Artificially increasing base speed

[El Jeraldo]

In the world of dnd I understand leveling. As you train and get better your ability scores go up (i.e. you get to place a permanent ability point every 4 levels). So the idea is that over time your fighter has trained with his weapon and carrying a great physical load he gets stronger and his strength score goes up. Well in real life a runner trains and gets faster and faster, why does my character never increase in base speed? Say every day my character goes through rigorous training, running long distances with ankle weights, performing different forms of sprint training, and the such (I am a runner I know what it is like). All I ask is that after a while my base speed increases 10ft. I'm asking all those DMs out there is this is a valid request or would it be too unbalancing or would there be some trade offs that would make it possible?

I understand that sometimes you may be in a dungeon or a place like it where performing a daily training routine might be a little difficult or not possible but that aside, does this seem ok? All replies are greatly appreciated.

-El Jeraldo

 

[genshou]

Some character classes have a speed increase to reflect exactly that. For instance, take the Barbarian and Monk. In d20 Modern, the Fast hero can choose class talents to increase base speed. The Dash feat from Song and Silence: A Guidebook to Bards and Rogues increases base speed by 5 feet. The Run feat increases the running multiplier from *4 to *5.

If anyone knows of a 3.5 book that Dash has been reprinted in, I'd appreciate being notified of it.

 

[paradox42]

Comparing this to the ability score increase isn't quite what you should be going for with this, IMO. Look at the classes: several of them, the most prominent being Monk and Barbarian, gain increases to base speed (Monk even gains further increases with level-ups). Also, d20 Modern has a Talent available to the Fast Hero that increases base speed.

Given the above, the best way to model this in D&D would seem to be as a feat; if such a feat were made, the Monk and Barbarian would just gain it as a bonus feat (Monk would continue gaining it at higher levels, I suppose). This would work like the Ranger getting the use of Archery or Two-Weapon feats, in that those classes would be able to ignore the feat's prerequisites when following class restrictions (such as wearing light armor or no armor).

Personally, if I made a feat to do this, I'd probably set up the prerequisites to increase if the character takes it more than once- for example, the first time might require DEX 13, while the second time might require DEX 15.

Being somebody who moves faster than the average person myself, I sympathize with your desire to do this in D&D. 30 feet is certainly too slow to describe my base walking pace; I'd be more like 45 or even 50 I think.

 

[genshou]

50 sounds a little fast... you can walk for 8 hours at a speed of 5 miles per hour without taking subdual damage?

I mean, I'm 6'1" if I stand up straight, with most of that length in my legs. I am a 100-meter sprinter. I can't walk for hours on end at 5 miles per hour.

 

[Bront]

Walking at 5 miles an hour means you can put up a good pace in a Marathon without running.

Under the right circumstances though, I can see that happening, but not very common.

There are a few feats that increase your speed by 5' at a time. Can't think of them off the top of my head.

 

[DerHauptman]

In my game if you wanted to increase your base speed by 10' instead of take a stat increase I'd say np seems fair to me.

If thats what you are asking?

If you are asking for both well, I'd have to say no.

Unless there is some kind of feat that allows you to do so and like Bront I do think there are are quite a few from various sources that will. Some I have seen allow for 10' increases most are 5'.

DerHauptman-Out!

 

[paradox42]

50 sounds a little fast... you can walk for 8 hours at a speed of 5 miles per hour without taking subdual damage?

I mean, I'm 6'1" if I stand up straight, with most of that length in my legs. I am a 100-meter sprinter. I can't walk for hours on end at 5 miles per hour.

Yes, I know. It really is astounding how many people I outdistance without effort- whenever I go out with friends I either find myself far ahead of them after a minute or two of walking, or forcing myself constantly to slow down to their pace so they can keep up. One of those friends is 6'5", and he has to work to keep up with me (if he feels like it- he rarely does). Crowds are always annoying to me, not because I mind the press of people, but because there's always somebody in front of me who's oblivious to those behind and thus slows me down by blocking my path. I can't stand that- and I've gotten very adept at slipping through tight spaces that exist for only a second or two in a crowd, believe me!

Like I said, the speed may be 45, but it's definitely quite a bit higher than 30 feet/round (and I don't think 40 is high enough to cover it). I'm definitely an oddball this way, and very few people can match my pace without jogging slightly- but it's just the way I naturally walk and move.

So anyway, in game terms, I'd say a feat should cover it. Yeah.

 

[Tonguez]

New Feat
Feat Namearadox42
Prereq Dex 13
You inexplicably move faster than your size and race would indicate. Add a +10ft paradox bonus to your base speed, you also get a +5 bonus to Escape Artist checks used to slip through small gaps in a crowd

 

[Piratecat]

All I ask is that after a while my base speed increases 10ft. I'm asking all those DMs out there is this is a valid request or would it be too unbalancing or would there be some trade off's that would make it possible?

There is a psionic feat named speed of thought that gives you +10' to your movement when psionically focused.

 

[Rhun]

There are a few feats that increase your speed by 5' at a time. Can't think of them off the top of my head.

I know there is one called Dash that increases your base move by 5'. It is in one of the Complete books.

I'd have no problem with a player exchanging his +1 stat increase for a +5 movement increase, though.