Moving Silently At Different Speeds

[Olaf the Stout]

In our game session last night the penalties you get for Moving Silently at different speeds came up.

The rules state that:

You can move up to one-half your normal speed at no penalty. When moving at a speed greater than one-half but less than your full speed, you take a -5 penalty. It’s practically impossible (-20 penalty) to move silently while running or charging.

So if I take a double Move action while Moving Silently what is the penalty? I can't seem to find anywhere in the Move Silently description or elsewhere in the PHB where it states what the penalty is.

Olaf the Stout

 

[Hypersmurf]

So if I take a double Move action while Moving Silently what is the penalty?

Let's say your speed is 30.

If you're move at half your speed - 15 - you can cover 15 feet with each Move action, at no penalty, for a total of 30 feet moved in the round with two Move actions.

If you move at a speed of 25, you can cover 25 feet with each Move action, at a -5 penalty to the Move Silently check, for a total of 50 feet moved in the round with two Move actions.

If you move at a speed of 30, you're moving more than half speed, but not less than your full speed; neither are you running or charging (-20 penalty). Moving at your full speed is not actually covered in the Move Silently rules.

-Hyp.

 

[javcs]

And that oversight, in the hands of a rules lawyer/powergamer means that you don't take a penalty.

Most people that I know just assign it a -10 or -15 penalty. (Including me.)

 

[Olaf the Stout]

Let's say your speed is 30.

If you're move at half your speed - 15 - you can cover 15 feet with each Move action, at no penalty, for a total of 30 feet moved in the round with two Move actions.

If you move at a speed of 25, you can cover 25 feet with each Move action, at a -5 penalty to the Move Silently check, for a total of 50 feet moved in the round with two Move actions.

If you move at a speed of 30, you're moving more than half speed, but not less than your full speed; neither are you running or charging (-20 penalty). Moving at your full speed is not actually covered in the Move Silently rules.

-Hyp.

That's pretty much what I thought. Interestingly enough, you can also move at a speed of 29.99 feet with each Move action at a -5 penalty.

I can't believe that they somehow managed to overlook moving at full speed in the Move Silently rules, yet they cover moving at less than or more than full speed! :\

I even checked the FAQ and there is nothing on it. Surely this must have come up before somewhere.

Olaf the Stout

 

[Hypersmurf]

Interestingly enough, you can also move at a speed of 29.99 feet with each Move action at a -5 penalty.

Except speeds come in 5-foot increments, and so does distance travelled.

If you move less than five feet, then you haven't technically travelled any distance, because you're still in the same five-foot square you were in, so the distance from your start point to your end point is 0 feet.

Surely this must have come up before somewhere.

Absolutely. And people say "It's not covered in the rules" every time, and people say "I assign a -X penalty in my game" every time.

-Hyp.

 

[javcs]

Absolutely. And people say "It's not covered in the rules" every time, and people say "I assign a -X penalty in my game" every time.

We've now covered both statements in this thread; as I recall, the penalties I mentioned earlier were the most common houserule fixes. -10 because it seems to fit the standard patterns for skill DCs. -15 for those who are tough on players like FranktheDM.

 

[Olaf the Stout]

Except speeds come in 5-foot increments, and so does distance travelled.

If you move less than five feet, then you haven't technically travelled any distance, because you're still in the same five-foot square you were in, so the distance from your start point to your end point is 0 feet.

Fair enough.

Absolutely. And people say "It's not covered in the rules" every time, and people say "I assign a -X penalty in my game" every time.

-Hyp.

I'm still surprised that it isn't mentioned in the FAQ at the very least then.

Olaf the Stout

 

[Olaf the Stout]

We've now covered both statements in this thread; as I recall, the penalties I mentioned earlier were the most common houserule fixes. -10 because it seems to fit the standard patterns for skill DCs. -15 for those who are tough on players like FranktheDM.

I think I'll probably go with -10 in my game.

Olaf the Stout

 

[RigaMortus2]

I would say, that per the RAW, you aren't allowed to move your normal speed. You either have to:

(a) Move at half speed
(b) Move at more than half speed, but not your full speed
(c) Charge
(d) Run
(e) Do something that would give another person a chance to hear you.

In fact, what if you want to take a 5-foot step? It's not a move action, I don't even think it is considered a move (it might be, not sure). But the point is, there is nothing listed on if there is a penalty to Move Silently with a 5-foot step. It doesn't say you can't do it, but it also doesn't say you can do it.

To take this a step further, do you have to move to use Move Silently? It is called MOVE Silently after all. If I am hiding, I certainly want to be quiet. I suppose you can, the first sentence does say Your Move Silently check is opposed by the Listen check of anyone who might hear you. If you are hidden but not moving or talking though, do you even have to roll to keep quiet? How might someone hear you if you aren't doing anything to make any noise?

 

[bodhi]

If you are hidden but not moving or talking though, do you even have to roll to keep quiet? How might someone hear you if you aren't doing anything to make any noise?

Go to a (quiet) movie or play, and listen to the audience. People are generally trying to be quiet. But they still shift around, cough, drop stuff. The chairs squeak. Someone's cell phone rings, or their watch beeps. Maybe someone has bracelets clinking, or one of those wallet chains rattling.

If you've got ranks in Move Silently, you're working to make sure you don't make noise, your clothing doesn't make noise, and your environment doesn't make (unusual) noise.