Inventory Systems in RPGs

Have you ever thought why inventories in TTRPGs are just lists?

In video games you have interfaces, slot systems, automatic tracking of ammunition, which are very cumbersome to manage in TTRPGs.

This is an issue I want to resolve in Explorers RPG. I want players to interact not with just their items, but also frequently change out their gear to better suit encounters ahead.

In the game, you have six item slots, where most items takes up one slot. And every item is roughly categorized in three:

• Bundles: A bundle is a collection of various basic items, such as string, wire, rope, torches, oil, shovel, knife, walking stick etc. If you have a bundle in your in inventory, you can make a bundle roll and retrieve whatever item you want. The item will enable you to do a task, but it won't give you any advantages. If you fail the roll, you lose the bundle, and if you have multiple bundles it's easier to succeed and you get access to more useful items.
• Specialized equipment: Which is further divided into weapons, armor and tools. You can customize the equipment to gain specific traits and benefits, so that they are perfectly suited for the task ahead.
• Artifacts: Are game changing items, and can only be discovered when you're on an adventure, magic items, potions and ritual components. These items make you able to cast spells, enhance yourself and even bend the very fabric if reality. They are powerful, but also limited in use and rare to find.

A character will frequently swap out their gear between bundles, specialized equipment and artifacts. If they are well prepared, the upcoming encounters will be easy, but are they ill prepared, they risk injury and even death. The players should want to first scout a new area using bundles to overcome unknown challenges, and then head back and plan which specialized items and artifacts they need to overcome the encounters they have intel on.

I have never tried this system before, so please check out the draft of the rules below and give some feedback on what you think about it.

See ya