PIP INVENTORY SYSTEM

 THE PIP SYSTEM

 

OVERVIEW

First proposed by JimmiWazEre on Domain of many things, the PIP system is a simple way to track the condition and qaunity of your items in a more engaging way.

 

The idea is simple, every item has four PIPs that represent that items holistic condition, wether that be quantity, quality, and/or uses. 

 

These pips are tracked on your inventory sheet, and can be depleted and replenished depending on how you maintain and use those items.

 

As you adventure you may come across loot items that are mostly depleted and will require maintenance to restore to full condition. Likewise you might buy gear at a higher price to get a higher starting pip count. 

 

Maintaining your equipment becomes a strategic choice by the players.

 

The PIP rules proposed below are a revised version of this system by BBEG that adds more mechanics and rules to base system proposed by JimmiWazEre.

 

At the end we've also included a new inventory sheet with an optional quick rules side. 

REST & REPLENISHMENT

In order to replenish pips on your items you must take downtime to maintain them. When resting you must choose which items to prioritise replenishing.

 

Once per short rest you can replenish pips equal to your proficeny bonus.

Once per long rest you can replenish pips equal to 3 + proficeny bonus. 

 
Each class has a speciality that allows them to replenish 1 extra item pip that that relates to their craft, such as arrows for a ranger, weapons for a fighter, or potions for a wizard.

 

Class speciality 

  

Armour / Shields / Weapons 

- Barbarian 

- Fighter

- Monk 

- Paladin 

 

Tools / Food Rations / Ammunition  

- Bard 

- Druid 

- Ranger 

- Rogue 

 

Magic Items / Potions /Spell Scrolls 

- Cleric

- Sorcerer

- Warlock 

- Wizard 

 

YOUR BAG

Each item in your bag has a size value to indicate how much space it takes up in your pack. You can only carry a combined total of item values equal to the max size total of your bag.

 

There are no offical scales for this so leave it to your DMs disgression about item size. 

 

General Guide 

Trinket = 0.5 (Scrolls, lockets, ink, etc) 

Small items = 1 (Potions, food, rope, daggers, etc)

Medium items = 2 (Swords, shields, monster heads, etc)

Heavy items = 4 (Armour, heavy weapons,  giant wheel of cheese, etc)

 

Pack Sizes

Bags come in many sizes and by default everyone can carry a pouch. Feel free to adjust these in your game.

 

BAG	SPACE	REQUIREMENTS
POUCH	10	ANY
LIGHT	20	STR = 10
MEDIUM	25	STR = 14
HEAVY	30	STR = 18

 

 

WEAPON DEPLETION

When attacking, your weapons can deplete in one of two ways;

1. A critical failure / Rolling a 1 on an attack roll.

2. Power attack / You choose to deplete your weapon to deal bonus damage equal to double your weapon damage.
 

 

ARMOUR DEPLETION

When defending, your shield and armor can deplete in one of two ways;

1. You suffer a critical hit / Your attacker rolls a 20 on their attack roll.

2. Defending stance / You choose to deplete your armour/shield to reduce incoming damage equal to your AC.
 

 

STACKABLES

There are two types of items, stackable and non-stockable. Stackable items include items such as; arrows, potions, food rations, etc. While non-stackable items include; weapons, armour, and gear.

• Pips for stackable items represent quantity.

• Pips for non-stackable items represents quality.

 

These are just general rules of thumb however, and will depend on the item in question and your DMs guidance. You might for example lose a pip on your arrows due to accidently falling on them from a great hight, or food rations might deplete because you were horribly burnt. Never let rules as written get in the way of good storytelling!

 

ROT 

Some items have rot that indicates its rate of decay. For each short/long rest that you do not use the item it depletes by 1 pip.

 

Rot may be applied to consumables, but also quest items. Perhaps you need to return a trinket to its owner before it breaks, causing you to have to plan out your rests strategically, or the Dragons head will begin to decay and you must be quick to claim your reward.

 

PIP INVENTORY SHEET 

Link to Inventory Sheet PDF