Cubic Feet and Encumberance

That's Osmium, shit is remarkable ^^^

Its getting a little strange around the party in my opinion. There are/were two members in the party with bags of holding. There is also a muscle-bound elf carrying way more than is humanly (elfily?) possible. So like all things that are awesome and go unchecked, I have decided to make some rules, and enforce ones I have been ignoring.


Core Rulebook pages 141, and 144 -
"A weapon’s size category isn’t the same as its size as an object. Instead, a weapon’s size category is keyed to the size of the intended wielder. In general, a light weapon is an object two size categories smaller than the wielder, a one handed weapon is an object one size category smaller than the wielder, and a two-handed weapon is an object of the same size category as the wielder."

Sabellion I don't know how many two-handed weapons you carry, but they are considered medium sized objects. Sabellion is a medium-sized object. (when wielded by a death knight) Notice how Aden didn't pick up more than one PC, it was because he would have been slowed down.

We all understand that weight and density is two different things. Sabellion can bear the weight of 700 pounds. Let's say for instance that, those 700 pounds were all made of balsa wood.

Since density = mass / volume then volume = mass / density
160 kg/m³ - balsa wood average density (wikipedia) // 700lbs = 318kg (rounded up)
Volume = 318 / 160
Volume = 1.9875 kl
1 kilolitres = 35.3146667 cubic feet

Ergo Sabellion could wield 70 cubic feet of balsa wood around him. I don't care how you slice it there is no way that he could walk around with that and be able to move. However the rules allow such a thing. You couldn't even enter a building, have any balance, and outside you might catch a wind. Conversely, what is the smallest amount Sabellion can hold?

We will use the densest material in the world, Osmium.
22,610 kg/m³ density and 318 kg weight max.
Volume = .014 kl

Ergo Sabellion could wield just about a half of a cubic foot. (Holy shit that is crazy!)

My point is clear though, something must be done to accommodate the problem with weight and spacial relationships. So for every two handed weapon you have, consider it a skinny elf you are strapping somewhere, this includes tower shields and the like. Believe it or not, the old rule book said that a backpack can only contain one cubic foot of materials.

So here are the new rules. Every medium PC gets the space in their backpacks, and area big enough to strap/gerryrig 3 medium size objects. Small objects take 1/4 the space of medium objects. You may have up to the space of one medium size object on your belt/sheath, though the largest object allowed is a small object like a longsword. Yes this will be rough, (especially for Sabellion) however you guys are always creative about your problem solving skill, so I await the process. I am telling you this much in advance so you can all start thinking about it.

Sabellion if you are wondering about the possible effects of strapping on more, your will overland travel slower, and in combat I have a table I will roll. Sometimes something may fall off, other times you will have to make a balance check to prevent falling, and lastly, and most devastating you might only get one attack in a full round attack. Post comments to ask me more question. Don't worry I could have really went crazy on you guys, look at this rule set I found below. Fucking Brutal!

http://www.enworld.org/forum/d-d-3rd-edition-house-rules/250106-new-encumbrace-rule.html

Last part about your packs, and it is a minor point, is about the bags of holding. According to page 500 - 501 of the rule book.

"Retrieving a specific item from a bag of holding is a move action, unless the bag contains more than an ordinary backpack would hold, in which case retrieving a specific item is a full-round action"

I think anyone with a bag of holding has more than a backpack's worth of items. Just be aware of that when pulling the miracle item out in time.