Characters and monsters have a base speed (walking) represented by intrinsic capabilities. This is then individually modified by individual statistics, like strength or athletic proficiency. This is called modified speed. They can use as much or as little of their modified speed on their turn.
Additionally, they can use movement actions to run further during their turn, and during longer periods of time, traverse quickly over longer areas. These actions however come with certain risks, like tripping in difficult terrain.
Movement includes jumping, climbing, and swimming. As well as more special movement types like flying and burrowing. These different modes of movement can be combined with walking, or they can constitute your entire move. However you're moving, you deduct the distance of each part of your move from your speed until it is used up or until you are done moving.
Base Speed
Base speed is the initial speed determined by general body structure. Base speed can generally be defined as the species average movement speed. For players, this speed is often set by your choice of species, and can be modified by different feats or class features.
| Base speed |
Land | Sea | Air |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | Oozes, Giant Tortoise | Sea Horse | |
| 20 | Children, Platypuses | Manatee | |
| 30 | Human adults | Turtles | Birdfolk (Avesmuintir) |
| 40 | Bears, Wolves | ||
| 50 | Gazelles, Lions | Seals | Flying Snake (Gliding) |
| 60 | Antelopes | Birds, Bats, Dragons | |
| 70 | Cheetahs | Swordfish | Common Swift, Peregrine Falcon |
Do note that these scores are then modified by the animals specific athletic abilities and strength scores, their movement actions and creature movement options. In general, creatures with a high base speed and most birds use a combination of creature movement options.
Modified Speed
Modified speed is the pace at which an individual creature of a certain species travel at. Modified speed is the base speed modified by two parts: strength and athletic proficiency. The modification of speed also works with climbing and swimming. Meaning increases to strength or athletics increases their speed as well.
Flying and burrowing speed unlike the other three, are heavily defined by the body structure of the creature, rather than possible differences in strength and athleticism.
The modified speed for each movement type is calculated and shown on the upcoming pages in tables, dependent on your base speed, strength and athletics. If a speed is to be calculated outside of this range, the calculations below is to be followed, and rounded down as usual.
Your Modified Speed is equal to:
Base Speed x (Strength score + Athletics Proficiency bonus /
10)
Movement Actions
Creatures are not completely limited by their modified movement speed. Most creatures if they have the endurance for it can push themselves to move even faster. These actions are called movement actions and represent the ability for creatures to walk, jog, run or sprint.
Using humans as an example, we know that for the average person, moving 60 feet in 6 seconds is about the average jogging speed. For the fastest marathon runners, they run at about 110 feet in 6 seconds. For the fastest 100 meter sprinters, they run at about 200 feet in 6 seconds.
Dash (Jog)
When you take the Dash action, you gain extra movement equal to your speed after applying any modifiers.
Dashing requires a DC 14 Endurance check every 10 minutes.
Run
When you take the Run action, you gain extra movement equal to twice your speed after applying any modifiers. The run action has the following conditions:
- Can only be used if you have a set base speed for the specified terrain type.
- You lose any Dexterity bonus to AC.
- You can't run across difficult terrain.
Running requires a DC 18 Endurance check every minute.
Sprint
When you take the Sprint action, you gain extra movement equal to three times your speed after applying any modifiers. The sprint action has the following conditions, including the ones specified in the Run action:
- If you enter difficult terrain, you have to succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, or be knocked prone and lose the rest of your movement.
- Your passive perception is reduced by -5.
- Each Sprint must be taken in a straight line.
Sprinting requires a DC 22 Endurance check every round.
Creature Movement
Below are a few options one might apply to creatures as the DM see fit. They add additional traits to the creatures, allowing them an extra push when portraying possible speeds.
Creature Movement Options
Some creatures have incredible sprints and bursts of speed, the peregrine falcon, the cheetah, or the black marlin are a few examples. These creatures, even with the changes made with modified speed need another increase. Below are a few options.
- Bursting. The creature can double its speed until the end of the turn.
- High Pace. The creature can use its bonus action to either dash, run or sprint. Restriction on this can be made, up to one of the movement actions, for example, only dash and run or only dash.
- Dive. The creature can move straight downward 10ft by expending only 5ft of movement. Whenever the creature moves more than 100 feet during its turn, its first attack before the start of its next turn inflicts bludgeoning damage equal to appropriate damage from the Improvised Damage table.
Restrictions can be added to these features, examples of such restrictions include:
- Once used, the trait can't be used again until the creature moves without using a movement action on one of its turns.
- Once used, the trait can't be used again until the creature do not move on one of its turns.
Climbing, Flying & Swimming
When a creature is naturally climbing, flying or swimming, they suffer a detriment to their carrying capacity and speed. For flying the penalty is large, while for climbing its minimal.
Additionally, most creatures on land are able to climb or swim without a base speed, however, they suffer further difficulties while doing so. Most often, a land creature that climbs or swims without a natural base speed, must spend 3 feet of extra movement for each foot traveled. I.e, your climbing and swimming speed is 1/4th of your walking speed.
These traveling types and their effects on your character are further described in the Adventure chapter under the Traveling section.
Jumping
The following rules describe jumping, which can be followed strictly, however its generally recommended to instead see them as guidelines for what's possible. The reason behind this is because each time a creature jumps, the conditions is different and most often they aren't optimal.
Quick Jumping
In most jumps, the DM should follow the intuition of setting DCs, and put an Athletics ability check on the jump. Depending on the scenario, more often than not, should let passive scores be used for success. Such that an easy jump of DC 10, will let all average humans succeed it.
Long Jump
When you make a long jump, you cover a number of feet up to half your Strength score + half your Athletics Proficiency bonus. If you move at least 1/4th of your current movement speed on foot immediately before the jump, you can add 1/12th of your current movement speed to the long jump distance. Each foot you clear on the jump costs a foot of movement.
Vertical Jump
When you make a high jump, you leap into the air a number of feet equal to 1/200th of the sum of your Strength score and your Athletics Proficiency bonus multiplied with your modified speed.
Creatures with long reaching limbs, like humanoids, can extend their arms half their height above themselves during the jump. Thus, they can reach above them a distance equal to the height of the jump plus 1½ times their height.