Some initial thoughts on an inventory system based on Luka Rejec’s Skeleton – pulling from UVG and Longwinter but with some extra crunch because I am that guy and I have those players. None of this is playtested.
Luka’s Sack Rule of Inventory – “A Human can carry one sack unencumbered and two sacks encumbered.” Wouldn’t it be nice if we could just leave it at that!
One Sack is Ten Stones, and one Stone is Ten Soaps. A Stone is equivalent to a normal sized item (~15 lbs), and a Soap is a small item (~1.5 lbs).
1 sack = 10 stones = 100 soaps = 2500 cash
I am hacking Usage Dice onto Luka’s Inventory system, denoted as ∆ and then a number. Usage Dice will step down one dice value each time they are rolled and result in a 1-2. The dice step chain is: ∆20,∆12,∆10,∆8,∆6,∆4.
Strength Modifiers – If you have a Strength modifier, that will simply make a sack larger/smaller by your modifier amount. So Strength 16 (+3) would make a sack hold 13 stones instead of 10.
Encumbrance – If you carry more than 1 sack, you are encumbered. You can’t carry more than 2 sacks.
Coins – 250 coins is 1 stone = 25 coins is 1 soap.
Armor – Light armor is 1 stone, Medium armor is 2 stone, heavy armor is 3 stone. A Shield is 1 stone.
Clothing – Your worn clothing does not take up any inventory space. Ceremonial clothing or anything elaborate would be 1 stone. In Luka’s Longwinter, each layer of Warm Weather clothing takes 1 stone.
Weapons – Most weapons are 1 stone, Heavy Weapons are 2 stones. Ammunition is 1 stone / ∆10.
Lighting – Candles – 1 stone / ∆8. Torches – 1 stone / ∆6. Lantern – 1 stone. Lantern Fuel – 1 stone / ∆6.
Candles provide dim light for 1 person, Torches provide bright light for 4 people, Lantern provides bright light for 6 people.
My fear is that Adventure Pack is too broadly useful, and there are still too many little trinkets in the 5e equipment list to want them all to be Soaps on their own merit. So I hacked down the list of items in the 5e equipment book and made this list of packs:
Packs – Each pack is 1 stone / ∆10 – Each pack costs 20+4d6 gp. Packs can be “refilled” for 2d6 gp per ∆ step.
- Camper’s Pack – For Making Camp & Camp Life (Ex. Stove, Tent, Bedroll, Pots & Pans, Salt, Fishing Tackle)
- Excavator’s Pack – For Digging, Unearthing, Reinforcing Tunnels (Ex. Pick, Shovel, Hammer, Block & Tackle)
- Climber’s Pack – For Climbing, Descending, & Rappelling (Ex. Rope, Pitons, Climber Pick, Chalk, Grapple)
- Bureaucrat’s Pack – For Notarizing, Certifying, Authenticating, Contracting, Auditing (Ex. Ink, Paper, Wax Seal, Signet Ring)
- Priest’s Pack – For Rituals, Sermons, Judgment & Penance (Ex. Psalm Book, Incense, Holy Symbol)
- Healer’s Pack – For Staunching, Cauterizing, Amputating, Bandaging, & Sterilizing Wounds (Ex. Bandages, Bone Saw, Alcohol)
- Specified Crafter’s Pack – For Crafting with Specified Skill (Ex. Blacksmith hammer, alchemist scale, Forgery tools, Disguise makeup)
- Outdoorsman Pack – For Hunting, Fishing, & Trapping (Ex. Traps, Whistles, Specialized Knives, Lures, Salt)
- Thieves Pack – For Picking Locks, Disarming Traps, Greasing Hinges (Ex. Lockpick, File, Grease)
- Winter Survival Pack – For Navigating Ice, Walking on Snow, & Not Freezing (Ex. Crampons, Ski Poles, Ski Shoes, Blanket)
Some items seem broadly useful or specific enough that players would want to write them down specifically.
Other Common Soaps:
Bell, Chalk, Crowbar, Glass Bottle, Hammer, Hourglass, Iron Spikes, Lock, Magnifying glass, Manacles, Soap, Spyglass, Steel Mirror, Tinderbox, Whistle
Cumbersome Items (2 Stones Each):
10 ft. Pole, Ladder, Battering Ram
Consumable Soaps:
Ball Bearings (∆4), Caltrops (∆4), Holy water (∆4), Poison Vial (∆4), Potion of healing (∆4)
Spellcasting Soaps:
Component pouch, Arcane/Divine Focus, Spellbook, Specific Materials
Shoalmont Games 
One thought on “Luka’s Sack Rule of Inventory”