If a character is encumbered, the character's movement rate will be affected depending on the degree of encumbrance as seen by a 'movement speed decrease' icon that appears in the upper right-hand corner of the HUD. Lightly-encumbered characters will no longer run and will move at 100% of their base speed at walking pace. If combined with detect mode or stealth mode base speed is reduced to 50%. If character is in detect mode, stealth mode and lightly-encumbered base speed is reduced to 25%. Heavy-encumbrance means the character's movement speed is reduced still further by an additional 50%

This form of movement speed decrease is not to be confused with a decrease in movement speed caused by spells, which can be negated by freedom of movement. Drinking potions of bull's strength, casting the spell bull's strength, using the blackguard feat bull's strength and/or wearing items which grant bonuses to strength can keep a character at regular running speed briefly before returning to sell surplus items.