Rules of the Game, Movement Part 1

[Hypersmurf]

In the latest Rules of the Game article, Skip covers movement.

Like most Part 1s, it's fairly inoffensive, just recapping broad principles from the PHB.

There are a couple of minor math errors, but the only thing that leaped out at me as a made-up house rule is the idea that allies count as obstacles, and moving through an ally's square incurs double movement cost.

The PHB doesn't say they do, but neither does it say they don't, and it seems on the surface to be a reasonable idea.

However... according to the PHB, you can move through the square of a helpless opponent at no penalty. This means that a held orc, who cannot move at all, is less of an obstacle than your ally the halfling rogue, who can squeeze up against the wall to let you past.

Of course, if you cast a Quickened Hold Person on the halfling as well, you can proceed past him without paying for extra movement, since he can no longer assist you by leaning out of the way. (!?)

Given that the PHB doesn't say an ally is an obstacle (it just says "You can move through a square occupied by an ally"), and given the illogical situation outlined above, it seems to me that paying the obstacle cost is not intended by the rules...

-Hyp.

 

[Starglim]

I have been known to count dead opponents as hindrances, but certainly not an ally who has a 5-foot square in which to move out of your way.

The only exception would be an ally who has done something like set a spear or take a defensive stance, which prevents him moving from his position at all.

 

[Li Shenron]

Isn't this also a new thing?

Half Speed: Some conditions, such as blindness or entanglement, force a creature to move at half speed. A creature reduced to half speed always moves as though its movement is hampered. (Each square costs 10 feet of movement to enter, and each diagonal costs 15 feet.) Creatures reduced to half speed cannot charge, run, or take a 5-foot step.

What if you are moving silently? Are you "reduced" to half speed?

 

[Hypersmurf]

Isn't this also a new thing?

No. Look up "half speed" in the glossary.

What if you are moving silently? Are you "reduced" to half speed?

Hmm. Take a -5, and it's a moot point.

-Hyp.

 

[Starglim]

You can only take a 5-foot-step if your movement isn’t hampered by difficult terrain or darkness.

The article indeed expands this to cover blindness, entanglement, and by implication, all other conditions that hamper your movement. It makes sense that entanglement is more restrictive than darkness, so I don't mind this clarification.

 

[Hypersmurf]

The article indeed expands this to cover blindness, entanglement, and by implication, all other conditions that hamper your movement. It makes sense that entanglement is more restrictive than darkness, so I don't mind this clarification.

The glossary makes it quite explicit. "If you are restricted to half speed, you can't run or charge, nor can you take a 5' step".

-Hyp.

 

[Plane Sailing]

The bit I've highlighted in bold is news to me

Half Speed: Some conditions, such as blindness or entanglement, force a creature to move at half speed. A creature reduced to half speed always moves as though its movement is hampered. (Each square costs 10 feet of movement to enter, and each diagonal costs 15 feet.) Creatures reduced to half speed cannot charge, run, or take a 5-foot step.

This makes Entangle, already a way powerful spell even worse! The way that we've played it for now, if you make your initial reflex ST and you are at ground zero you can at least run (at half speed) 60ft to get out of the area. This rule means that you can only do at best two moves (both at half speed) covering a total of 30ft... giving you the possibility of another save against being crippled since it is 40ft radius.

 

[Darklone]

Hmm. No idea whether this was new, PS, I already played it that way... Isn't it somewhere written?

Ah, Combat:

Run
Run
You can run as a full-round action. ...
During a rest period, a character can move no faster than a normal move action.
You can’t run across difficult terrain or if you can’t see where you’re going.
A run represents a speed of about 12 miles per hour for an unencumbered human.

Well, it wasn't that clear, but we always read an area covered by plants trying to entangle you as pretty difficult terrain

 

[Plane Sailing]

Back in 3e the only thing that I remember about hampered movement was visibility or bad terrain halving movement. if there was something about not running we never noticed it - they probably should have put it in the movement chapter here

Walk: A walk represents unhurried but purposeful movement at three miles per hour for an unencumbered human.

Hustle: A hustle is a jog that is movement at about six miles per hour for an unencumbered human. The double move action represents a hustle.

Run (X3): Moving three times your character's standard speed is a running pace for a character in heavy armor.

Run (X4): Moving four times your character's standard speed is a running pace for a character in light, medium, or no armor.

Hampered Movement: Obstructions, bad surface conditions, or poor visibility can hamper movement. The DM determines the category that a specific condition falls into (see Table: Hampered Movement). When movement is hampered, multiply the standard distance by the movement penalty (a fraction) to determine the distance covered.

If more than one condition applies, multiply the normal distance covered by all movement penalty fractions that apply.

That made it sound as though you could still use all the different movement modes but just cover the appropriate fraction of the distance


As I said, it makes the already tremendously powerful entangle even more of a killer spell .

Cheers

 

[Hypersmurf]

The way that we've played it for now, if you make your initial reflex ST and you are at ground zero you can at least run (at half speed) 60ft to get out of the area. This rule means that you can only do at best two moves (both at half speed) covering a total of 30ft... giving you the possibility of another save against being crippled since it is 40ft radius.

As noted, it's quite clear in the glossary. Half speed, no running.

-Hyp.