Fastest Race?

[airwalkrr]

Xephs (Expanded Psionics Handbook and the SRD) are quick, but only in short bursts. Since they're naturally psionic, though, they could take the Speed of Thought psionic feat at 1st-level or later for +10 ft. of speed as long as they maintain psionic focus and don't wear heavy armor or the like. Since it's an insight bonus, it stacks with stuff like Barbarian or Monk Fast Movement as well as the Xeph's Burst racial ability (which is a competence bonus). So a 1st-level Xeph Barbarian with Speed of Thought could move at 50-ft. speed normally, improved to 60 ft. speed for short periods of time (and the Xeph's Burst improves over time, peaking out at +30 ft. of speed at 9th-level onward).

...which is still slower than a light riding horse with horseshoes of speed or an awakened eagle for that matter.

It seems like the OP is hoping there is some race out there that moves at base speed 100 or something but yet is still considered a "normal" PC-type race. I honestly don't think that exists.

 

[Tharkon]

Considering the following things:

• It's an NPC.
• ECL does not matter.
• It's a messenger on the PCs side, so unlikely to fight with or against them.
• It has the ability to possess magic items which the PCs are not going to steal from him.

Then just give him whatever speed you want him to have, no explanation needed, you can make him of a race the PCs don't know but that isn't needed.
His speed could come from classes the PCs have no access to, from magic items the PCs don't possess or from spells that have been permancied trough some ritual the PCs are not familiar with, by a spellcaster that is dead/gone/unwilling to cooperate/suffering from amnesia/gone insane.

 

[Arkhandus]

...which is still slower than a light riding horse with horseshoes of speed or an awakened eagle for that matter.

It seems like the OP is hoping there is some race out there that moves at base speed 100 or something but yet is still considered a "normal" PC-type race. I honestly don't think that exists.

Unfortunate that Boots of Striding and Springing were so toned down in 3.5.

Still, slap on a level of Sorcerer to that Xeph Barbarian, then he can cast Expeditious Retreat several times per day for +30 ft. speed enhancement like a mount with Horseshoes of Speed. True, it's not as long-lasting and it is slightly slower when the Xeph isn't using Burst.

I also don't think there's any race out there with more than 40 or 50 ft. movement speed. Short of taking something really unusual (Awakened animal or the like).

A 5th-level or higher druid can, at least, take on a fast animal-form for several hours at a time, multiple times per day as they advance in level.

Other than that, a Xeph Monk with Speed of Thought is probably the best bet for a fast messenger NPC.

 

[Tharkon]

If you want a messenger, why not consider a spellcaster with some of the following spells:

• Dimension Door
• Dream
• Greater Teleport
• Message
• Refuge
• Sending
• Teleport
• Transport via Plants
• Tree Stride
• Whispering Wind
• Word of Recall

And yes, for mundane or semi-mundane messengers it's better to look for a suitable mount, since birds and quadrupeds are usually faster and can still benefit from enhancement magic.
Oh, does a druid retain class features from other classes in wildshape?
Druid/Barbarian/Scout or something so you get extra bonuses when wildshaped in a cheetah.

 

[Arkhandus]

From the SRD:

Wild Shape (Su)
*snip*
This ability functions like the alternate form special ability, except as noted here.

Alternate Form
*snip*
The creature loses the natural weapons, natural armor, and movement modes of its original form, as well as any extraordinary special attacks of its original form not derived from class levels (such as the barbarian’s rage class feature).
The creature gains the natural weapons, natural armor, movement modes, and extraordinary special attacks of its new form.
The creature retains the special qualities of its original form. It does not gain any special qualities of its new form.
The creature retains the spell-like abilities and supernatural attacks of its old form (except for breath weapons and gaze attacks). It does not gain the spell-like abilities or attacks of its new form.
*snip*
Except as described elsewhere, the creature retains all other game statistics of its original form, including (but not necessarily limited to) HD, hit points, skill ranks, feats, base attack bonus, and base save bonuses.

So, you retain your Extraordinary class features from any/all classes when Wild Shaped. A Wild Shaped Druid/Monk could potentially have incredible movement speeds in the right form. A Xeph Druid would retain their Burst supernatural ability while Wild Shaped, also.

 

[Tharkon]

Just too bad that you don't gain the Cheetah's sprint ability, since it's a special quality, not a special attack, just realized that.

From animals in MM1...
Fastest flyer: Eagle (80ft.)
Fastest swimmers: Porpoise, Giant Squid (80ft.)
Fastest runner: Light Horse (60ft.)
Fastest climbers: Ape, Baboon, Monkey (30ft.)
Fastest diggers: Badger, Wolverine (10ft.)

The Badger, Baboon, Eagle, Porpoise and Wolverine are available for 5th-level Druids.
Light Horse and Ape become available at 8th level, Monkey at 11th level and Giant Squid at 15th level.

A druid would also serve as a good spy and scout using different animal forms. Add one level of barbarian and 3 levels of scout (or monk) for extra speed. Note that a barbarian does not lose fast movement when becoming lawful. However, the scout and barbarian only enhance landspeed, while monk levels enhance all movement modes.

 

[Havoc123456]

how about a centaur barbarian/scout/monk, whatever, with horse shoes of speed. one level of barbarian and a few of scout will get you to 100ft. add half dragon and you have 100ft flying too.

 

[Tharkon]

how about a centaur barbarian/scout/monk, whatever, with horse shoes of speed. one level of barbarian and a few of scout will get you to 100ft. add half dragon and you have 100ft flying too.

Even faster than 100 ft. flight, monk levels boost fly speeds as well.

Make it a tauric human-light warhorse instead of a centaur though, that will give you a base-speed of 60 ft. Not sure how else it differs from the centaur. It has the same racial HD but one higher LA.
I'm guessing centaurs are based on heavy warhorses.

Then add shadow to increase it to 90 ft.
That's LA +5 and 4 racial HD though.

Class levels using some variants can give you:
Barbarian level 1: +10
Ranger (UA variant) level 1: +10
Ranger (CW variant) level 6: +10
Monk level 3, 6, 9, etc.: +10
Druid level 5 would give +30 for 5 minutes.

6th level Ranger is a bit useless since 3 Monk levels already give the same.

You could get 110 ft. at level 11 with 10ft. more at every 3 levels thereafter.

Actually it might be better to just get a shadow catfolk:
LA +3, no racial HD, base speed of 60 ft.
That would be 80 ft. at level 5 with 10ft. more at every 3 levels thereafter.
No the tauric one is faster after all, large though, so not as great for sneaking, but can carry a lot more since it's also quadrupedal.

Xeph's burst ability only lasts for 3*3 rounds/day max, so hardly useful for a messenger, 270 ft. (1/20th of a mile) isn't making a difference on trips measured in miles.
Even when assuming the boost is used during a sprint and with the Run feat, then it's 1/4 a mile per day in 3 sprints.

The Druid's aspect of nature ability lasts 50 rounds/day in one trip, only 10 of those can be spent running, rest possibly hustling, that's 3/4 of a mile.
This at the cost of 5 levels.

Three Monk levels (or the first level of Ranger/Barbarian) for comparison give 9 miles/day extra without the need of running or hustling or anything, so the Druid class and Xeph race are not worth it.

It might be worth to investigate if there is a race that is able to hustle all day, or walk for longer than 8 hours without penalty. This would require immunity to nonlethal damage. Maybe some intelligent undead creature?
Since they don't need to sleep and are immune to nonlethal damage it basically means they can hustle 24 hours/day increasing their daily speed by factor 6. Vampires are out of the question since they can't travel during the day. And any undead with clearly undead appearances might not be suitable for messengers.

I think this post is about long enough now, lol.

 

[TarionzCousin]

Just too bad that you don't gain the Cheetah's sprint ability, since it's a special quality, not a special attack, just realized that.

That would be cheetah-ing.

 

[Havoc123456]

there is a regional feat in one of the forgotten realms books (dont remember which) called fleet of foot. it gives +10 ft but is only available to elves or humans of certain regions iirc. add quick trait and a level of barbarian/ranger/druid avenger etc., and you have 60ft at first level. add monk or other classes and you can get a pretty fast human/elf. no LA no racial hit dice.