D&D 4E Movement & Time in 4e

[Lanefan]

It used to bug me, then I realized that 1E used inches (apparently, you were assumed to bring your tape measure) and 1" = 10'. That is, of course, unless 1" = 1", which was the case for a few spells.

In 1e 1" was 10' indoors and 10 *yards* (i.e. 30') outdoors.

I long since converted all the "inches" to feet (except, of course, for the very few places where they really did mean inches, though I think they always wrote out the word inch(es) when they meant 1/12 of a foot and left the " symbol to mean 10 ft-yds)...it's just easier, and allows for indoor and outdoor measurements to differ by factors other than 3 where they need to differ at all.

Lanefan

 

[Varianor Abroad]

This seems like a pretty smart change, foreshadowed by listing movement on stat blocks as 30 feet (6 squares). It's just in reverse, with a silent "30 feet".

 

[Arashi Ravenblade]

I would prefer 10 second rounds.

 

[Stalker0]

3. Flight movement has a higher multiple when 'running'; thus in combat it has a slight benefit, but for travelling it is much faster. (In fact it would make sense to have 'run' multipliers for different movement rates - e.g. crawling x2, two legs x4, four+ legs x6, flying x10 as a for-instance).

I love that idea.

 

[Plane Sailing]

I love that idea.

Thanks!

I thought it was a neat insight and then felt a bit grumpy when nobody seemed to notice it

Cheers

 

[Arnwyn]

I think the most likely reason is

3. Flight movement has a higher multiple when 'running'; thus in combat it has a slight benefit, but for travelling it is much faster. (In fact it would make sense to have 'run' multipliers for different movement rates - e.g. crawling x2, two legs x4, four+ legs x6, flying x10 as a for-instance).

Really? I think that sounds needlessly complicated and anti-4e "simplicity", AFAIC.

 

[Plane Sailing]

Really? I think that sounds needlessly complicated and anti-4e "simplicity", AFAIC.

Much simpler than using the old ariel mobility stuff. Quick! What is the mobility class of a manticore? What restrictions does it have when flying?

Much simpler to give those creatures with perfect manoeuvrability high flight movement scores (they can do what they want) while those with low manoeuvrability have lower flight movement scores (it takes them more effort to do the same kind of manoeuvring).

A multiplier for out of combat speed then handily covers overland or chase movement to allow for slow will o wisps and fast dragons in those circumstances.

I know which I'd prefer!

 

[med stud]

I like the movement in squares. As a metric system user it is easier to relate to squares = 1.5 meters (it's "meter" in Swedish) than to translate the imperial measures to meters. Besides, if you don't use battlemats I think it's not as necessary to know the exact speeds of different creatures, just if they are faster or slower than you...

 

[Arnwyn]

Much simpler than using the old ariel mobility stuff. Quick! What is the mobility class of a manticore? What restrictions does it have when flying?

Much simpler to give those creatures with perfect manoeuvrability high flight movement scores (they can do what they want) while those with low manoeuvrability have lower flight movement scores (it takes them more effort to do the same kind of manoeuvring).

A multiplier for out of combat speed then handily covers overland or chase movement to allow for slow will o wisps and fast dragons in those circumstances.

I know which I'd prefer!

Sure, but I think that's a false dichotomy. I'm think that it's just the fly number and that's it. Maneuverability? Aerial mobility? Gone.

 

[Paraxis]

What can we guess about with the new playtest and the whole take "3 steps" part.

Maybe each square is called a step? So instead of saying taking a free 5' step, it's just a free step. I would wager that that is where the term evolved from.

So movement on the spine devil card is measured in these steps wich are one square each.

If a class can get a manuver that lets them get 3 free steps I doubt that the base rate for medium creatures is 4.