All Dwarf Party - Add a character (also, Barb Dwarf Movement disussion)

[Kwyn]

That supplement looks interesting Pogre. Too bad it's out of print. Maybe I'll find it elsewhere.

 

[Green Knight]

I see your arguments, but a barbarian's speed is not reduced by medium armor and a normal dwarf is not slowed by medium or heavy loads. Therefore, if a dwarf barbarian is inherently faster by 10 feet, why would medium armor slow him when it does not slow other dwarfs? I guess I do not buy the idea that there is a magic barrier at 20 feet.

I DO understand your point of view, but I think the other view has a legitimate argument. One that sways me at least.

Agreed. I just checked my 3.5 PHB, and it says that Barbarians still get their Fast Movement when in Medium Armor. Which means that the Barbarian in Medium Armor moves 30 ft. (Whereas the Barbarian in Light or no armor moves 40 ft. At least the ones that moved 30 ft. to begin with, I.E. Humans, elves, etc).

So yeah, a Dwarf Barbarian, at least when not wearing Heavy Armor or carrying a Heavy Load, moves 30 ft.

 

[Barendd Nobeard]

That supplement looks interesting Pogre. Too bad it's out of print. Maybe I'll find it elsewhere.

I don't think it's out of print. You can get it at Powells, the best bookstore in the U.S.

It's also available at Amazon.


And my FLGS has a copy or two on the shelves.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Agreed. I just checked my 3.5 PHB, and it says that Barbarians still get their Fast Movement when in Medium Armor. Which means that the Barbarian in Medium Armor moves 30 ft. (Whereas the Barbarian in Light or no armor moves 40 ft. At least the ones that moved 30 ft. to begin with, I.E. Humans, elves, etc).

So yeah, a Dwarf Barbarian, at least when not wearing Heavy Armor or carrying a Heavy Load, moves 30 ft.

Except for two sentences down, where it says "when wearing medium armor or carrying a medium load, his speed drops to 30 feet". The barbarian fast movement description contradicts itself!

The SRD text says:

Fast Movement (Ex): A barbarian’s land speed is faster than the norm for his race by +10 feet. This benefit applies only when he is wearing no armor, light armor, or medium armor and not carrying a heavy load. Apply this bonus before modifying the barbarian’s speed because of any load carried or armor worn.

But the PHB goes on to say:

For example, a human barbarian has a speed of 40 feet, rather than 30 feet, when wearing light or no armor. When wearing medium armor or carrying a medium load, his speed drops to 30 feet ... (similar text for halfling barbarian).

Sloppy, sloppy, WOTC! Which is it? I'd default to the rules text (ie, SRD) rather than the example, I guess.

 

[Green Knight]

Except for two sentences down, where it says "when wearing medium armor or carrying a medium load, his speed drops to 30 feet". The barbarian fast movement description contradicts itself!

Yeah, that was sloppy wording. That should more properly say that the movement bonus is applied AFTER the Speed is modified by the armor or weight load (Either that, or Medium/Heavy Loads and Medium/Heavy Armor should subtract 10 feet from movement for Medium creatures, and 5 feet for Small creatures, rather than giving a fixed number).

But whatever the case, the intent is pretty clearly. Namely that your half-orc barbarian in chainmail can move 30 ft., while the one in leather armor can move 40 ft (And in this case, I take the Example over the SRD any day. Why? Because Examples are where the writers can most clearly get across their intent with a ruling. They may screw up the wording of the ruling, but it's pretty clear from the example that a human barbarian in medium armor is supposed to move 30 ft). After all, the SRD says the following:

Fast Movement (Ex): A barbarian’s land speed is faster than the norm for his race by +10 feet. This benefit applies only when he is wearing no armor, light armor, or medium armor and not carrying a heavy load. Apply this bonus before modifying the barbarian’s speed because of any load carried or armor worn.

If it were any other way, then what benefit is provided by Fast Movement for someone wearing Medium Armor? None at all, and I doubt that was the intent. That part should read:

Fast Movement (Ex): A barbarian’s land speed is faster than the norm for his race by +10 feet. This benefit applies only when he is wearing no armor, light armor, or medium armor and not carrying a heavy load. Apply this bonus after modifying the barbarian’s speed because of any load carried or armor worn.

Change that one word and the whole thing makes perfect sense, and it's in line with the example in the PHB.

I don't know about anyone else, but I find it more likely that WoTC screwed up just the one word, rather than them screwing up an entire example, as well as saying that there's a benefit to someone in Medium Armor when none exists.

 

[Magic Slim]

I lost an elven cleric archer in a solo game last week (damn ogre) and thus decided to make a dwarven barbarian, wielding a spiked chain. Borag Dorbek will avenge Eälindiliria Glorfilith (even if he never knew her )

Also, I suggest you start a thread in the rules forum about Dwarven Barbarian Mov.

Slim

 

[pogre]

I don't think it's out of print. You can get it at Powells, the best bookstore in the U.S.

It's also available at Amazon.


And my FLGS has a copy or two on the shelves.

Actually, Bad Axe has sold out of Dwarves a while ago. However, as Barendd Nobeard points out it is still available a lot of places.

 

[Kwyn]

Thanks for all the input folks. If you have more ideas for me and my dwarf, please post up some more goodies in this thread! I still have no idea what I'm going to do. In the past 24 hours I've gone from Barbarian to Ranger to Fighter/Rogue and now back to Barbarian, so I'm still confused. I'm the person at the table who waits until the waiter is ready to walk away before I order and I just blurt something out "I'll have the eggplant!", then 20 seconds later I am thinking "I really wanted the chicken".



If you would like to continue the movement discussion, please visit the new thread in the D&D Rules Forum I've snipped everyone's comments from this thread and copied them over so there won't be any need to repeat ourselves.

Thanks again everyone.

 

[Someone]

Thanks for all the input folks. If you have more ideas for me and my dwarf, please post up some more goodies in this thread! I still have no idea what I'm going to do. In the past 24 hours I've gone from Barbarian to Ranger to Fighter/Rogue and now back to Barbarian, so I'm still confused.

I´ll, in a show of hubris, try to analythe what are you thinking. You really want to play a barbarian, but you see what´s already on the table and think that there is already enough fighter types, so you decide to go for a more stealthy (short) guy, since there is only one rogue and you want to help the group. But you want to play a barbarian!

My advice: go and play that barbarian, there is still the option to multiclass when you level up into rogue or ranger if the rogue needs a bodyguard.

 

[Kwyn]

Haha! You may be right.

See, the rogue player has been whispering in my ear. It turns out he's not interested in mixing in fighter levels at all, but rather mixing in some sorcerer. He's talking about us sneaking off and scouting, ambushing, being a caster-kill-team always working on helping the other one flank, giving mutual protection while scouting etc.

As you can see from my posts, I tend to be somewhat of a dilletante when it comes to my gaming. I sometimes get bored and itch to try something new. The sneaking aspect of the thing appeals to me in the same way the tactical fighter style does. I like to mix things up and have options. Of course, like anyone, I like to see the big numbers on the dice and say "RAR!" but I fear finding myself twiddling my thumbs while the rogue is out doing rogue stuff.

Hell, i don't know. I'm sure I'll show up this weekend with 3 characters and won't decide which one I'm playing until the DM says "Ok, you're in a bar".