Changing How Movement Works

[Tonguez]

I've been thinking for a long while about turning Movement into a skill.

Movement Skill would incorporate Run, Climb, Swim, and maybe balance (as well as Fly, burrow etc as appropriate).

Anyway these are just some thoughts which need development

1. Normal movement (walk for a human) would be DC 0

2. Speed bonus = Racial Land speed/20
(eg a human would have a Speed of +1.5 (Round down =+1) the same as a Spd20 dwarf). A Barbarian however would have a speed bonus of +2

3. Movement incorporates both how fast and how 'manuverable' so complex DCs can be created for foot chases over uneven ground or through crowded streets etc. Swimming races and even tree climbing races can be adjudicated.
A Manuveres system to be developed

4. Movement Skill => +5 Clumsy +10 Poor + 15 Average +20 Good +25 Perfect

5. Movement in combat becomes more dynamic by accounting for (and thus abstracting) Spd and distance => D20+BAb+Spd vc AC + Distance/10

eg So X the Barbarian (Bab 4 AC 10 Spd+2) and Z (Bab 2 AC 12 Spd +1) face off over a distance of 80 feet

X attacks leaping forward to close the distance on Z.
Z has both armour and distance on his side (AC 12 + 8 = 20 to hit)
X rolls D20+4 +2 = needs to roll 14 or better)
X misses, Z declares that he will step back to maintain melee distance
DM "the distance is too great an with stunning speed Z evades

in subsequent rounds distance and speed do not feature unless one or other tries to leap back or something...

Anyway just some thoughts

 

[Nyaricus]

while i do aggree the basic system is a little (well, a lot) oversimplified, i personally think that your system is over complicated. I mean, for foot chases, this is excellent, but as for having to worry about a rather minor (as in not well represented via the core rules) combat issue, i dont think its worth your while.

what i am trying to do, in an everlasting effort to create realism in my game, is simply adding Str+Dex SCORES (not mods) for movement, with adjustments based upon race, certain class features(barbs and monks come to mind, other PrCs, and alt classes are there too) and movement type, and armour worn. it is going through a bit of editing right now, but it is looking pretty snazzy so far . As a side note, my players have no problems, since with my system, speed stays pretty much the same, plus or minus 5 feet, on average.