Session Zero

@KCC and @McButterpants - are those character sketches drawn by your own fair hands (and therefore qualifying for the 100 XP bonus)? I only ask because they are so good!

Mine isn’t. My wife actually drew me a cleric, as my initial character idea. But it didn’t really fit for a thief, unfortunately!

Sorry - missed this question. Check out the "Encumbrance" section of the House Rules thread, including the link to the document containing the rules for slot-based encumbrance. If you're still confused, let me know.

Glad to have you McButterpants, great sketch!

Yes. I'll adjust him when he gets more powerful ... if he makes it that long.
I'll drop some items. I haven't used the slot-based system before. Last night was spend figuring out the character sheet (I didn't realize until a few tries that the sheet does not need to be edited).

I believe I fixed my encumbrance. It looks like I can use one empty slot in my pack before I drop down to 60'. If not, let me know and I'll drop another item.

I will say that we have not run into the movement restrictions at all. Our pace has been slow enough that, even if we were all down to 30', it wouldn't have changed what we've done at all...but that's much more to do with our being very, VERY cautious. Nobody wants to be the second to die! well, that, and our inclination to search whenever we find a dead-end.

Thankfully, we haven't been in any chase sequences yet.

Movement is not the big reason to leave some space free: that's the capacity for carrying treasure out...once we find our way down to the lower levels where there might be some treasure still!

I think I’m ready to rock and roll!

With a 5 STR.I might need to hire someone to carry treasure for me.

Question: I have plate as an unpacked item (more out of habit as I noticed). With me wearing it and all can it be moved to a Packed item? Not like I plan to take it off during combat or anything.

Sorry McButterpants to understand you have a 5 STR in a game where STR matters. Although Swan or some of us might have spaces free. Unsure of dear Swans current configuration for gear at the moment.

I didn't have to spend much to equip Tiberious, so I have extra coin to hire someone to carry my share. Do we have to split XP and gold if I'm only using them to carry stuff?

I was thinking of hiring one person to follow along. They can stay back at a camp nearby with a pack mule to carry treasure into town? I'll have to see if I can afford a mule.

Tiberious does know we are exploring down a rather dangerous place. Might make a hire rather expensive. Pack mule does sound inviting.

I sort of understand your logic, but no. The item-based encumbrance supplement is clear on this:
Any armour listed as a Packed Item would be carried but not worn.

Better to think of it as "Equipped" rather than "Unpacked".

Any retainer would typically expect to paid a flat fee and at least a half share of any treasure recovered. Even if they are mainly tasked with doing something menial like carrying treasure, you still have to incentivise them to go into the dungeon in the first place. They also receive a half share of any experience.

The standard cost of a mule is 30 gp.

You can look into both of these when you next return to town.

Good point. From the "Item-Based Encumbrance" rules supplement ...
So any "container" item only takes up a slot if it's empty. Otherwise it's a "free" item from an encumbrance perspective. That includes your backpack, so that's another slot you can all free up.