page is an image showing the cell formulas for the humanoid Excel sheet, making it easy to replicate.
+The determination is made using a straightforward Excel calculator, which can be accessed [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1GsRkskg5x48Da15LQU36YuKuyFF0oaOJ/edit?usp=drive_link&ouid=114467354541246086674&rtpof=true&sd=true/view HERE] (and then opened with Google Sheets). Separate tabs allow for calculations specific to "humanoid" and "cartage," with the latter detailing how much an [[Animal|animal]] or team of animals can pull or carry. At the bottom of this page is an image showing the cell formulas for the humanoid Excel sheet, making it easy to replicate.
 {| class="wikitable" style="float:left; margin-right: 25px; text-align: center; background-color:#d4f2f2;"

@@ Line 7: / Line 7: @@
 == Determining Encumbrance ==
-The determination is made using a straightforward Excel calculator, which can be accessed [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/17he_l43NRLwu1DzYbSfr-fDrGTVuE4wJ/edit?gid=1352932260#gid=1352932260/view HERE] (and then opened with Google Sheets). Separate tabs allow for calculations specific to "humanoid" and "cartage," with the latter detailing how much an [[Animal|animal]] or team of animals can pull or carry. At the bottom of this page is an image showing the cell formulas for the humanoid Excel sheet, making it easy to replicate.
+The determination is made using a straightforward Excel calculator, which can be accessed [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/17he_l43NRLwu1DzYbSfr-fDrGTVuE4wJ/edit?usp=drive_link&ouid=114467354541246086674&rtpof=true&sd=true/view HERE] (and then opened with Google Sheets). Separate tabs allow for calculations specific to "humanoid" and "cartage," with the latter detailing how much an [[Animal|animal]] or team of animals can pull or carry. At the bottom of this page is an image showing the cell formulas for the humanoid Excel sheet, making it easy to replicate.
 {| class="wikitable" style="float:left; margin-right: 25px; text-align: center; background-color:#d4f2f2;"

@@ Line 7: / Line 7: @@
 == Determining Encumbrance ==
-The determination is made using a straightforward Excel calculator, which can be accessed [https://drive.google.com/file/d/17he_l43NRLwu1DzYbSfr-fDrGTVuE4wJ/view HERE] (and then opened with Google Sheets). Separate tabs allow for calculations specific to "humanoid" and "cartage," with the latter detailing how much an [[Animal|animal]] or team of animals can pull or carry. At the bottom of this page is an image showing the cell formulas for the humanoid Excel sheet, making it easy to replicate.
+The determination is made using a straightforward Excel calculator, which can be accessed [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/17he_l43NRLwu1DzYbSfr-fDrGTVuE4wJ/edit?gid=1352932260#gid=1352932260/view HERE] (and then opened with Google Sheets). Separate tabs allow for calculations specific to "humanoid" and "cartage," with the latter detailing how much an [[Animal|animal]] or team of animals can pull or carry. At the bottom of this page is an image showing the cell formulas for the humanoid Excel sheet, making it easy to replicate.
 {| class="wikitable" style="float:left; margin-right: 25px; text-align: center; background-color:#d4f2f2;"

@@ Line 34: / Line 34: @@
 Ultimately, encumbrance is not just a mechanical constraint but a vital aspect of decision-making. The true challenge is not just how much a character can carry but how they manage their resources under pressure. When properly implemented, encumbrance shifts from a bookkeeping nuisance into an immersive, strategic element that enhances the adventure.
 [[File:Encumbrance Formula.png|center|980px]]
-See Also,<br>
+See also,<br>
 [[Player Characters]]<br>
 [[Submersion in Water]]<br>
 [[The Adventure]]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-[[File:Encumbrance.jpg|right|490px|thumb]]
+[[File:Encumbrance.jpg|right|490px|thumb|The campaign is not about playing "make believe."]]
 '''Encumbrance''' describes the weight that characters and [[Working Animal (sage ability)|working animals]] can carry or pull, which in turn affects their [[Movement (stride)|movement]] and daily [[Travel & Movement|travel]] capabilities. The total weight borne determines a character's available [[Action Points|action points]] (AP), which are derived from their strength, weight, and any exceptional capacity. The greater the burden—whether carried personally, loaded onto a [[Cart|cart]] or [[Wagon|wagon]], or even drawn along a [[Canal|canal]] by a [[Barge (vessel)|barge]]—the fewer AP remain for use.
 __TOC__

@@ Line 7: / Line 7: @@
 == Determining Encumbrance ==
-The determination is made using a straightforward Excel calculator, which can be accessed [https://drive.google.com/file/d/17he_l43NRLwu1DzYbSfr-fDrGTVuE4wJ/view HERE] (and then opened with Google Sheets). Separate tabs allow for calculations specific to "humanoid" and "cartage," with the latter detailing how much an [[Animal|animal]] or team of animals can pull or carry. Below are the cell formulas for the humanoid Excel sheet, making it easy to replicate.
+The determination is made using a straightforward Excel calculator, which can be accessed [https://drive.google.com/file/d/17he_l43NRLwu1DzYbSfr-fDrGTVuE4wJ/view HERE] (and then opened with Google Sheets). Separate tabs allow for calculations specific to "humanoid" and "cartage," with the latter detailing how much an [[Animal|animal]] or team of animals can pull or carry. At the bottom of this page is an image showing the cell formulas for the humanoid Excel sheet, making it easy to replicate.
-[[File:Encumbrance Formula.png|center|980px]]
+{| class="wikitable" style="float:left; margin-right: 25px; text-align: center; background-color:#d4f2f2;"
 |-
 ! colspan="5"|Penalty per range of weight carried in lbs.
@@ Line 23: / Line 17: @@
 | up to 10 || 11-21 || 22-32 || 33-43 || 44-54
 |}
-For example, a halfling weighing 60 lbs., with a strength of 13, inserts those numbers into the boxes for "insert weight" and "insert strength."  The result yields the figures shown in the table.
+Magic and technology offer solutions, but they should remain costly, rare or finite to preserve balance. Bags of holding, levitation or unseen servants can bypass encumbrance limitations, yet overreliance on such tools diminishes the immersive challenge. Likewise, while digital tracking simplifies bookkeeping, encumbrance should remain a factor players actively engage with rather than a passive number they update.
-As a humanoid, the character naturally possesses 5 AP.  The results show that as long as the halfling only carries up to 10 lbs., no penalty to its movement is felt.  However, the next column over, "11-21" (count any fraction above ten as "11") indicates that carrying up to 21 lbs. would reduce the halfling's -1 AP, or "4."  The table also shows that the maximum weight the halfling can carry is 54 lbs.
+Ultimately, encumbrance is not just a mechanical constraint but a vital aspect of decision-making. The true challenge is not just how much a character can carry but how they manage their resources under pressure. When properly implemented, encumbrance shifts from a bookkeeping nuisance into an immersive, strategic element that enhances the adventure.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 [[File:Encumbrance.jpg|right|350px]]
-'''Encumbrance''' describes the burden that characters and [[Working Animal|working animals]] can carry or draw, that in turn impedes how far they can progress with regards to [[Movement (stride)|movement]] and daily [[Travel & Movement|travel]].  How much can be carried determines the character's [[Action Points|action points]] (AP), which are calculated by the character's strength, weight and exceptional capacity.  The more that a character and mount attempts to carry, or attempts to pull in the form of a [[Cart|cart]] or [[Wagon|wagon]], or even a [[Barge (vessel)|barge]] moving along a [[Canal|canal]], the fewer AP are made available.
+'''Encumbrance''' describes the burden that characters and [[Working Animal (sage ability)|working animals]] can carry or draw, that in turn impedes how far they can progress with regards to [[Movement (stride)|movement]] and daily [[Travel & Movement|travel]].  How much can be carried determines the character's [[Action Points|action points]] (AP), which are calculated by the character's strength, weight and exceptional capacity.  The more that a character and mount attempts to carry, or attempts to pull in the form of a [[Cart|cart]] or [[Wagon|wagon]], or even a [[Barge (vessel)|barge]] moving along a [[Canal|canal]], the fewer AP are made available.
 The necessity of tracking encumbrance is a troublesome duty, but no less than would be the actual management of a player character's gear, if such were actually to be stowed away, counted, carefully protected, kept clean or endlessly hunted for when the character can't remember just where the thing was put.  Compelling the character to painstakingly count the weight of things helps remind them of what they do possess, and helps establish game strategies where players make plans to reduce their load just prior to combat, or learn to obtain hirelings who can carry most of their stuff, while still being nearby to promptly hand these things over when requested.  It's understandable that players dislike the inconvenience inherent in having "stuff."  Nevertheless, the DM cannot relent nor show pity for characters who cannot perform simple arithmetic, or learn how to organize their things in a rational, easily added together fashion.