Post by Deleted on Mar 8, 2016 22:16:55 GMT -6
Old "Sage Advice" (Dragon Magazine issue 217)
Q. Just how much stuff can a character carry? I mean, how many things can you cram into a backpack or belt pouch before the thing bursts and how many weapons can a character stash on his body before he become immobile?
A. A character can carry as much equipment as his encumbrance limit allows (see PHB, Table 1, page 14). Capacities for common containers are given in the PHB as well (see Table 50, page 78); a backpack holds 50 pounds and a large belt pouch holds 8 pounds. Technically, a character can carry any number if items if the items' total weight does not exceed the character’s encumbrance limit. The DM can, however, impose a little common sense if a player starts going over the top.
Generally speaking, a character can carry one size M weapon (such as a long sword or a battle axe) on one hip, and a size S weapon (such as a hand axe or short sword) on the other hip. A bandolier over a man-sized character’s torso can hold about three size S weapons, and a character who really wants to be armed to the teeth probably can carry two or three very compact size S weapons, such as daggers, strapped to each leg (bulkier weapons such as short swords and war hammers can’t be this way if the character wants to walk normally). Two-handed weapons such as long bows, pole arms, and two-handed swords really can’t be carried anywhere but in a character’s hands. One two-handed weapon can be strapped across a man-sized character’s back, but the character is going to have a very hard time getting at it quickly. You can figure the character is going to blow a whole round getting the weapon loose, and that is possible only if the character has taken the care to lash it carefully and provide some kind of snap or hook at the shoulder so that the weapon can be pulled loose quickly. Without such precautions, the character probably will have to spend two rounds getting the weapon ready or stand still for a round while a companion undoes all the knots. Of course, a character can cram 50 pounds of weapons into his backpack, provided that all the weapons are no more than three feet long, but getting to them in a hurry is a real problem—out of the question if the character also has a two-handed weapon strapped to his back.
Q. Just how much stuff can a character carry? I mean, how many things can you cram into a backpack or belt pouch before the thing bursts and how many weapons can a character stash on his body before he become immobile?
A. A character can carry as much equipment as his encumbrance limit allows (see PHB, Table 1, page 14). Capacities for common containers are given in the PHB as well (see Table 50, page 78); a backpack holds 50 pounds and a large belt pouch holds 8 pounds. Technically, a character can carry any number if items if the items' total weight does not exceed the character’s encumbrance limit. The DM can, however, impose a little common sense if a player starts going over the top.
Generally speaking, a character can carry one size M weapon (such as a long sword or a battle axe) on one hip, and a size S weapon (such as a hand axe or short sword) on the other hip. A bandolier over a man-sized character’s torso can hold about three size S weapons, and a character who really wants to be armed to the teeth probably can carry two or three very compact size S weapons, such as daggers, strapped to each leg (bulkier weapons such as short swords and war hammers can’t be this way if the character wants to walk normally). Two-handed weapons such as long bows, pole arms, and two-handed swords really can’t be carried anywhere but in a character’s hands. One two-handed weapon can be strapped across a man-sized character’s back, but the character is going to have a very hard time getting at it quickly. You can figure the character is going to blow a whole round getting the weapon loose, and that is possible only if the character has taken the care to lash it carefully and provide some kind of snap or hook at the shoulder so that the weapon can be pulled loose quickly. Without such precautions, the character probably will have to spend two rounds getting the weapon ready or stand still for a round while a companion undoes all the knots. Of course, a character can cram 50 pounds of weapons into his backpack, provided that all the weapons are no more than three feet long, but getting to them in a hurry is a real problem—out of the question if the character also has a two-handed weapon strapped to his back.
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