How Does Speed Stack [Archive] - Wizards Community

How Does Speed Stack [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Pasus Nauran
09-07-04, 11:42 AM I can't find anything in the PHB, so I'm looking here for answers: how does speed stack.

If a character laets say has a base speed of 30, but is wearing chainmail (max speed of 20), and is also wearing boots of speed (+10 ft.), what's his current speed?

Is the +10 bonus applied to his base speed and the max speed of the armor then scaled up appropriately (to 25 ft.), or is the +10 applied after the max speed. giving a total speed of 30 ft. (20 armor limited + 10 bonus)?

Any clarification would be reatly appreciated.
Chaos_Blade
09-07-04, 09:39 PM I mabe wrong but I think that your base speed is increased.
However the max speed limit of the armor is not affected.

So your base speed+boots(+10)=total base speed of 40.
But you are still limited by the armor stays 20.

Best bet if you want to keep the speed is to go with lighter armor.

Hope that helps :cool:
Silverglass
09-08-04, 05:22 AM No

The speeds listed under armour are the wearers speed when wearing that armour and nothing more. If you have a speed modification it is added to this amount.

So a Human in Chainmail and boots of speed has a speed of 30ft. A Human Fighter in Plate with an Expeditous Retreat cast on them has a speed of 50ft.

An important note is that under 3.5 almost everything is an enhancement bonus to speed so they will not stack (including a monks fast movement).

The exception to this is the Barbarian Fast movement class ability which is an unnamed bonus and specifically states that it is applies before armour or encumbrance modifiers to speed. So a halfling barbarian in chain moves at 20ft (i.e. the 30ft entry reduced to 20) rather than 25ft (the 20ft base modified down to 15ft then increased by 10).

There used to be a table that showed how movement was effected for those with higher movement rates than 30ft but I can't find it. But a Human Barbarian in Chainmail would use the 40ft base modified by wearing medium armour.

If armour actually set a limit as Chaos_Blade suggests (wrongly) then that would mean that every speed enhancement would be completely useless for any one wearing armour of any sort.
starfire311
09-08-04, 09:07 AM Not quite Silverglass

From 3.5 SRD
Bonuses to Speed: A barbarian has a +10 foot bonus to his speed (unless he’s wearing heavy armor). Experienced monks also have higher speed (unless they’re wearing armor of any sort). In addition, many spells and magic items can affect a character’s speed. Always apply any modifiers to a character’s speed before adjusting the character’s speed based on armor or encumbrance, and remember that multiple bonuses of the same type to a character’s speed don’t stack.

Seems pretty simple to me, always apply the modifiers before adjusting for encumbrence or armor. And it even stats that as ussual multiple bonuses of the same type don't stack.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Pasus Nauran 09-07-04, 11:42 AM	I can't find anything in the PHB, so I'm looking here for answers: how does speed stack. If a character laets say has a base speed of 30, but is wearing chainmail (max speed of 20), and is also wearing boots of speed (+10 ft.), what's his current speed? Is the +10 bonus applied to his base speed and the max speed of the armor then scaled up appropriately (to 25 ft.), or is the +10 applied after the max speed. giving a total speed of 30 ft. (20 armor limited + 10 bonus)? Any clarification would be reatly appreciated.
Chaos_Blade 09-07-04, 09:39 PM	I mabe wrong but I think that your base speed is increased. However the max speed limit of the armor is not affected. So your base speed+boots(+10)=total base speed of 40. But you are still limited by the armor stays 20. Best bet if you want to keep the speed is to go with lighter armor. Hope that helps :cool:
Silverglass 09-08-04, 05:22 AM	No The speeds listed under armour are the wearers speed when wearing that armour and nothing more. If you have a speed modification it is added to this amount. So a Human in Chainmail and boots of speed has a speed of 30ft. A Human Fighter in Plate with an Expeditous Retreat cast on them has a speed of 50ft. An important note is that under 3.5 almost everything is an enhancement bonus to speed so they will not stack (including a monks fast movement). The exception to this is the Barbarian Fast movement class ability which is an unnamed bonus and specifically states that it is applies before armour or encumbrance modifiers to speed. So a halfling barbarian in chain moves at 20ft (i.e. the 30ft entry reduced to 20) rather than 25ft (the 20ft base modified down to 15ft then increased by 10). There used to be a table that showed how movement was effected for those with higher movement rates than 30ft but I can't find it. But a Human Barbarian in Chainmail would use the 40ft base modified by wearing medium armour. If armour actually set a limit as Chaos_Blade suggests (wrongly) then that would mean that every speed enhancement would be completely useless for any one wearing armour of any sort.
starfire311 09-08-04, 09:07 AM	Not quite Silverglass From 3.5 SRD Bonuses to Speed: A barbarian has a +10 foot bonus to his speed (unless he’s wearing heavy armor). Experienced monks also have higher speed (unless they’re wearing armor of any sort). In addition, many spells and magic items can affect a character’s speed. Always apply any modifiers to a character’s speed before adjusting the character’s speed based on armor or encumbrance, and remember that multiple bonuses of the same type to a character’s speed don’t stack. Seems pretty simple to me, always apply the modifiers before adjusting for encumbrence or armor. And it even stats that as ussual multiple bonuses of the same type don't stack.