Slow Spell and the 5-ft Step

[Gregor]

Hey everyone,

Apologies if this has been otherwise dealt with somewhere. My google-fu has revealed nothing.

When a creature is under the effect of the spell slow, are they able to take 5-ft steps in combination with a standard action? The wording is not explicit in this regard. It only speaks to move actions and standard actions. 5-ft steps are neither.

My gut assumption is that the spirit of the rules indicate that taking a 5-ft step constitutes moving and thus represents the move action.

Has anyone dealt with this in the past? Is it common sense and I am slow witted?

Cheers.

 

[Sekhmet]

A slowed creature moves at half its normal speed (round down to the next 5-foot increment),

One half of 5 is 2.5, rounded down is 0.

Alternately,

A slowed creature can take only a single move action or standard action each turn, but not both

You can only take a 5-foot-step if your movement isn’t hampered by difficult terrain or darkness.
While not particularly conclusive, "isn't hampered by terrain or darkness" could also be argued to cover magical slowness.

I'd rule that a Slowed creature cannot take a five foot step if their speed is less than 20ft after figuring for the Slow mechanic.

It would make no sense that a high level Monk, or a person under the effects of Longstrider or other such non-Haste movement increases would be unable to take a five foot step.

 

[Empirate]

The basic assumption I'd use is the following: if there's a general rule (like the rules on actions in combat, including 5' steps), and a specific rule (like the Slow spell description) doesn't explicitly countermand it, then the general rule is in effect.

Move Action

A move action allows you to move your speed or perform an action that takes a similar amount of time. See Table: Move Actions.
You can take a move action in place of a standard action. If you move no actual distance in a round (commonly because you have swapped your move for one or more equivalent actions), you can take one 5-foot step either before, during, or after the action.
Full-Round Action

A full-round action consumes all your effort during a round. The only movement you can take during a full-round action is a 5-foot step before, during, or after the action. You can also perform free actions (see below).
Some full-round actions do not allow you to take a 5-foot step.

This doesn't mention anything about base movement speed. Even creatures whose base movement speed is only 5' can take a 5' step. So if your movement speed is halved, you can still take a 5' step, unless your halved movement speed is actually less than 5' (not bloody likely). The spell description doesn't mention anything about 5' steps, either, so I'm quite positive you can still take those steps normally.


BTW, a Zombie can also make 5' steps and still attack.

 

[Sekhmet]

The basic assumption I'd use is the following: if there's a general rule (like the rules on actions in combat, including 5' steps), and a specific rule (like the Slow spell description) doesn't explicitly countermand it, then the general rule is in effect.




This doesn't mention anything about base movement speed. Even creatures whose base movement speed is only 5' can take a 5' step. So if your movement speed is halved, you can still take a 5' step, unless your halved movement speed is actually less than 5' (not bloody likely). The spell description doesn't mention anything about 5' steps, either, so I'm quite positive you can still take those steps normally.


BTW, a Zombie can also make 5' steps and still attack.

Any creature with a speed of 5 feet or less can’t take a 5-foot step

Actually, no.
The spirit of the spell is that you react and move at half your normal speed, which suggests that a 5 foot step would be reduced to 2.5 feet, which would not shift your square. Taking a 5 foot step would become more of a hassle than previously, which I feel would constitute it becoming unusable.

 

[Empirate]

I don't argue the "spirit", only RAW. The spell doesn't actually change the distance you move, but your movement speed, which is a more or less fixed variable. For example, Humans normally have a movement speed of 30', which Slow lessens to 15'. Those Humans can still take a 5' step, nothing in the rules forbids it.

A 5' step is not 5' long because of how fast you are - it is the same for all creatures, regardless of base speed, size, leg length etc. A 5' step (also called an "adjustment", IIRC) is an abstraction that reflects combatants moving about in a fight, even while they remain relatively immobile because they're focused on attacking/casting a spell/etc. This means 5' steps are not dependent on movement speed at all, unless you're generally so slow that you can't be considered to "adjust" your position automatically to what happens around you (i.e., your base speed is 5' or less).


I agree it is an entirely reasonable houserule to have Slow make 5' steps impossible. I'm just saying that would be an interpretation that isn't explicitly in the rules as written.

 

[Gregor]

Thanks for the responses so far.

Can we not also view this line in the spell: "a slowed creature can take only a single move action or standard action each turn, but not both (nor may it take full-round actions)." [emphasis mine] as meaning that someone under the effect of the spell may only make 1 of 2 choices?

Can we not then infer that since a 5-ft step is neither a standard nor a move action, it is therefore an ineligible action while under the spell's effect?

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Thanks for the responses so far.

Can we not also view this line in the spell: "a slowed creature can take only a single move action or standard action each turn, but not both (nor may it take full-round actions)." [emphasis mine] as meaning that someone under the effect of the spell may only make 1 of 2 choices?

Can we not then infer that since a 5-ft step is neither a standard nor a move action, it is therefore an ineligible action while under the spell's effect?

So, being slowed also makes you silenced (since speaking is a free action)?

And you can't actually cast a standard action spell in one round, since preparing the material components is a free action when you take the cast a spell action?

Empirate's got it (other than the earlier misstep about creatures with 5' speeds not being allowed 5' steps).

 

[Sekhmet]

Thanks for the responses so far.

Can we not also view this line in the spell: "a slowed creature can take only a single move action or standard action each turn, but not both (nor may it take full-round actions)." [emphasis mine] as meaning that someone under the effect of the spell may only make 1 of 2 choices?

Can we not then infer that since a 5-ft step is neither a standard nor a move action, it is therefore an ineligible action while under the spell's effect?

A five foot step is a "non action".
A combat round for an individual character may always consist of one move action and one standard action, unless circumstance prevents it (such as a slow spell).
At no time does a free action, a quickened action, a non action, a swift action, an immediate action, etcetcera etcetera become unavailable to you except by effects that prevent -specific- actions of those types.

Interestingly enough, the effects of Grapple are unclear about 5 foot steps. Since they are not a move action, and since you may move at one half speed while grappling, is it safe to assume that we can 5 foot it and take the grapple with us into a new square without making the requisite check?

How interesting to think about.

 

[Greenfield]

Hmm. If it says you can only take "only a single move action or a standard action each turn", then it seems to be saying that you lose your Free actions, and/or 5 ft move. Single move or standard, that's it, nothing else.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

Thread's already done a good job of posting what I agree with and don't, so I'll just chime in with:

Hmm. If it says you can only take "only a single move action or a standard action each turn", then it seems to be saying that you lose your Free actions, and/or 5 ft move. Single move or standard, that's it, nothing else.

NO

Empirate's got it (other than the earlier misstep about creatures with 5' speeds not being allowed 5' steps).

This.