Fast Movement - Small Monks

[mosesjones]

A gnome monk in my campaign just recently reached 3rd level. When using her fast movement feat I ruled that since gnomes are smaller the bonus would only be 5' instead of 10'. But now I note that in the SRD the Monk table mentions size adjustments for Unarmed Damage. No such mention is made for Unarmored Speed Bonus.

Have I ruled incorrectly? Must I make my players aware of my fallibility? (Or is it simply better to arrange for a "little accident" for a "little monk" )

 

[dcollins]

Yes, assuming you're playing 3.5 then it looks like you're wrong. The bonus movement applies across-the-board regardless of original race or movement. In contrast, the 3.0 rules had a separate movement progression for Small monks, and that was specifically removed in 3.5.

For comparison's sake, here's what it used to be in 3.0:

TABLE: Small Monk Unarmed Damage and Small Monk & Dwarf Monk Speed 
Level          Damage         Speed	
-----          ------         -----
1–2            1d4            20 ft.
3              1d4            25 ft.
4–5            1d6            25 ft.
6–7            1d6            35 ft.
8              1d8            35 ft.
9-11           1d8            40 ft.
12-14          1d10           45 ft.
15             1d10           55 ft.
16-17          2d6            55 ft.
18-20          2d6            60 ft.

 

[Lamoni]

I think it would probably be best to let your players know of your fallability. Especially since this one will actually benefit the PC. It will make it much easier for them to accept a correction from you in the future that doesn't help. Of course those cases should be as rare as possible, but it is possible to make a mistake that benefits a character too much (to the point of making it not fun for others).

Just letting this mistake go isn't the best option because monk's are already barely able to keep up with the other classes and having their speed is one very nice thing they have. It allows them to catch fleeing minions, run around the bad guys to get to the annoying archers on the hill, use their tumble while still moving a considerable distance, etc. Playing a smaller race puts the monk behind all medium sized monks in speed already... no need to exaggerate the difference.

 

[Darkness]

(Or is it simply better to arrange for a "little accident" for a "little monk" )

The little bastards have it coming anyway. Ending its pain would be a good deed. Really.

 

[Anax]

Yup--in 3.5, all monks get the same bonus, but on the down side, that bonus no longer stacks with other enhancement bonuses to speed (and almost all of them *are* enhancement bonuses.) So you don't really want boots of springing and striding as a monk any more.

Note for epic levels (I'm mentioning this for other people, mainly), that the monk class is not consistent there--I suspect it's an oversight. The epic monk describes the bonus for small monks being smaller than that for normal monks.

Anyway, small characters get enough of a hit as it is. No reason to punish them more.