Skyrim talk:Carry Weight

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Merge with Attributes?[edit]

Merge with Attributes? Seems pointless to have a separate page — Unsigned comment by 107.0.114.50 (talk) at 12:06 on 17 November 2011‎

^ I think this is a good idea: I for one expected to find all this information on a single page! 94.11.95.123 01:59, 3 January 2012 (UTC)

A benefit of being overencumbered?[edit]

Is it just me - or does being overencumbered stop you from taking damage when jumping off mountains? I managed to go very slowly down (almost like featherfall) when leaping off? Bobbathejobba 19:40, 18 November 2011 (UTC)

Quest Items don't effect weight[edit]

Even though quest items say they have weight they don't actually add to your total encumbrance. If you don't believe drop everything in your inventory and you will still have quest items with wait, but you will have 0 weight. Babytoke 21:30, 20 November 2011 (UTC)

^ Actually, I've become over-encumbered on a number of occasions as the result of receiving a quest item. Some are a little buggy, so I wouldn't be at all surprised to find that the actual stats of some aren't as displayed (which, while pure conjecture on my part, could explain your experience). 94.11.95.123 01:56, 3 January 2012 (UTC)
I have seen a few quest items that have weight, but generally they don't. Thankfully all the items "stuck" in my inventory seem to be weightless though a weight is shown in many of the item's description. Removing all my inventory except the quest items yields zero weight. Neondrmr 21:58, 10 January 2012 (UTC)
Likewise, I have experienced quest items with weight but not their listed weight. A level 59 character recorded 6 (pounds?) when emptied of everything but these five quest items: Elder Scroll 20, Gallus's Journal 1, Lymdrenn Telvanni's Journal 1, Attunement Sphere 0, and Runed Lexicon 0. So removing all from the inventory except quest items did NOT yield zero weight in this instance. I "corrected" it using the console commands on the empty character:
 prid player
 forceav carryweight 0
However, in the console a getavinfo carryweight now shows a permanent adjustment of -6. Kalevala (talk) 23:03, 25 December 2012 (GMT)
I can confirm this. The same thing happens for example with the Unusual Gems (0009dfbb, w:0.5). When you pick up the first one a related quest will start. From that moment on all Unusual Gems you find will have no weight. If you cheat with the 'player.additem 9dfbb 10' console command (will add 10 gems to your inventory) before you take the first gem (and before the related quest will start), the gems will actually have their expected weight. Once the quest will start and they become "quest objects" they'll suddenly be weightless in your inventory. I think it's by design. Hexaae (talk) 13:46, 18 July 2013 (GMT)

Max weight[edit]

First question, is there a maximum non-enchantment assisted encumbrance allowed (500 LBS was the previous Elder Scrolls Max)?

Second question, is there an absolute encumbrance that will keep you from even moving (Similar to Fallout New Vegas, over encumbered would slow you to a walk, but attaining even more weight would remove your ability to even walk.)?--Zar Pof 03:53, 16 December 2011 (UTC)

to your first question id say that the max would be if you put all your points into stanima, at level 81 that would be the base of 300 + (81*5) which equals 705 as a total, then with the steed stone that would be 805, and with the extra pockets perk, that would be 905, i would say that is the max non assisted encumberance.
To your second, i havn't experienced anything like that, but that isnt to say there isnt a limit. Hope that helps (Eddie The Head 04:04, 16 December 2011 (UTC))
I can confirm that natural encumbrance doesn't cap at 500 as mine is currently 545. 94.11.95.123 01:52, 3 January 2012 (UTC)
Doesn't look like any reasonable amount of encumbrance can prevent walking. My wife had ~15,000 over her max while she was reorganizing her house and her movement speed was the same as being 1 unit over. 70.26.142.4 22:04, 10 January 2012 (UTC)

Running Glitch[edit]

I'd like to get this confirmed, but I have discovered that on the PS3 version, while you are overencumbered, if you switch from first-person view to third-person view, you will start sprinting (moving at full sprint speed), and will continue to do so, even after your stamina is deplete, as long as you keep moving. 216.59.247.35 04:35, 13 January 2012 (UTC)


not sure if this a glitch or not but i noted that when over encumbered you could increase your movement speed slightly by nocking an arrow in the bow and holding it. — Unsigned comment by Slummyzeru (talkcontribs) at 23:23 on 17 April 2013 (UTC)
Confirmed the movement speed increase with nocked arrow, added to the page. Left nv=1 on it because that's just good practice with newly-added bugs. Need to check whether the Ranger perk still increases movement speed with a drawn arrow when overencumbered. Cdarklock (talk) 05:12, 5 April 2014 (GMT)

Maximum carry weight[edit]

standard: 300

level 81: 80*5= +400

Extra pockets: +100

Steed sign: +100

Volsung mask: + 20

Guild master Armor: + 50

Boots of the Mammoth: + 50

+43 enchanted + 43

finger, hands + 43

and neck: + 43

+120 potion: +120

Total: 1269

Feel free to edit and make this more clear or better looking, I'm not sure if there's any rules for that, I just figured this could be useful. If not, delete it from the talk page. 86.92.141.125 21:39, 19 February 2012 (UTC)

Can anyone use the Skyrim:Creation Kit to determine if there is an actual maximum carry weight, instead of simply attempting to max it out in game as best as possible? GodRaineTalk 04:31, 9 March 2013 (GMT)
If you count potions, there is no maximum. You can use the Alchemy/Enchanting loop exploit to create arbitrarily powerful Fortify Carry Weight potions, so the number could go as high as you want it to. (Within the bounds of whatever data size they use to represent it. If it's an int, it probably glitches and wraps around at ~2.1 billion, but I doubt too many people would have the patience to test that theory.) — TheRealLurlock (talk) 04:39, 9 March 2013 (GMT)
This pretty much answers my question - whether or not there was an actual cap. Obviously if it can go past anything reasonable such as 1000 - 3000, and way up into the millions and billions (where nobody can reasonably reach without using this exploit), the question is definitely moot. Thanks :) GodRaineTalk 04:51, 9 March 2013 (GMT)

Should the main article include workarounds?[edit]

The weight restriction can be circumvented by using a thrall. While the subject is dead, it is possible to store loot in large quantities (tested at >2,000), and when revived via the Dead Thrall spell, the zombie may groan a little, but walks and fast-travels just fine.

And if this information should be published, should it also appear on the Dead Thrall page?

GBO Possum (talk) 16:45, 18 April 2013 (GMT)

See this, in that revision of the Dead Thrall article it was actually mentioned. Apparently the article is up for a possible rewrite, hence it no longer being mentioned although I personally preferred the article as it was. But, well... -Kharay (talk) 16:57, 18 April 2013 (GMT)

Suggestion of Arvak (DG)?[edit]

With the addition of 'Summon Arvak', would mentioning that using Arvak to help travel when encumbered be good? --Satherian (talk) 21:20, 25 June 2013 (GMT)

I think it would, since you can choose to summon him only when you need him, unlike other horses that you have to protect and keep track of. I'll add a note. --Xyzzy Talk 17:04, 29 June 2013 (GMT)

How to use commands to permanently increase your carry weight[edit]

So I tried the console command player.setAV carryweight 999 to increase my carry weight, but every time I load a save it gets undone. Can I do this permanently? — Unsigned comment by Warrior916 (talkcontribs) at 16:25 on 8 August 2013‎

Try forceav instead of setav. The console page says it applies a "permanent modifier" to the value. --Xyzzy Talk 19:52, 8 August 2013 (GMT)

Follower carry weight limit bug[edit]

My Skyrim is very heavily modded, but has anyone else encountered a bug where any fortify carry weight enchantment is dropped on a follower when you trade them an item? I've been using console getAVinfo to try and test this. It seems to be a game engine bug as it affects multiple different mod items as well as the vanilla "Dwarven boots of hauling". Trading anything back to the follower that they equip seems to correct the bug by making the game refresh the buff list. My mods that may be affecting this are: Bandolier - Bags and Pouches, Ultimate Follower Overhaul and Frostfall. I'll make time to test with vanilla skyrim later, but in the meantime if anyone has a vanilla copy ready to go already and can reproduce this, I recommend we add it under the bug section. --DUc0N (talk) 22:25, 5 February 2014 (GMT)

The same thing was reported by others on the Followers talk page. In general, we don't document bugs that occur due to unofficial mods, with the exception of the Unofficial Skyrim Patch and its add-on packs. If it can be confirmed that this occurs without any unofficial mods installed, then we would document it. --Xyzzy Talk 21:41, 6 February 2014 (GMT)

Run indefinitely with Forward Power Attack Cancelling[edit]

I wish to add a few details about the forward power attack trick, but I don't know if it is relevant to the article, as it may be an exploit rather than a workaround : Basically, it enables you to run normally and continuously when overencumbered.
1 Cancel the power attack before it's completed by sheathing your weapon.
2 During the sheathing animation, you character will run normally.
2.1 The run duration depends on the cancel timing. It seems cancelling when the weapon is held above the head gives the longest duration.
2.2 Running speed is determined by the weapon's attack speed. Daggers give the fastest speed and dual flurry does increase it further. I didn't try with elemental fury, but I suppose it would be even faster.
3 If you cancel the attack early enough, it will cost no stamina.

As a consequence, you can run indefinitely by power attacking, sheathing, unsheathing, power attacking, and so on. Black dog (talk) 10:08, 3 June 2015 (UTC)

alternative to thralls[edit]

dead-thrall is fine for those at master conjuration, but for those that arent: the staves/staffs of resurrection spells do not disintergrate the target when it dies again. not practical for fast travel as the spell wil wear off some time during travel and most of the time "pockets the corpse" will dissapear. but if you are running round with a staff a dead body can be infinetly revived as luggage to bypass encumberment. 203.206.241.153 03:06, 25 July 2015 (UTC)

Maximum Carry Weight While on a Horse[edit]

I've noticed that if you get to a high enough weight, your Horse will become Encumbered as well. This was not an issue for me as I was in the 4,000 and it was just fine, but recently the game has been glitching out on me and even when my weight is in the 1,000's he's still Encumbered. Any recommendations on how to fix this. And why is there no mention of the Horse's Carry Weight Capacity on the main page? — Unsigned comment by 69.138.173.47 (talk) at 04:06 on 15 August 2015 (UTC)

Found a bug with carry weight by eating a huge number of ingredients[edit]

I am on the Xbox 360.

I had just gotten all the perks populated in the Alchemy perks tree so I started to gobble a huge number of ingredients in my inventory for which I did not know all 4 properties. I am at level 122, have a stamina and magic of 500, and have a health of 560.

Prior to eating all of these ingredients all at once in the Arch Mage's room in front of the Alchemy Lab table without exiting the character menu for the effects to wear off, my carry weight limit was about 500 plus.

When I was finished this goofy meal of discovering ingredient properties, my carry weight had dropped to 246, which, according to information on this site, is lower than initial starting character when you begin a new game.

Curiously, I have a set of leather boots with 30 CW bonus, and a set of gloves with 24 CW bonus and may have had these equipped when I had eaten all of this stuff: 30+24 = 54, and 300 - 54 = 246, so when I now have these equipped, I just get back to having new game carry weight of 300 exactly.

I equipped enchanted clothing of a gold ring that I newly enchanted with a huge CW bonus in order to move around properly then tried various methods of determining what was wrong. My TV screen for 10 to 30 minutes has been flashing slightly a tinge of red every few seconds to indicate some lasting effects have happened after doing this deed / these actions.

My character menu Magic, Active Effects properties menu lists NOTHING negative--no poisons, no diseases, no negative spells, etc.

Here is the list of things that I have tried to do to so far cure this trouble:

  1. I went to one of my storage cupboards and emptied my inventory into there except for about 40 to 50 weight and was running around without any clothes on--still trouble with carry weight.
  2. I tried to exhaust all my stamina to zero to see if when it recovered that my carry weight might come back up--it did not.
  3. I did the above, then did a Grand Healing spell since I have the respite perk in the Restoration skill tree--no joy.
  4. I went to Whiterun and got the blessing of Talos to cure any hidden diseases--same low carry weight.
  5. I waited 24 hours then checked it--it had not recovered to "normal" levels.
  6. I was at Whiterun so decided to go into the underforge so that no citizen / NPCs could witness me doing a werewolf transformation using the Ring of Hircine--still no improvement in carry weight after I changed back into a human. I did gain carry weight as a werewolf, however. Since I am a werewolf, I cannot get a bonus from sleeping.
  7. I did a save, then a reload of that save--still bugged.
  8. I ate a huge number of bear claw ingredient (while having equipped no CW bonus enchanted equipment) since this ingredient also restores stamina and perhaps the same mechanism that got me into this mess can get me out of it--it did not work.
  9. I tried sleeping in my own bed in my own house of Severin Manor Solstheim (DG) and transforming there as a werewolf, etc, and seemed to have regained 30 CW so now can carry 276 rather than 246, but do not know if this is temporary or not. This is still unacceptable.

Note that at the Mage's College of Winterhold I have the ongoing bug of not being able to sleep or wait in my dorm room having been asked to leave by a fellow student mage, Onmund, who did not like me due to being a werewolf, being a thieves guild member, having a conjured thrall with me, bringing a vampire Serana into my room, and for having discovered the eye of Magnus at the excavation site of Saarthal. -- see the discussion page for cannot sleep while being asked to leave.

I shall reload my prior permanent save at level 62, magic 260, health 400, stamina 300, where I had a CW of 400 since all the recent 3 tainted AUTO saved games have the bugged CW within. 198.91.176.251 08:47, 14 March 2017 (UTC)

Can't use a carriage when overencumbered?[edit]

I was hoping that paying for a carriage ride would be the same as riding a horse. But after clicking "use carriage" and climbing on board, nothing happened. The "Use carriage" action is still displayed. Clicking it again just means I exit the carriage and the driver gets grumpy and says he can't wait forever. Should this be added to the page? (Would've saved me a bit of aggro. Now looking at a long, slow walk or lot of fast travelling to bring my Dwemer Cogs to the College at Winterhold). This is on PC Special Edition via Steam. 209.97.183.167 19:09, 13 May 2019 (UTC)

Actual total amount change after Vampire lord transformation while survival mode is on[edit]

Similar to "Vampire Lord Revert Weight Bug" described here[1]. But happens only after first transformation, further transformations don't influence total carry weight capacity. Character has 200 Stamina, normal carry weight value is equal to 200 as well. Depending on the save file I used for the first transformation to happen for the same character, carry weight capacity could either be decreased, 200 -> 163, or increased 200 -> 24x. Carry weight enchantmets (rings, amulets, CC bags) were either used or not during transformation, no impact on final result. If turning CC Survival Mode off after transformation, total carry weight amount changes to 350. When turning CC SM on back, total carry weight amount changes to the changed one (163, 24x, etc.)

Character is a cured werewolf (quest with witch's head to be burned is finished before character became a Vampire lord) - there were no carry weight related issues during and after werewolf transformations.

No mods are installed. Several creations from CC are installed. PC platform. "player.restoreav carryweight 1000" doesn't impact changes occured after transformation. — Unsigned comment by 136.169.56.3 (talk) at 19:45 on 20 July 2019 (UTC)

Merge Tips Re: Using Followers as Pack Mules[edit]

I added a new tip re: using followers as pack mules and have currently bulleted it under the existing tip, but I think it would be more efficient if I just merged the two tips or switched them around. The basic difference is between commanding a follower to take either one item at a time or to take multiple items at one time. Just wanted to get a second opinion before I made the edits and stepped on anyone's toes.
kenmo (talk) 20:57, 25 May 2023 (UTC)