How fast does a Prone or Crouching Character Move?

[DM with a vengence]

I'm DMing a Dragonstar Campaign, and one thing that will shortly come up that isn't covered in the rules is how fast do Prone and Crouching characters move. I have a few ideas on this, but I would like to see the general consensus of the boards before making a descision.

A Prone character moves at half their speed. They can move their speed as a full round action, or half that as a MEA.

A Crouching character moves at their speed -5. For example, an unarmed human moving in a crouch would move 25', or 55' as a double move, or 125' in a run.

Do you have any other ideas?

 

[kreynolds]

Strangely enough, I believe that when you are prone, you first have to regain your feet before you can move.

In regards to a house rule, if you're crouching, I would base your reduced speed upon how low you are crouching.

For example, a tunnel that is half your height, I would equate this to a movement penalty similar to Moderate Obstruction, and would reduce your speed to three quarters. If the tunnel were smaller, forcing you to crawl on your hands and knees, I would equate this to Heavy Obstruction, and would reduce your speed to half (as you suggested), and I would also say that you were prone.

This would apply even if you are not in a restricted space. So...

1) Crouch - three-quarter movement rate.
2) Hands & Knees - half movement rate, prone.

 

[Mahali]

They just move at 1/2 speed period if they don't get up. A
Charge would have the same distance as a Partial Charge and they'd still be prone.

A Double Move would have the same distance as a Move Action and the first 5' isn't threatend.

 

[kreynolds]

They just move at 1/2 speed period if they don't get up.

Where is this rule? I couldn't find it in the PH, though I might have missed it in the DMG.

 

[Zhure]

Odd as it sounds, the game seems to be designed such that movement can only occur whilst one isn't prone. There are at least four references to standing up from being prone as an MEA, but not a single mention in the PHB of how one can move while being prone.

Greg

 

[Pielorinho]

Heh - I also noticed that there are no rules for moving while prone, but I assumed that meant just the opposite: that being prone had no effect on one's ability to move. That is, I figured that by the rules, a prone person could move fine.

THat's a little silly: you can't crawl that fast. So I go for the 1/2 movement rate while prone. I do still allow a 5' step (well, a 5' roll-to-the-side) while prone, as this is an essential move in cinematic battles.

Daniel

 

[Dr. Zoom]

I use the climb rate for crawling. Crawl at half your speed as a full round action, or a quarter of your speed as a MEA, with no skill check necessary. I also allow a 5 foot step as if the character was not prone.

 

[AGGEMAM]

IMO,

when crouching you can move half your speed

when prone you can move one-quarter your speed and cannot run (obviuosly).

Edit: This is somewhat based on RL observations combined with usual D&D rules assumptions.

 

[DarkSoldier]

According to Dictionary.com, "prone" means "Lying with the front or face downward." I would assume that when one lies prone, one can only move at a crawl.

When lying prone, a character's movement rate should be reduced to 5 feet.

 

[Pielorinho]

According to Dictionary.com, "prone" means "Lying with the front or face downward." I would assume that when one lies prone, one can only move at a crawl.

When lying prone, a character's movement rate should be reduced to 5 feet.

Hmm...that'd mean that in a normal 6-second period, the most you could move by crawling would be 20 feet. I think your average 1-year-old toddler can crawl that fast.

Okay, everyone's gone for the day from the office. Hold on....

OKay, now I feel like an idiot and have carpetburn on my knees. But you can move faster than 20'/six seconds if you're crawling.

Daniel