Carrying Capacity in 5e: How Much You Can Carry by Strength and Size
In D&D 5e a Medium or Small creature can carry its Strength score times 15 pounds, so Strength 10 carries 150 lb and Strength 16 carries 240 lb. You can push, drag or lift twice that. Large creatures double these limits and Tiny creatures halve them.
How does carrying capacity work in 5e?
Your Strength score decides how much weight you can haul. For a Small or Medium creature:
- Carrying capacity: Strength × 15 pounds. That's the most you can carry on your body and in your pack.
- Push, drag or lift: up to twice your carrying capacity (Strength × 30 pounds). While you push or drag more than your carrying capacity, your Speed drops to 5 feet.
Both the 2014 and 2024 Player's Handbooks use these numbers. Most tables only check the limit when someone tries to loot a statue or carry an unconscious friend, which is why it helps to have the number on your character sheet before it comes up.
How much can I carry by Strength score?
| Strength | Carry (Small/Medium) | Push, drag, lift | Carry (Large) | 2014 variant: Encumbered over | 2014 variant: Heavily over |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 90 lb. | 180 lb. | 180 lb. | 30 lb. | 60 lb. |
| 8 | 120 lb. | 240 lb. | 240 lb. | 40 lb. | 80 lb. |
| 10 | 150 lb. | 300 lb. | 300 lb. | 50 lb. | 100 lb. |
| 12 | 180 lb. | 360 lb. | 360 lb. | 60 lb. | 120 lb. |
| 13 | 195 lb. | 390 lb. | 390 lb. | 65 lb. | 130 lb. |
| 14 | 210 lb. | 420 lb. | 420 lb. | 70 lb. | 140 lb. |
| 15 | 225 lb. | 450 lb. | 450 lb. | 75 lb. | 150 lb. |
| 16 | 240 lb. | 480 lb. | 480 lb. | 80 lb. | 160 lb. |
| 17 | 255 lb. | 510 lb. | 510 lb. | 85 lb. | 170 lb. |
| 18 | 270 lb. | 540 lb. | 540 lb. | 90 lb. | 180 lb. |
| 20 | 300 lb. | 600 lb. | 600 lb. | 100 lb. | 200 lb. |
The two right-hand columns only matter if your table uses the 2014 variant encumbrance rule, explained below.
How does size change carrying capacity?
| Size | Carrying capacity | Push, drag, lift | Example (Strength 15) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tiny | Str × 7.5 lb. | Str × 15 lb. | 112.5 lb. |
| Small or Medium | Str × 15 lb. | Str × 30 lb. | 225 lb. |
| Large | Str × 30 lb. | Str × 60 lb. | 450 lb. |
| Huge | Str × 60 lb. | Str × 120 lb. | 900 lb. |
| Gargantuan | Str × 120 lb. | Str × 240 lb. | 1,800 lb. |
Small characters such as halflings and gnomes are not penalised; they use the Medium numbers. A goliath's Powerful Build trait counts it as one size larger for carrying capacity, so a Strength 16 goliath carries 480 pounds.
What changed between 2014 and 2024 encumbrance?
2024 rules: there's one limit. You carry up to your carrying capacity, and you can push, drag or lift up to twice that at 5 feet of Speed. There is no optional encumbrance variant in the 2024 Player's Handbook.
2014 variant encumbrance: an optional rule for tables that want weight to bite. Carry more than 5 × Strength pounds and you're Encumbered: Speed drops by 10 feet. Carry more than 10 × Strength pounds and you're Heavily Encumbered: Speed drops by 20 feet and you have disadvantage on ability checks, attack rolls and saving throws that use Strength, Dexterity or Constitution. The hard cap is still Strength × 15.
The variant hits hard. A Strength 10 wizard is encumbered at 51 pounds, and a fighter in chain mail (55 lb.) with a shield and longsword is already near 65 pounds before rations and rope.
What does typical gear weigh?
- Armor: leather 10 lb., chain mail 55 lb., plate 65 lb. Full numbers on the armor page.
- Shield: 6 lb.
- Coins: 50 coins weigh 1 pound, so 1,000 gold pieces is 20 pounds.
- A person: carrying an unconscious Medium ally (often 150 lb. plus gear) usually needs a Strength of 12 or more, or two people.
How can you carry more?
- Bags and animals: a Bag of Holding holds far more than it weighs, and a mule or cart carries the treasure your party can't.
- Raise Strength: each point is 15 more pounds.
- Size magic: Enlarge/Reduce makes a creature Large, doubling its capacity while it lasts.
- Divide the load: the strongest character carries the rope and pitons; the wizard carries the spellbook.
A quick test for the party: if the loot pile weighs more than the whole party's combined capacity, it's time for a wagon, a second trip or a cart rental in town. A mixed level 3 party (Strength 16, 12, 10 and 8) carries about 690 pounds in total, which is roughly 34,500 coins.
Our advice as DMs: track weight only for things that are dramatically heavy (armor, treasure, bodies). Counting every torch slows the game without adding tension.
FAQ
How do you calculate carrying capacity in 5e?
Multiply your Strength score by 15 for a Small or Medium creature. Strength 13 gives 195 pounds. Double it for each size above Medium and halve it for Tiny.
What happens if you carry too much in 5e?
Under the standard rule you simply can't carry more than your capacity. You can push, drag or lift up to twice it, but while pushing or dragging more than your capacity your Speed drops to 5 feet.
Is encumbrance a rule in 2024 D&D?
The 2024 Player's Handbook uses only the carrying capacity limit. The 2014 book also offered an optional variant: carrying more than 5 x Strength lb cuts your Speed by 10 feet, and more than 10 x Strength lb cuts it by 20 feet and gives disadvantage on many rolls.
Do Small characters carry less in 5e?
No. Small and Medium creatures share the same carrying capacity, Strength x 15 pounds, in both the 2014 and 2024 rules. Only Tiny creatures carry half.
How much do coins weigh in 5e?
Fifty coins of any type weigh one pound. A dragon hoard of 10,000 gold pieces weighs 200 pounds, more than most characters can carry.
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