5 ft step and size?? [Archive] - Wizards Community

5 ft step and size?? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
DreadWizardDM
03-14-05, 03:23 PM One of the things we have been debating in our group is the issue of size and a 5' step. Should a large creature be able to take a 10' step? huge a 15' step? Gargantuan a 20' step and collosal a 25' step? It seems that a titan taking a 5' step would be the equivelent of a human moving his foot about an inch. What about tiny and fine creatures? 5' is quite a bit more than a realistic step for them it would seem. It seems logical but on the other hand I can see where it could interfere with game mechanics. Any thoughts or advice would be appreciated.
SD
03-14-05, 03:35 PM It seems that a titan taking a 5' step would be the equivelent of a human moving his foot about an inch.Except that's not how numbers work.

A five-foot-step isn't. It's not actually a creature making one step that takes five feet, it's just how the rules explain the maximum distance that can be moved as a free action and without provoking attacks of opportunity without extraordinary measures (quickened dimension door). Regardless of how long your legs are, you can only move so far in a set amount of time and while paying such close attention to how you're moving that nobody can take a shot at you.

So no, five feet is five feet. That's why the rules never make a distinction.
DreadWizardDM
03-14-05, 07:45 PM A five-foot-step isn't. It's not actually a creature making one step that takes five feet, it's just how the rules explain the maximum distance that can be moved as a free action and without provoking attacks of opportunity without extraordinary measures (quickened dimension door). Regardless of how long your legs are, you can only move so far in a set amount of time and while paying such close attention to how you're moving that nobody can take a shot at you.

That just seems absurd. A giant would not simply shuffle a meager 5' (which would be like a human moving an inch) during combat. A 5' step is a form of tactical movement which is a free action.
allanon_456
03-14-05, 07:49 PM I am pretty sure that there is something in the PHB about this. I am not sure about larger creatures, but I am pretty sure (corect me if I'm wrong) but taking a 5' step counts as a move action for smaller creatures. No clue about teh larger ones though.
SD
03-14-05, 08:24 PM If a giant is thirty feet tall and he moves five feet, it is like a six-foot-tall human moving one foot. Again, because that is how numebrs work. Numerically.

But yeah, creating fire with your mind also seems absurd, but that is how the rules work. A giant can shuffle as far as he wants, but he provokes an attack of opportunity. Eventually he'll figure out how far he can go in the in-game equivalent of zero time without opening himself to a knife in the calf.
okpokalypse
03-14-05, 08:28 PM I am pretty sure that there is something in the PHB about this. I am not sure about larger creatures, but I am pretty sure (corect me if I'm wrong) but taking a 5' step counts as a move action for smaller creatures. No clue about teh larger ones though.

The rule is that a creature who only has a 5' move cannot take a 5' move as a free action.

There's nothing mentioned as far as size goes that I can see. Personally, I see both sides of why it would make sense and why it shouldn't be allowable.

If you're large and you get a 10-foot step without provoking an AOO then you could full-attack and move, forcing your enemy to incur an attack of opportunity EVERY round since he's only got a 5' move. This gives an unfair advantage even well beyond the reach bonus a large creature gets...
BW0222
03-14-05, 10:06 PM >That just seems absurd. A giant would not simply shuffle a meager 5' (which
>would be like a human moving an inch) during combat. A 5' step is a form of
>tactical movement which is a free action.

A 5' step isn't a single step. It represents the maximum amount distance a creature can dash in a time so short someone can't get an attack in (say a half-second). A grig can take dozens of steps to move 5'. A human only a couple. A giant one. All can be done so quickly an opponent can't react with an attack. Any more steps and it takes too long and your opponent gets a chance to swing.

A giant can wak 40' per round. A grig 20' in the same time. The giant takes 5' strides, the grig 2" stides. The giant gets 8 strides per six seconds. The grig 240 strides per six second. Obviously, the giant's strikes each take longer to perform.

During say a half second dash, maybe the grig gets thirty strides in. The giant gets a single stride in. A larger creature might only get a half-stride of movement. It's not a matter that the giant can't take larger steps, it's a matter of how many steps he can get in say half-a-second period. 5' is a good approximation for move creatures.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
DreadWizardDM 03-14-05, 03:23 PM	One of the things we have been debating in our group is the issue of size and a 5' step. Should a large creature be able to take a 10' step? huge a 15' step? Gargantuan a 20' step and collosal a 25' step? It seems that a titan taking a 5' step would be the equivelent of a human moving his foot about an inch. What about tiny and fine creatures? 5' is quite a bit more than a realistic step for them it would seem. It seems logical but on the other hand I can see where it could interfere with game mechanics. Any thoughts or advice would be appreciated.
SD 03-14-05, 03:35 PM	It seems that a titan taking a 5' step would be the equivelent of a human moving his foot about an inch.Except that's not how numbers work. A five-foot-step isn't. It's not actually a creature making one step that takes five feet, it's just how the rules explain the maximum distance that can be moved as a free action and without provoking attacks of opportunity without extraordinary measures (quickened dimension door). Regardless of how long your legs are, you can only move so far in a set amount of time and while paying such close attention to how you're moving that nobody can take a shot at you. So no, five feet is five feet. That's why the rules never make a distinction.
DreadWizardDM 03-14-05, 07:45 PM	A five-foot-step isn't. It's not actually a creature making one step that takes five feet, it's just how the rules explain the maximum distance that can be moved as a free action and without provoking attacks of opportunity without extraordinary measures (quickened dimension door). Regardless of how long your legs are, you can only move so far in a set amount of time and while paying such close attention to how you're moving that nobody can take a shot at you. That just seems absurd. A giant would not simply shuffle a meager 5' (which would be like a human moving an inch) during combat. A 5' step is a form of tactical movement which is a free action.
allanon_456 03-14-05, 07:49 PM	I am pretty sure that there is something in the PHB about this. I am not sure about larger creatures, but I am pretty sure (corect me if I'm wrong) but taking a 5' step counts as a move action for smaller creatures. No clue about teh larger ones though.
SD 03-14-05, 08:24 PM	If a giant is thirty feet tall and he moves five feet, it is like a six-foot-tall human moving one foot. Again, because that is how numebrs work. Numerically. But yeah, creating fire with your mind also seems absurd, but that is how the rules work. A giant can shuffle as far as he wants, but he provokes an attack of opportunity. Eventually he'll figure out how far he can go in the in-game equivalent of zero time without opening himself to a knife in the calf.
okpokalypse 03-14-05, 08:28 PM	I am pretty sure that there is something in the PHB about this. I am not sure about larger creatures, but I am pretty sure (corect me if I'm wrong) but taking a 5' step counts as a move action for smaller creatures. No clue about teh larger ones though. The rule is that a creature who only has a 5' move cannot take a 5' move as a free action. There's nothing mentioned as far as size goes that I can see. Personally, I see both sides of why it would make sense and why it shouldn't be allowable. If you're large and you get a 10-foot step without provoking an AOO then you could full-attack and move, forcing your enemy to incur an attack of opportunity EVERY round since he's only got a 5' move. This gives an unfair advantage even well beyond the reach bonus a large creature gets...
BW0222 03-14-05, 10:06 PM	>That just seems absurd. A giant would not simply shuffle a meager 5' (which >would be like a human moving an inch) during combat. A 5' step is a form of >tactical movement which is a free action. A 5' step isn't a single step. It represents the maximum amount distance a creature can dash in a time so short someone can't get an attack in (say a half-second). A grig can take dozens of steps to move 5'. A human only a couple. A giant one. All can be done so quickly an opponent can't react with an attack. Any more steps and it takes too long and your opponent gets a chance to swing. A giant can wak 40' per round. A grig 20' in the same time. The giant takes 5' strides, the grig 2" stides. The giant gets 8 strides per six seconds. The grig 240 strides per six second. Obviously, the giant's strikes each take longer to perform. During say a half second dash, maybe the grig gets thirty strides in. The giant gets a single stride in. A larger creature might only get a half-stride of movement. It's not a matter that the giant can't take larger steps, it's a matter of how many steps he can get in say half-a-second period. 5' is a good approximation for move creatures.