Alternative to item weight in Inventory

[RealMarkP]

The one aspect of D&D that gets overlooked is the weight of items and resulting encumbrance. As a DM, I sometimes forget to say the weight of an item and as a player, I sometimes forget to write down weights. So, Is there a better way of doing this, one that does not require reliance on weight (lbs)?

One concept that I'm trying to mull over is using weight categories: none, light, medium, heavy, etc. A character can carry X number of light items, Y number of heavy, etc.

[sirpercival]

Here's an alternative: ignore it completely.


(i didn't say it was a good alternative)

[Risada]

Here's an alternative: ignore it completely.

I do this when DM'ing... and none of my players tried to exploit it yet.

[RealMarkP]

As a player, this was the general consensus and we all ignored it. I didn't realize how much this impacted the game when, as a squishy wizard, I was carrying around massive tomes, armor, swords, etc. I managed to exploit it purely by accident.

Maybe, as a simple rule, say that you're allowed to carry X heavy items, where X is your strength (or mod?).

I'd like to keep a cap on the amount of crap you can carry. An alternative, as a DM, is to issue portable holes for everyone at the start of the campaign. Seems a bit much, IMO.

[Halinn]

My groups always seem to end up with at least one bag of holding around level 3 or so, specifically to avoid those issues. Beyond that it's a fairly simple logic check whether or not a character could carry X item or not.

[kurashu]

Here's an alternative: ignore it completely.

I do this when DM'ing... and none of my players tried to exploit it yet.

This. It's no fun when I have a computer doing it for me (see: Oblivion, Skyrim, Fallout; Dragon Age for a variant), so it is probably going to be an even bigger fun killer if I have to do it. As long as no one tries anything funny, I don't care. And even if someone tries something funny, it can countered by, "Roll a strength check to see if you can. If you fail, roll a fortitude check to avoid a hernia." That'll usually stop any actual abuse.

[mrorangesoda]

A handy haversack/bag of holding is probably the best alternative.

[SneeR]

You could always make weight benefit players, too. So, every 10 lb you carry could also grant you a +1 bonus to stability (as the dwarven ability, which it stacks with). Weak people will still avoid carrying so much, but will appreciate the bonus. Strong ones will pack on as much weight as they can!

[veekie]

I just made a cheap extradimensional storage item for the players, defined by volume rather than weight(basically a small portable hole). As its inconvenient to open in combat, it basically lets them cart around all their extra fun stuff without changing combat much.

[RealMarkP]

Cool, I'll probably ignore it or maybe put a cap on how many "big" items you can carry.

Another, similar question: Do you enforce material components for casting spells? I enforce divine focus only, but don't really care about any material component.

[Unbeliever]

Cool, I'll probably ignore it or maybe put a cap on how many "big" items you can carry.

Another, similar question: Do you enforce material components for casting spells? I enforce divine focus only, but don't really care about any material component.

No.  Most awesome heroic spellcasters in literature do not haul around shops full of bat guano and tiny scraps of tin.  It's not cool and creates bookkeeping, therefore we ignore it. 


I don't even know if we're strict about the divine focus component b/c it hardly ever comes up.  I can see the argument for it, channeling god and some such, but I also don't like it.  The baddies strip your priest of his holy symbol and his entire class become so much dead weight.  Of course, if I were playing such a character I'd probably respond by scratching my holy symbol into the dirt or even carving it into my hand.  That will show them to doubt the power of Pelor/Obad-Hai/Tyr/awesomesauce.

[Generic_PC]

I don't even know if we're strict about the divine focus component b/c it hardly ever comes up.

Yeah, in our group, divine spellcasters can have their holy symbol anywhere: on their platemail, for Clerics or Paladins. As their weapon, if they're more martial. As long as they have a holy symbol or something similar nearby, they can cast.

[RealMarkP]

No.  Most awesome heroic spellcasters in literature do not haul around shops full of bat guano and tiny scraps of tin.  It's not cool and creates bookkeeping, therefore we ignore it. 

It feels as if the material components were a bit of a joke to begin with, back when D&D was full of micro-management and bookkeeping. It still is, to a degree (ie. Sesame seeds for the Passwall spell).

In the last game I DMed, players had the option of buying a magical component belt or a harness with pockets, which would generate common materials for spells from Core books (similar to Eschew Materials, but for a specific level). A belt covered one specific level and drawing from the belt was a free action. Exotic spell components were enforced (anything non core) but could be added to the belt in some fashion. Given the fact that you can only wear one belt, it became easier for the caster to swap belts mid-fight (ie. free action to unclip and drop the belt, move action to put on). A minor inconvenience which the players didn't mind.

[Unbeliever]

I don't even know if we're strict about the divine focus component b/c it hardly ever comes up.

Yeah, in our group, divine spellcasters can have their holy symbol anywhere: on their platemail, for Clerics or Paladins. As their weapon, if they're more martial. As long as they have a holy symbol or something similar nearby, they can cast.

There's also real-world precedent for this.  People used to swear on sword hilts b/c they looked like crosses, viz. Hamlet.

[archangel.arcanis]

Spell component pouch basically covers every non-costly component anyway. If a player has one I assume anything without a cost is covered. Even if they do have a cost, especially if I think it is too high for the spell (bless water I'm looking at you), I'll probably let it fly just to not have to worry about such micro management. Now if they want to use a spell with a high cost item, 100+ gp at lower levels maybe 1000+ at higher), then I make sure they actually got what they needed before hand.