🎒 Encumbrance & Bulk --- Grimhowl
In Grimhowl, Bulk represents both weight and how difficult something is to carry effectively. It abstracts realism into meaningful choices without tracking pounds or inches.
Bulk is not about exact weight.
It's about burden.
📦 Item Bulk Ratings
Item Type Bulk
5 Small Items (potions, tools, consumables) 1
1-Handed Weapon 1
2-Handed Weapon 2
Light Armor 1
Medium Armor 2
Heavy Armor 2
Light Shield 1
Heavy Shield 2
Backpack 2
Fumebelt 1
Weapon Harness 1
Oversized/Unusual Objects 3+ (GM discretion)
💪 Carrying Capacity
Your maximum Bulk equals your Strength Die value.
Strength Die Bulk Limit
d4 4
d6 6
d8 8
d10 10
d12 12
You may carry Bulk up to this limit without penalty.
⚠️ Overencumbered
For each point of Bulk over your limit:
Reduce your movement by 1 square (5 ft).
Speed cannot drop below 1 square unless Heavily Encumbered.
🧱 Heavily Encumbered
You become Heavily Encumbered when your carried Bulk exceeds your limit by an amount equal to your Strength modifier:
Strength Die Heavy Encumbrance Trigger
d4 Over by 2
d6 Over by 3
d8 Over by 4
d10 Over by 5
d12 Over by 6
Effects:
Cannot run, jump, or Dodge.
Disadvantage on all Agility-based skill checks.
Disadvantage on attacks made with weapons of 2 Bulk or more.
📝 Delianna's Note:
"Look, you can carry the loot chest. You just won't be pretty doing it. And if something charges you? Hope you enjoy dying tired."
🎒 Containers
Containers do not increase how much you can carry.
They determine how you carry it and how quickly you can access it.
Backpack (Major Container)
Bulk: 2
Used to carry large amounts of gear.
Drawing an item from a backpack costs 2 actions.
Backpacks justify how multiple items are organized and transported but do not reduce Bulk.
Fumebelt (Minor Container)
Standard field gear used by Fumehowlers and Fumejocks alike.
Bulk: 1
Used to carry ready-access items.
Drawing an item from a Fumebelt costs 1 action.
Weapon Harness
Straps, sheaths, and securing rigs for weapons.
Bulk: 1
Can store up to 2 weapons.
Stored weapons do not count toward your Bulk until wielded.
Drawing a stored weapon costs 1 action.
Once a weapon is wielded, it counts toward your total Bulk normally.
📝 Delianna's Note:
"If it's in your hand, it's your problem. If it's strapped down, it's logistics."
Small Item Rule
You may carry up to 1 Bulk of Small Items (5 items) without a container.
Any additional Small Item Bulk requires a container.
This represents pockets, straps, and reasonable physical space.
📝 Delianna's Note:
"No, you cannot carry twenty potions loose in your coat like a walking alchemist's accident. Buy a bag."
🐺 Mounts & Creatures as Cargo
Creatures have their own Bulk value based on size when being carried.
Creature Bulk by Size
Size Bulk
Tiny 1
Small 3
Medium 6
Large 12
Huge 24
Massive 36
This represents their full weight and physical presence.
Mount Carry Capacity
A mount's maximum Bulk equals:
Strength Bulk Limit × Size Multiplier
Size Multipliers
Size Multiplier
Tiny ×0.5
Small ×1
Medium ×1
Large ×2
Huge ×3
Massive ×4
Mounts suffer Overencumbered and Heavy Encumbrance penalties just like characters.
Accessing items stored on a mount costs 2 actions if adjacent.
Example
A Large horse with Strength d8:
8 Bulk × 2 (Large) = 16 Bulk capacity.
Rider (Medium): 6 Bulk
Heavy Armor (2)
2-Handed Weapon (2)
Total used: 10 Bulk
Remaining capacity: 6 Bulk
That's another rider---or expedition gear.
📝 Delianna's Note:
"Yes, you can turn your horse into a walking warehouse. Just remember---it still has legs. And legs get tired."
🧠 Design Philosophy
Bulk measures burden.
Containers measure organization.
Strength determines limits.
Size determines scale.
No spreadsheets.
No hidden bonuses.
Just hard choices.