Simple Encumbrance for OSR
I'm working on a set of simple encumbrance rules that can work with relative ease with any version of TSR D&D or D&D retro clone. The following system owes a great deal to a bunch of "slot-based" encumbrance systems that other designers have created. It's based primarily on Ben Milton's Knave and an idea I took from Kevin Crawford's Worlds Without Number. The version presented below was written specifically for Swords & Wizardry Complete Revised. If you're adapting it for a different version of D&D, you might get slightly different results depending on how your rules handle "to-hit bonuses" for Strength.
Item-Based Encumbrance
For rules purposes, an item is an abstraction representing an object that could be easily carried in one hand, generally no longer than a common sword and no heavier than about 5-10 pounds. Heavier objects, two-handed weapons, or very bulky or awkward objects count as two items.
Small objects that are generally sold as a bundle (arrows, caltrops, torches, etc.) count as one item per bundle. Very small objects don’t count toward encumbrance except in extraordinary quantities. The clothing and jewelry a character is wearing doesn’t usually count toward encumbrance, but worn armor does.
Treasure also counts toward encumbrance. Treat every 1,000 coins or gems as 1 item (round down, so any bundle of fewer than 1,000 coins doesn’t count).
Maximum Items Carried
A character can carry 5 + “to-hit modifier” ready items and 10 + “to-hit modifier” stowed items.
Ready Items
Ready items represent equipment commonly carried in a
character’s hands, on their belts, and in other easily accessible locations. These
include armor worn, sheathed weapons, etc. A character can usually access a
readied item without taking any extra time during a combat round. Each
character can carry up to 5 readied items, plus or minus the “to-hit modifier”
determined by their Strength.
Stowed Items
Stowed items are any items tucked away in backpacks, bundled
and stored in sacks, and otherwise carried with an eye toward transportability over
quick access. It takes at least one round to retrieve a stowed item (and could
take longer at the GM’s discretion). A character can carry up to 10 stowed
items, plus or minus their “to-hit modifier”. Although the system is somewhat
abstract, the GM might require a player to declare where these items are
stored: a backpack, a sack, etc.
Overburdened
A character who carries more than their maximum allotment of
items becomes overburdened. An overburdened character suffers a -5 penalty to
attack rolls, suffers a 2 point penalty to AC, and loses any Dexterity and
shield bonus to AC. They generally cannot dodge traps and other hazards, automatically
failing saving throws that require mobility.
GM Notes
Separating a character’s carried equipment into ready and stowed items gives the referee a number of options during play. A character who loses access to their backpack might also lose access to their stowed equipment. Getting blasted with a fireball might carry the possibility of damaging ready items. In a particularly chaotic combat, perhaps the player must roll under their Intelligence each round in order to retrieve a stowed item.
Finally, remember that this system is intentionally abstract. Feel free to apply the effects of being overburdened to any character lugging a very heavy object (a large rock or an anvil for example), regardless of how many items he or she is carrying.
Analysis
The following breakdown illustrates how many items a character of a given Strength score can carry, both ready and stowed.
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