I think the enc rules could be usable without much tweaking, but as noted, a few things stated in the RAW would simply have to be ignored or replaced.

10 coins = 1 enc, as the rules state, seems workable I guess, and since, as stated in the rules, each coin weighs essentially an ounce, we can therefore extrapolate a larger-than-silver-dollar coin-sized object as the standard representative unit of encumbrance, small, compact, rigid, stackable, though round and not easily interlocking, and somewhat heavy for its size.

From this we get:

10 oz or coins = 1 enc, so…

5 oz or coins = 1/2 enc

16 oz (one pound avoirdupois /US) = 1.6 enc
(which I personally would call 1.5 enc for simplicity sake if only working with lbs as the important weight factor)
2 lbs (30-32 oz or coins) = 3 enc
4 lbs (60-64 oz or coins) = 6 enc
6 lbs = 9 enc (I’d call this 90-100 coins for simplicity)

To me it looks like it would be easier to make coins weigh less than an ounce and have 20 coins be a US pound.
-If you did this, it would make each coin weigh .80 oz each, or, with some somewhat unsteady math, 23 grams each coin to come up with 460 grams per pound or 25 g per coin to equal a full 500 g (1/2 kg).
-This would make 10 coins = 1/2 lb or 230-250 grams (1/4 kg), where 1 kg = 2.205 lbs.

Going by this, 1 enc = 1/2 lb (8 oz) or (very roughly) 1/4 kg (250 g).
I have no problem with THIS portion of the ENC system, really, one ENC system is as good as any other, just about, if you have to use one – some arbitrary number represents bulk and weight, and while this takes its liberties with the gap between US/European measurements, it’s doable overall, though I haven’t checked the equipment to see how well it maps to items, though I think one would have to consider an “effective bulk” rating that is worth so much weight, that is the tradeoff to explain “heavy” pillows and such.

The problem is the weight of people.
So someone weighing a standard S 31 + T 31 x 10 roll of 620 enc = 310 lbs (4,960 oz) or 155 kg. But I still don’t see people with high S and T weighing massively more – it breaks down here as well. I can see using S and T both as maybe the basis for carrying capacity, rather than just S though.

It is weird WFRP uses a table for determining height and weight and tells you how much coins weigh in both real-world weight and encumbrance, then uses an encumbrance formula that totally makes characters’ weights in the two arenas contradict each other.

Tags:

This entry was posted by J P on Friday, June 11th, 2010 at 4:34 pm and is filed under General RPG. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.