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. 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 before returning to sell surplus items. Storing heavy items in containers with weight-reducing properties (such as bags of holding and other magic bags) may also prevent encumbrance.