I am finding that using the variant encumbrance rules puts characters over the 'encumbered' catagory (-10 ft. move) very easily. Too easily, even with a pared-back pack rather than the full ones described in the PHB.
I have heard that wearing armor such as plate armor is not that difficult because it's made to move with the natural movement of the wearer and is not as restrictive as it might appear.
I am wondering if worn armor, as distinct from carried armor, should have its weight reduced (1/2?) for calculating encumbrance. All other properties would still apply but a worn chain shirt, for example, would encumber the equivalent of 10 lb. rather than 20 lb. if carried.
It's just a house rule because I understand that the full weight listed on the armor table is meant to be applied when calculating encumbrance, but do you think this is a fair change to make?
Why not just use the default encumbrance rules (max carrying limit, armor reduces speed only when strength requirement not met) instead of using the much harsher variant encumbrance rules and then seeking to mitigate the harshness?
The simple rule is too lenient, and the variant is about right, except armor is not handled properly (IMO). I'm looking for a medium ground approach. The simple rules allow characters to carry an armory around with them without any issues about carrying 20 javelins, for example, a full pack, armor and weapons. I don't want to see characters not able to carry their normal gear but I don't want to see ridiculous (and awkward) weights being carried without penalty either.
For example, Wikipedia (font of knowledge that it is) says plate armor was around 55 lb (max.) and wearers could move around fairly freely in it. That's a far cry from carrying 65 lb., which they do in the encumbrance rules.
How about an adjustment to the variant rules that well-distributed weight (such as worn armour and packed backpacks) counts as less. 2/3rd or 1/2 perhaps.
Anything packed properly in a backpack will take several actions to retrieve.
Captain_Kobold wrote:
Not that I've ever worn heavy armor, but I think "moving freely" is fairly distinct from "run at full unencumbered speed." A thief in leather armor moves the same distance, at a moment's notice, as a warrior in full plate. IIRC it's an intended feature of the variant encumbrance system that heavy armor tends to slow you.
I found tracking the weight of a character's inventory too hard. As DM, it's just too much work to check every player's weight all the time and player's constantly fail to properly track it (or simply pretend they can carry it even though they can't) or are simply too lazy to do it. Why do something that isn't fun?
A much easier rule would be that each player can only have one armor and one shield with him. Fullstop.
As for weapons, I allow a character to have 3 different types with him. As for thrown weapon, I'd allow a whole bunch of them. I don't see a purpose in limiting them because even if you limit it to 5 javelins tops, there will hardly be the situation where a player uses all 5 of them in a single combat. I mean, how many battles will have more than 5 Rounds? And that already assumes that the character throws a javelin every single turn.
Lightly encumbered just drops the characters combat movement by 10. This will affect most characters in medium+ armour with any kind of backpack-based adventurer kit.
However, as far as I can make out, there is no action cost to drop the backpack. So any armoured character needing to move fast, must just remember to pick up the backpack again after the fight.
Of course, if they flee they've lost the backpack 
Anyone with no armour or leather armour only will probably be unaffected.
I like the rule - gives players a bit more of a feeling of immersion.
They can always repack what they take with them, if they want to reduce weight.
A simple way to do it is to say that anything worn (armour, backpack) is not being carried as such, so it doesn't count towards encumbrance. Just apply the encumbrance rules to weapons, loot and corpses..
If you allowed backpacks to not count as being carried, then pretty much everything would wind up having zero weight. Armour, fair enough, but I don't think you should be able to stuff a half-ton of gold into a backpack and have it become weightless.
In 3.5 worn Armor only counted half its weight for the purposes of encumbrance (due to weight distribution). Carried Armor added its full weight to encumbrance. If you carried an ally, their Armor also added their full weight to your encumbrance despite only adding half weight to theirs (again due to weight distribution).
Kalani wrote:
Thoughts_My_Aim wrote: