Encumbrance, represented by , affects the number of items a character can carry in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. Maximum carrying capacity is a crucial element of all Elder Scrolls games, Skyrim included.

Carry Limit is not only a realistic challenge to players, but it is also a means of preserving the performance of the game. For example, if a player were to use a glitch to bypass the Carry Weight completely, and reached an overall encumbrance of 5,000, their game performance will have dropped significantly. 

Contents 1 Effect on movement 2 Means of improvement 3 Tips 3.1 Movement 3.2 Fast Travel 4 Bugs

Effect on movementEdit

The weight of an object is displayed within the Item Menu. The default carrying limit is 300. Exceeding this limit causes the Dragonborn to become over-encumbered, preventing them from running or sprinting. Additionally, over-encumbered individuals cannot Fast Travel unless riding a horse or use Carriages.

Means of improvementEdit

Carrying capacity can be improved by a number of means:

• Leveling up Stamina increases carrying capacity by 5 per level.
• The Steed Stone adds 100 and negates the weight of worn armor.
• The "Extra Pockets" Pickpocket Perk increases carrying capacity by 100.
• The "Unhindered" Light Armor Perk reduces the weight of worn Light Armor to zero.
• The "Conditioning" Heavy Armor Perk reduces the weight of worn Heavy Armor to zero.
• Thieves Guild Outfit adds 20 (or 35 if upgraded after completing Scoundrel's Folly).

• Guild Master's Armor adds 50.
• Blackguard's Armor adds 50.
• Taking a Fortify Carry Weight potion temporarily increases carrying capacity by an amount proportional to the strength of the potion.
• The Werewolf Beast Form power temporarily adds a static 1000 carry weight limit.
• Followers and Spouses can be used to carry extra items, although they too have their own limit that cannot be exceeded.
• Fortify Carry Weight enchantments may be applied to Rings, Amulets, Boots and Gauntlets, increasing carrying capacity relative to enchanting skill.
• The Locket of Saint Jiub increases carrying capacity by 50 points. (Dawnguard add-on)

TipsEdit

MovementEdit

• Drawing a bow will add a small amount of speed when over-encumbered. This is enhanced by the "Ranger" Archery Perk, which allows faster movement with a drawn bow.
• Walking forward and using a melee power attack while over-encumbered helps the player gain additional ground, making for faster travel while encumbered.
• The Whirlwind Sprint Shout can be used while over-encumbered to speed up travel.
• Physics-carry can be used to carry a heavy item (or stack of items) if the Dragonborn would be over-encumbered by carrying it normally. Physics-carry the item(s) in front of the Drabonborn by dropping the item(s) (in a stack if need be) and holding "Activate" on it. Physics-carried objects do not add to encumbrance weight, so they can sprint without losing any items. This is particularly useful when hauling Dragon Bones or Firewood.
• Another way to deal with over encumbrance is to place unneccesary items on a dead body before raising it as a minion, this will allow you to use it as a "packmule" to carry your extra items for a time.
• Another useful method is to purchase any house, and store your items in your chest. the items will stay in the chest forever, unless you take them out.
• Transforming into a Vampire Lord will allow you to move at the Vampire Lord's regular pace, making travel faster than in reverted form.
• You can use a horse when carrying too much to travel faster. If you suddenly find yourself overencumbered, you can use the summon Arvak spell (only in Dawnguard) to summon a horse anytime.
• You move normally when overencumbered and transformed into a werewolf.
• If you are over-encumbered in a dungeon you can transform into a werewolf and move normally out of the dungeon, revert and get on your horse to Fast travel, if you can't find your horse or it is elsewhere you can drop enough stuff at a fast travel point (enterance to the dungeon for example) to fast-travel to where you already are to spawn your horse, pick up your stuff and get on your horse to fast travel away.

Fast TravelEdit

• Normally, Fast Travel is disabled while over-encumbered. However this does not apply if riding a horse, making for easier trips back to sell carried goods, especially in towns which allow horses inside the walls.
• Another option is to dump unlimited amount of heavy equipment into a corpse and reanimate it using a Spell, Staff or power, such as the Resurrection power gained by using The Ritual Stone. The player can then fast travel to any destination and the corpse follows. If the time it took is enough for the spell to run its course, the corpse will 'die' again upon reaching the destination, and the player can loot its body for all the equipment they gave it initially.
• If the Dragonborn lacks a reanimation ability, simply fling the corpse ahead by holding Use to lift it, then dual-casting Lightning Bolt. Take care not to fling it into water!
• Drinking a "Draught of Strength" or any other type of fortify carry weight potion and fast traveling before it wears off is a viable option, as it temporarily increases your carrying weight cap. This is similar to the second tip in this section, in that it will allow you to activate fast travel, but when you reach your destination, it will have worn off.

BugsEdit

• The carry limit for followers is ignored when the follower is told to pick things up using the "I need you to do something" conversation.

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