Encumberance Levels


Rules Questions

Lantern Lodge

Hello, everyone!

On page 16 under Carrying Capacity, the rules state that a character is encumbered if her bulk is equal to or greater than half her strength score. On page 167 under Bulk Limits, the rules state that you can carry bulk up to half your strength without difficulty. It goes on to say that you will have the encumbered condition until the amount of bulk you carry becomes less than or equal to half your Strength score.
These seem to be contradictory statements. If my character was carrying 5 bulk and his strength was 10, would I be encumbered? Am I understanding these rules wrong?

Thanks in advance and I apologize if this has been asked before.

Liberty's Edge

2 people marked this as a favorite.

I read that as half your strength you and you are ok. Over half then you are encumbered.

Yea, those two parts appear to be in conflict.


It's actually pretty hard to become encumbered by weight.

There's a crazy example of this of a Ysoki being able to carry 19 small arms in his cheek pouch, by RAW.


1 person marked this as a favorite.

Actually I'd argue it's pretty easy to become encumbered. A hygiene kit it's 1 bulk as is 1 weeks rations, add in a longarm at 1 or 2 bulk, armor at 1 bulk, and a few miscellaneous items and now you can't pick up that baddy's pike because you're out of weight limit


Well, you *can*, you'll just be encumbered. That said, you only will really end up encumbered if your geared up for wilderness exploration type stuff. If your *not* planning on being in the field for weeks on end, why would you be carrying weeks worth of rations or your full hygiene kit, after all? A more typical load would be "light armor, a long arm, and a bunch of lighter miscellaneous stuff", which would be only about 3 Bulk.

It definitely gives Strength some teeth, in terms of "why should I take strength if I'm not a melee warrior?"

Silver Crusade

Pathfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

Why are you not stowing most of that stuff on the ship?


Space hobos do not always have a ship.


Then they have to carry everything. Yes, this means they might be encumbered. The answer is "You should find a ship, or a vehicle, or a base, or some place to keep your stuff".

Otherwise, if your really dedicated to the hobo lifestyle, you'll just have to make some hard choices about what gear you actually want to carry.


Metaphysician wrote:

Well, you *can*, you'll just be encumbered. That said, you only will really end up encumbered if your geared up for wilderness exploration type stuff. If your *not* planning on being in the field for weeks on end, why would you be carrying weeks worth of rations or your full hygiene kit, after all? A more typical load would be "light armor, a long arm, and a bunch of lighter miscellaneous stuff", which would be only about 3 Bulk.

It definitely gives Strength some teeth, in terms of "why should I take strength if I'm not a melee warrior?"

That is what the troupes is Black Hawk Down thought.

MDC

Community / Forums / Starfinder / Rules Questions / Encumberance Levels All Messageboards

Want to post a reply? Sign in.
Recent threads in Rules Questions