Rules Questions

[Anthr4xus]

This thread is for any specific 5e rules questions that come up. The intention is to ease finding them again. We may move this to a Blog format if that proves easier to use.

Edited October 27, 2023 by Anthr4xus (see edit history)

[BlackPhoenix]

The original GM wanted encumbrance to be part of the survival aspect of the game. Do you want us to track our encumbrance, and if so, which method do you prefer?

STR x 15 with minimum STR for armor

or

Above STR x 5 = encumbered, above STR x 10 = heavily encumbered

[Anthr4xus]

Good question. Yes, please track your encumbrance. By RAW both methods you mention come into play.

If your load is above your STR x 5, you are encumbered. Your movement speed is lowered by 10.

If your load is above your STR x 10, you are heavily encumbered. Your movement speed is lowered by 20 and you have disadvantage on all Strength, Dexterity and Constitution based ability checks and saving throws.

Your STR * 15 is your absolute max load. Any weight above this renders you functionally restrainedA restrained creature’s speed becomes 0, and it can’t benefit from any bonus to its speed.
Attack rolls against the creature have advantage, and the creature’s attack rolls have disadvantage.
The creature has disadvantage on Dexterity saving throws. by your equipment. In addition, you still have disadvantage on all Strength & Constitution based ability checks and saving throws.

Some armor types have a minimum strength recommendation. Not having a high enough strength while wearing the armor reduces your movement speed by 10. Chain requires a minimum strength of 13 to avoid this penalty. Splint and Plate mail require a minimum strength of 15 to avoid this penalty.

[Anthr4xus]

If you haven't reviewed the House Rules post about Combat, please have that writeup in mind before considering the following question:

How would you all want to handle Reactions in the context of the changes to combat detailed in the post?

At least for monsters, I plan to add a sentence to #2 stating that monsters (unless stated otherwise in the combat initiation post) can always be assumed to take attacks of opportunity when they can. Named NPCs are more likely to have varied kinds of reactions, so will have more specific triggers.

There are a couple ways I can see to handle this for the PCs.

1) PCs are assumed to take reactions in defense, unless specifically stated otherwise by the player as part of their default response.

2) PCs will be PMed by the DM to make a call on using a reaction when targeted by something.

As you may guess, my preference would be for option 1 for expediency's sake. But I am totally open to discussion on the best way to handle this before it comes up as an issue.

[BlackPhoenix]

Since PbP is already slow enough, I agree that reactions should not wait for the player to come back.

I think we should state default reactions for our characters, things such as "yes, I'll make an AoO whenever I can", or "If I'm hit (or targeted by Magic Missile), I cast Shield, unless that would not prevent the attack from hitting". If we want to make an exception for a single turn, we can state so in our post.

 

[PureChance]

Agree with BlackPhoenix

[BlackPhoenix]

58 minutes ago, Anthr4xus said:

By RAW both methods you mention come into play.

The STRx5 and STRx10 rules are variant rules (PHB p. 176), and it does state:

Quote

When you use this variant, ignore the Strength column of the Armor table in chapter 5, "Equipment".

STRx15 remains the upper limit, no matter what.

That said, if you want to keep using the Strength column of the Armor table, I'm fine with it; Falken is only using light armor anyway! :)

[Anthr4xus]

I missed that line about ignoring the strength column. Good catch. We will drop the strength requirement from the armor as the weight of it compared to encumbrance pretty much knocks out people that wouldn't match the prerequisite anyway. I'll update that post.

[zaffo]

So, if I understand correctly, by the encumbrance rules, Harin is encumbered by is starting equipment. Ouch.

[Neopopulas]

For reactions i would encourage players to have 'default reactions' stated in a Mechanics spoiler. They will probably mostly just be 'take opportunity attack' but some people might have more options, this way the GM can have a pretty good idea of what people will do when they make their actions.

[jrsey]

17 hours ago, Anthr4xus said:

I missed that line about ignoring the strength column. Good catch. We will drop the strength requirement from the armor as the weight of it compared to encumbrance pretty much knocks out people that wouldn't match the prerequisite anyway. I'll update that post.

Just so I'm sure I understand: we're going by variant rules to calculate encumbrance? By those rules, Tysh can carry 60 lbs before she's encumbered (12STR x 5). With her clothes, armor, shield, warhammer, crossbow, crossbow bolts, and amulet, she's at 73.5 lbs. If she leaves the crossbow and crossbow bolts behind, then she's at 67 lbs. That doesn't include the weight from her starting equipment (backpack and such). So even with just the necessities, she's encumbered. Am I calculating this correctly?

Edited November 2, 2023 by jrsey
Math is hard. (see edit history)

[Neopopulas]

Most of the time the stuff that makes you encumbered is stuff you would drop as soon as something went down anyway - like your pack and stuff - but if your base equipment like armour and weapons puts you over there is more of a problem.

[jrsey]

Sounds like we need some party mules 🥳

[BlackPhoenix]

To be fair, someone with a Strength of 12 would be encumbered with a heavy armor using the basic rules - excluding Dwarves.

That said, the Dwarf's ability "Your speed is not reduced by wearing heavy armor" apparently applies only to the armor's minimum Strength, which is not used using the variant encumbrance. A possible house rule (that appears to be someone common on the Internet) is that Dwarves ignore the weight of their armor when calculating their encumbrance. I think that would be a reasonable.

[jrsey]

6 minutes ago, BlackPhoenix said:

To be fair, someone with a Strength of 12 would be encumbered with a heavy armor using the basic rules - excluding Dwarves.

That said, the Dwarf's ability "Your speed is not reduced by wearing heavy armor" apparently applies only to the armor's minimum Strength, which is not used using the variant encumbrance. A possible house rule (that appears to be someone common on the Internet) is that Dwarves ignore the weight of their armor when calculating their encumbrance. I think that would be a reasonable.

That modification to the rule would be extremely helpful and makes sense to me. That Dwarven trait is why I chose a Dwarf for Tysh's race. Still, I'm willing to go by whatever rules we decide on. I'll make it work. 🙂