Character Capacity Slot Sheet
T
his carrying capacity or encumbrance
concept for Dungeons and Dragons 5th
edition is designed to streamline the
encumbrance rules and make it less
daunting for players to keep track of
their inventory. Instead of counting all
the weights of items and keeping track of
a lot of numbers, I took a more abstract
approach to categorizing items in the game.
It is by no means a perfect or realistic concept but
I hope it will give Dungeon Master’s some idea about
how to implement encumbrance in their game without
the need of torturing his/her players with capacity
accountingTM.
CREDIT
A huge thank you to reddit user giiiiiiiiiinger for taking
the time and dissecting some obvious inconsistencies in
the concept of this inventory sheet.
THE SLOT SYSTEM
Instead of relying on just the carrying weight, this
concept uses a slot system, which ties the Strength ability
modifier available inventory slots.
Inventory slots are divided up into three categories:
large, medium, and small.
The number in front of every slot (line) inside their
given category determines whether this slot is available
to the character or not. If the number is equal or lower
than the character’s strength modifier, the slot is
available. If the slot number is higher by one point, there
is a penalty for using it. If the number in front of the slot
is higher by two or more points, the slot is unavailable to
the character.
PENALTIES
A character may use slots with slot numbers that are
higher than his/her Strenght modifier by one point.
However, if the character uses these, the following
penalties occur.
Encumbered. (Speed drops by 10 feet.) If you use a
small and/or medium slot that are one point above your
Strenght modifier you become encumbered.
Heavily encumbered. (Speed drops by 20 feet and
character has disadvantage on ability checks, attack
rolls and saving throws that use Strenght, Dexterity,
or Constitution.) If you use a large slot that is one
point above your Strenght modifier, you are heavily
encumbered, regardless of whether you have an
encumbered penalty or not.
Restrained. If a character fills up all the slots that
are available to him/her, as well as all of the slots that
are one point higher than his Strenght modifier, any
additional slot that is filled makes the character suffer
from the restrained condition.
ITEM SIZES
In order to streamline the process of “identifying”
the size and the weight of items, I decided on using a
descriptive method easy to understand even for new
players (or players new to using the encumbrance rule).
Every item size corresponds to one item slot of the same
size.
Small. Items you can hold in the palm of your hand;
no bigger than your head. Think books, potions, tools,
scrolls, etc.
Medium. Items you can hold in one hand with some
effort; no bigger than your torso. Think short swords,
shields, game sets, artisan tools, buckets, chains, torches,
bags of holding, etc.
Large. Items you have to hold with two hands; not
bigger than you. Think warhammers, greataxes, armor,
quiver, etc.
ORGANIZATION SKILLS
Of course, taking these sizes too literal would be rather
cynical towards the attempt to simplify the encumbrance
rule. Some may say that one piece of armor is heavier
than another, but takes up less volume when folded or
reassembled; or that two items have the same volume but
their weight is different.
At the DMs discretion, a player can, for example, say
that his/her character has taken a large size item and
made it fit into a medium slot. The DM can ask for a
Dexterity check to see how successful the attempt of
packing away the item was. Of course, to retain some
sense of realism, a long sword cannot be folded, nor can
an anvil be tucked away in small pocket, no matter what
the Dexterity check roll says.
VISUALATION OVER EXACT MEASURES
The main point of this inventory system is to easier
visualize the items being carried around on the
character’s body. If you think that it is too abstract, you
can always adapt it to your vision and your feeling of
what the carrying capacities should look like.
COINS
Every 2.000 coins of the same type takes up a small item
slot in form of a pouch. The concept behind this is that
you keep your coins in separate pouches on your belt,
but once one fills up (2.000 coins), you throw it in your
backpack, and attach a new pouch for that coin type to
your belt.
Again, you can choose if you count the different coin
types as one amount of items until you reach 2.000 or
not.
SLOT CONVERSION
This is a quick refference to how to convert inventory slots. For
example, one large item can fit into two medium or four small
item slots. On the other hand, two small items can fit into one
medium slot, while four small items can fit into one large slot.
4 small = 2 medium = 1 large
CHARACTER CAPACITY SLOT SHEET
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 EQUIPED ITEMS
Armor (one), weapons (up to three), and other wearable
items the players have equipped don’t count against
these slots.

MOUNTS AND VEHICLES

Mounts. The same principle as for characters is
applied to mounts. Their strenght modifier shows the
slots that are available to them. However, the mount has
to have a saddle and a saddlebag equipped. For example,
a mule has a strenght modifier of +2, which means that
it has 21 small slots, 12 medium slots, and 2 large slots
available to him. Saddles.
Various saddles may give the mount additional slots.
• exotic (+2 medium slots, +4 small slots)
• military (+1 medium slots, +2 small slots)
• pack (no additional slots)
• riding (+4 small slots)
Vehicles. Everything bigger than a Chariot should be
taken as having “unlimited” slots. Other vehicles have the
following capacities:
• carriage (6 large, 10 medium, 50 small)
• cart (1 large, 5 medium, 10 small)
• chariot (2 large, 8 medium, 10 small)
• sled (5 large, 5 medium, 15 small)
• wagon (2 large, 8 medium, 22 small)
• rowboat (3 large, 5 medium, 30 small)

(PHB page 157.)

BACKPACKS AND CONTAINERS

This inventory system assumes that you have a backpack
and other containers on yourself. It is left to the players
to describe how and what the different abstract slots
manifest in terms of their character’s reality.

CHARACTER SIZE
Just like with the backpacks and containers, the relation
between character size (features and characteristics) and
the inventory slots is left to the player’s interpretation. If
a character has some physical characteristics that would
make it plausible to have more slots than determined
by the Strength modifier, it is up to the DM to make a
call if and what slots to grant to that player. Just don’t
overcomplicate things and have fun.

CLOSING THOUGHTS
My players and I wanted to introduce encumbrance rules
for a long time, but it always seemed like a big hassle.
Using this system has given us the opportunity to use a
variation of that, and still not be slowed down too much.
It has been a lot of fun for us and I hope you too will get
something out if it. Happy gaming!

CHARACTER CAPACITY SLOT SHEET

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