D&D 5E STR modified Speed

[OB1]

Had the thought of STR scores modifying the base speed of humanoids, and thinking adding this little house rule to the next campaign I'm running. Any thoughts?

Modified Speed - Add 5 Feet * your STR Modifier to your Speed

Edit: Thanks to @FrogReaver and everyone for helping me modify this to a better concept.

Modified Straight Line Speed - when you move in a straight line on your turn, you may add 5’ * your Str modifier to your speed for that turn

 

[Salthorae]

So a STR 20 PC would have a base speed of 55 feet? What if they have a Belt of Storm giant Str, then their up to 75' movement?

Kind of negates the Monk's fast movement.

Would you modify all your monsters as well? Like Giants who use the humanoid form but are only 30' per round for the most part?

Speed is also your tactical speed, not overland movement. It's also not running or sprinting.

I guess the question I have on a House Rule like this is... why?

What are you trying to achieve that you think is missing right now? Do you have an experience where strong things are faster than weak ones?

I suppose that's true to a degree. More fit people can walk faster than non-fit people. Is Str the best representative of that? I'd almost argue that using Con mod would be better for something like this. Most people can walk at the same speed, but some just fall off really quickly because they dont' have any endurance.

Those are my thoughts.

Whatever you decide, let us know how it goes.

How does it change the combat gameplay? How does it change tactics of the PCs? NPCs? How does it change chase mechanics and such for your game?

It would obviate the need to change repelling blast in my campaign probably because my biggest problem was always one of str/mass vs. magic, but I went the other way and just changed repelling blast. No need to rehash that argument because we've had entire threads about it already, just raising on thing I can see that would change immediately with that shift to speed.

 

[iserith]

As above, it's hard to judge the efficacy of a house rule without the underlying need for it in the context of its specific game. What are you trying to achieve?

 

[Tony Vargas]

Had the thought of STR scores modifying the base speed of humanoids, and thinking adding this little house rule to the next campaign I'm running. Any thoughts?

Athletics is usually a STR check, so if you're running a foot race, and the DM calls for Athletics to resolve, it, on average higher STR will win the race more often, ceteris paribus.

Modified Speed - Add 5 Feet * your STR Modifier to your Speed

Seems like a large increase. If you do decide to use STR to determine speed, you might also go for more granular effects of encumbrance on speed.

 

[The Crimson Binome]

It's kind of weird that the same characters who moved slowly in older editions, because of their armor, are now faster than anyone else. On the other hand, it's consistent with heavy armor helping you climb or swim.

 

[BookBarbarian]

Athletics is usually a STR check, so if you're running a foot race, and the DM calls for Athletics to resolve, it, on average higher STR will win the race more often, ceteris paribus.

I was going to say this. But without the latin, because barbarian.

 

[neogod22]

Athletics is usually a STR check, so if you're running a foot race, and the DM calls for Athletics to resolve, it, on average higher STR will win the race more often, ceteris paribus.

Seems like a large increase. If you do decide to use STR to determine speed, you might also go for more granular effects of encumbrance on speed.

This also includes jumping

 

[Charlaquin]

Strength already modifies speed, albeit indirectly, if you’re using the encumbrance rules.

 

[Blue]

Hmm, your average Mountain Dwarf is now just as fast as your average human, or elf, or whatever, since the +2 STR will offset the slower movement.

But really, I'm looking at things like a melee halfling rogue with a 20' move (thematic 8 STR) and a fighter with a 55' move, and realizing that either the extra move is needed, in which case that's an incredible debuff to the halfling, or the extra move is not needed, in which case the house rule is pointless.

When you can spend a spell slot to get +10' for an extended time, giving out bonuses that dwarf that (no pun intended) just make the existing bonuses to movement speed near meaningless.

I'm for making STR more important. This isn't it. If you wanted to say that a race is done by athletics (which has modifiers on it besides STR), and you thought Athletics was underpowered (hint: it's not), maybe add in +5' if you are proficient in athletics.

 

[OB1]

Appreciate all the feedback, this is exactly why I come to these forums with crazy thoughts I sometimes get about the game!

Ultimately, this idea sprang from a thought I had that the stronger you are the faster you should be, and thought it would be both a fun boost to STR based characters and create an interesting decision point for those who typically dump STR. Tactically, it gives melee characters a strong option to rush physically weak ranged characters, which I like.

@Salthorae - I don't see this as negating anything Monk related, monks are still fast and can be faster by also upping STR, I will need to think on if it is going to apply across the board to monsters. I think it might work, and could provide for another tactical layer.

@iserith - no real underlying need for the houserule other than "this could be fun" and could help to tell memorable stories about brave adventurers.

@Tony Vargas I only allow Athletics to determine the outcome of a short footrace if the two contestants have the same total Str (Athletics) bonus or a Con (Athletics) check on a long footrace. Otherwise the outcome is not in doubt and the higher bonus always wins. I think this rule leans into that mindset by quantifying the speed of the competitors.

I agree that 5' * Str Bonus may be a bit much, but I'm not sure it would break anything. Going to a 2' or 3' bonus would tap it down but doesn't seem as much fun.

At any rate, will probably pitch it to my table before character creation and see if the group wants to try it out.