D&D 5e Carrying Capacity Calculator
Work out how much your character can carry, push, drag, or lift from Strength score alone — with size and Powerful Build handled automatically, plus the optional encumbrance thresholds if your table uses them.
Carrying capacity in D&D 5e comes straight from your Strength score: no skill, proficiency, or level enters the formula. Enter a Strength score and size below for a live result, or read on for the SRD formula and a worked example.
Carrying Capacity Calculator
Carrying Capacity
150 lb.
Push, Drag, or Lift
300 lb.
Carrying capacity = 10 (Str) × 15 × 1 (Medium) = 150 lb.
Push/drag/lift = 10 (Str) × 30 × 1 (Medium) = 300 lb.
The Carrying Capacity Formula
A character or creature's carrying capacity is their Strength score × 15, measured in pounds. Their push, drag, or lift limit — the most weight they can move without actually carrying it — is double that: Strength score × 30 pounds. Both numbers use the raw Strength score, not the ability modifier.
Both numbers are then scaled by size. Small and Medium creatures use the base formula as-is (×1); every other size applies a multiplier from the table below. A creature with the Powerful Build trait (or an equivalent trait) counts as one size larger than its actual size for this calculation only — for a Medium creature, that means using the Large multiplier instead.
If you move more weight than your carrying capacity by pushing, dragging, or lifting it, your speed drops to 5 feet for the rest of that move.
Worked Example
A Medium character with 15 Strength:
Carrying capacity = 15 × 15 × 1 (Medium) = 225 lb.
Push/drag/lift = 15 × 30 × 1 (Medium) = 450 lb.
Now say that same character has the Powerful Build trait, so they count as Large (×2) for this purpose only:
Carrying capacity = 15 × 15 × 2 (Medium treated as Large) = 450 lb.
Push/drag/lift = 15 × 30 × 2 (Medium treated as Large) = 900 lb.
Size Multiplier Reference
| Size | Multiplier |
|---|---|
| Tiny | ×0.5 |
| Small | ×1 |
| Medium | ×1 |
| Large | ×2 |
| Huge | ×4 |
| Gargantuan | ×8 |
💡 Powerful Build (or an equivalent trait) bumps a creature up one row on this table for carrying capacity and push/drag/lift purposes only.
Optional Rule: Encumbrance
Many tables skip carrying capacity entirely and just eyeball it, but the PHB also offers a stricter optional variant: Encumbrance. It reads straight off your Strength score, not your size-adjusted carrying capacity.
Carry more than Strength score × 5 pounds and you're Encumbered: your speed drops by 10 feet. Carry more than Strength score × 10 pounds and you're Heavily Encumbered: your speed drops by 20 feet, and you have disadvantage on ability checks, attack rolls, and saving throws that use Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution. Toggle the variant rule in the calculator above to see both thresholds for your own Strength score.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you calculate carrying capacity in D&D 5e?
Multiply your Strength score by 15 to get your carrying capacity in pounds. A Medium character with 15 Strength can carry up to 225 pounds (15 × 15). Creatures other than Medium or Small apply a size multiplier on top of that — see the size table below.
What is my carrying capacity in D&D?
Your carrying capacity is your Strength score × 15 pounds, adjusted by a size multiplier if you're not Small or Medium (both use ×1). Enter your Strength and size in the calculator above to get the exact number, along with your push/drag/lift limit and, if you're using the optional rule, your encumbrance thresholds.
How much can a character lift in D&D 5e?
A character can push, drag, or lift up to twice their carrying capacity: Strength score × 30 pounds, times the same size multiplier used for carrying capacity. A Medium character with 15 Strength can push, drag, or lift up to 450 pounds (15 × 30). Moving weight above that limit isn't possible by dragging or lifting alone, and moving anything over your carrying capacity drops your speed to 5 feet for the rest of that move.
Does size affect carrying capacity in D&D 5e?
Yes. Tiny creatures carry half as much (×0.5), Small and Medium creatures use the base numbers (×1), and Large, Huge, and Gargantuan creatures carry 2, 4, and 8 times as much respectively. A creature with the Powerful Build trait (or a similar trait, such as a Goliath's) counts as one size larger than it actually is for carrying capacity and push/drag/lift purposes only — it doesn't change its actual size for any other rule.