TIME

In detailed exploration settings or combat time is tracked in minutes, also called rounds. Rounds are further broken up into units called segments, detailed in the COMBAT section.

In larger outdoor settings, time is usually tracking in hours.

In situations of lengthy travel, time is tracked in days and movement in miles traveled per day.

MOVEMENT

SPEED

Every character and monster has a speed, which is the distance in feet that the character or monster can move in 1 round. This number assumes short bursts of energetic movement in the midst of a life threatening situation. Modes of movement are normally divided into two types: Tactical Movement and Overland Movement.

TACTICAL MOVEMENT

Normal Movement. Creatures moving around in known or familiar areas and in situations of high alertness or indoors are considered to be moving tactically. Thus, movement is kept track of in minutes (or rounds) and speed is at the creature's listed speed. This movement rate is slow, as the creature is considered to be alert and watching out for foes.

Exploration Mode. Creatures traveling through an unknown area that are actively mapping, taking notes, tracking, moving quietly (not the thief ability, see Stealth below), and/or scanning an area (using the keen senses ability) for hidden doors will move at 1/10th of their listed speed each round. Not all allies need be so engaged and these may use faster movement to keep up. Thus, an elven thief may lurk up ahead, moving but 12-ft. per minute, while her allies (some wearing plate mail), follow along behind her (not scanning, mapping, or moving quietly), and can keep up with her easily.

Fleeing Pursuit and Pursuing. In close quarters (indoors/underground), groups fleeing and those pursuing are given three movement phases per round (as all tactical considerations are dropped and creatures are considered to be running as a group). This form of movement is only allowable by group. See Pursuit rules.

Other. For other types of movement or movement combined with attacks, see COMBAT.

Moving through Obstructed or Small Spaces. See Moving through Obstructed or Small Spaces.

Crawling. See Crawling.

OVERLAND MOVEMENT

When traveling overland (walking on the ground) over large distances, use the following rules rather than tactical movement.

Normally, long range travel is the creature’s normal tactical movement rate multiplied by three (i.e. movement rate per minute multiplied by three and a mile equals 5,280 feet). An easier way to describe this is:

Base Overland Speed (Miles/Day) = (Speed ÷ 10)

Adjusted for encumbrance rating (using Encumbrance Adjustments Table) then adjusted for terrain (using Terrain Adjustments Table).

Typical time spent traveling during a day (from point to point) is rated at 5-8 (4+1d4) hours, averaged to 6 hours of actual time spent moving. Actual time spent traveling is 8-12 hours (averaged to 10 hours) which includes time spent in breaks from movement.

The actual time traveled is variable due to weather conditions, landmarks, encounter avoidance, and other factors.

A forced march allows an increase the amount of time traveled with corresponding additional distance. (See Forced March below.) Groups moving together will move at the rate of the slowest member.

Effects of encumbrance and terrain is as follows:

Forced March

A traveler may choose to move for a longer time period during the day to gain distance. This exertion comes at a cost in terms of required rest.

Example. An unencumbered 12th level fighter (move equal to 120 ft.) moves overland on a road through the forest for 10 hours of normal movement and and then forces on for an additional 5 hours. They will travel 24 miles plus 12 miles (+50%) for a total of 36 miles that day. The next day, to avoid negative impacts to their health, they must rest the entire day (5 hours * 20% per hour = 100% of a day).

If a creature does not rest after a normal day’s movement and continues into a forced march, once the rest requirement is 100% of a day, the following effects occur based on the creature type:

Beasts of Burden (horses, oxen, etc.). There will be a 10% cumulative chance per hour of the creature dropping dead. Note. For creatures that can be “pushed” to higher movement rates, this chance will be 10% cumulative per 10% of additional movement (it is possible to kill a mount in less time if forced to higher rates of speed over long periods of time). See Monsters. In any case, the GM will keep track of the % as this represents loss of vitality that must be regained before travel resumes.

Other Creatures. There will be a 10% cumulative chance per hour of the creature losing 1 hit die as if energy drained. At zero hit dice, the creature dies. See Combat, Conditions.

Regaining Vitality (or hit dice lost due to travel fatigue). The time required in rest is equal to 8 hours per hit die lost. For beasts of burden this is 8 hours of rest per 10% chance of death (calculated cumulatively as per above).

Example. The fighter in the example above continues to force march without rest for another 9 hours (90% of their day rate) traveling another ~22 miles on foot (90% of 24 miles). They will be operating at level 3 (loss of 9 hit die due to -1 per 10%) and will require rest equal to 72 hours (8 hours x 9 hit dice) before they can operate normally. Until this rest is complete, they will operate at 3rd level (or higher if a partial rest was taken).

SPECIAL MOVEMENT TYPES

A speed listed without a movement type is always the creature's per round ground speed on dry land. Thus, SPEED: 120 ft.; means the creature can move up to 120 feet across the ground in one round (or roughly two 5-ft. squares per segment spent moving). Moving more than 10-ft. in a round is a major action.

Native Movement Types

Some creatures will also have other types of natural movement listed:

Burrow Speed

Typically, burrowing can only be done in conditions of relatively soft dirt, clay, mud, or sand. The creature displaces the material and may leave a tunnel. Based on the diameter and material, the tunnel may immediately collapse, collapse at a touch, or be fairly stable. Any amount of collapsed material will result in total cover for the creature burrowing.

Climb Speed

Creatures with a climbing movement rate suffer no penalties for climbing. Otherwise, climbing creatures are Off Balance. Humanoids climbing must use two hands to move. If hanging and using one hand to attack, the climber is considered Immobile as well as Off Balance. Furthermore, climbers suffer a -2 penalty to Dexterity based saves. If fighting on a severe slope, Off Balance attack and save penalties are half. See Conditions.

Fly Speed

Creatures with a flying movement rate can fly as a minor action. Flight upward is at half-movement (and 1 ft upward for every 3 ft. distance) and dives are at double (1 ft. down for every 1st. distance). Unless a creature can hover, it must keep moving or it will fall. As a special minor action, a flying movement rate allows movement before and after a melee attack. Creatures without a flying movement rate must use a major action to maintain flight (e.g. wings of flying).

Dive Attack. [charge] All flying creatures can dive attack a creature on the ground if at least 30-ft. higher. A dive attack is a special charge attack that does double damage. Typically the creature diving must use claws or talons only. Depending upon the creature's maneuverability class, it can keep flying or must land (it requires at minimum a 90 degree turn so, this means Class C or better).

Maneuverability rating categorizes how well a creature can participate in combat while flying. A flying creature moving at half speed is considered one class better. Flying creatures not using magic to fly or worse than Class B cannot fly slower than half speed (and keep aloft).

• Class A: turn 180°/round, can hover, 1 segment to full speed or full stop. A creature with a Class A rating can climb at normal speed (even straight up).

• Class B: turn 120°/round, can hover, 6 segments to full speed or full stop.

• Class C: turn 90°/round, 10 segments to full speed.

• Class D: turn 60°/round, 20 segments to full speed.

• Class E: turn 30°/round, 40 segments to full speed.

Taking Damage While Flying

• Creatures without Physical Wings or Those using Magic to Fly. Many creatures use magic to fly (even some creatures that also have wings). No matter how much damage the creature takes, it can still fly (until it dies or become unconscious).

• Creatures without Feathered Wings. When a flying creature with physical wings (non-feathered) takes more than half of it's hit points in damage, it will be forced to land (safely) in the next round (or at minimum, begin it's landing if very high up). Such a creature that takes more than three-quarters of it's hit points in damage will immediately fall to the ground, taking normal falling damage.

• Creatures with Feathered Wings. Creatures using feathered wings to fly use the same process as non-feathered winged creatures, except that a creature with feathered wings is harder to ground. Treat the creature as having 1.5 times it's normal hit points when calculating the amount of hit points of damage before it must land. Such creatures cannot be caused to fall. That said, if attacked with fire damage, the GM may use the calculation for non-feathered fliers, based on circumstances.

• Note. Some creatures are so small (with so few hit points), that they will not be struck from flight unless killed.

Notation

SPEED: 90-ft.; fly 180-ft. (Class E; 19/9 hp)

• This creature will be forced to land when it takes enough damage to drop it to 19 hit points and it will be knocked from the sky at 9 hit points (likely falling to it's death).

SPEED: fly 150-ft. (Class A; -/- hp)

• This creature cannot be caused to stop flight due to damage.

SPEED: 60 ft.; fly 150-ft. (Class C; 3/- hp)

• This creature will be forced to land if it is damaged so that it has 3 or less hit points. It cannot be knocked from the air and caused to fall in an uncontrolled manner (unless killed or made unconscious or otherwise helpless/immobile).

Swim Speed

Creatures with the aquatic sub-type have no penalties for movement or combat underwater. Otherwise, creatures with a listed Swim speed can move normally but have some combat penalties. Creatures without a Swim speed are delayed each round, move at 1/3 of their standard speed if swimming, and suffer combat penalties. See COMBAT—Combat in Water.

Other Modes of Movement

Jumping. Normally, unencumbered creatures can make a running jump or leap up to 1/10th of their speed in feet in 1 segment. This requires a segment of movement previous to the jump. It may be possible to attempt running jumps beyond this, or much less while moderately encumbered (e.g. half), or standing jumps or high jumps; Players will work with the GM to determine chances based on circumstances. Some creatures have the ability to jump, hop, leap, or pounce. This allows the creature to move greater distances in 1 segment, possibly overcoming obstacles, and may grant the creature special charge rules. See the creature's statistics for more information.

ACTIVITY WHILE MOVING

As adventurers travel through a dungeon or the wilderness, they need to remain alert for danger, and some characters might perform other tasks to help the group's journey.

SCAN & SEARCH CHECKS

Creatures with keen senses can scan for anomalies while moving in exploration mode. This takes no additional time on top of their normal exploration speed and does not further reduce speed. Performing a search check requires an individual to stop and do nothing but examine an area for 1 full round (finding traps works much the same way).

STEALTH

When moving in Exploration Mode, it is assumed creatures are moving as stealthily as circumstances will allow. For rules on automatic detection of those without special stealth abilities, see No Hear Checks Needed.

Move Silently Checks. Characters or creatures can make move silently checks while travelling at normal speed (or less).

Invisibility. Invisibility never affects the amount of noise a creature makes. However, if invisible, a creature with a bonus to surprise others based on stealth (in other words, silent movement) can use this bonus as a move silently check.

NOTICING THREATS

Surprise. If the adventurers encounter a hostile creature or group, the GM determines whether the adventurers or their foes might be surprised when combat erupts. See Combat for more about surprise.

Your Surprise chance is the chance that you or your group will be surprised by others at the beginning of an encounter (always use the LOWEST value by any individual for the entire group). If a creature has a bonus to Surprise Others, this value will adjust the die roll used to determine if the opponent is surprised (if a group of beings is encountered use the individual with the LOWEST bonus, or none, for this value).

OTHER ACTIVITIES

Of course, characters can turn their attention to other tasks as the group travels. Indoors this usually means they must move in exploration mode. During overland movement, these activities won't affect speed unless the GM states that they do.

Foraging. Each day, an individual trained in the terrain or hunting, will be able to forage enough food to sustain 1 person for 1 day while moving at normal speed. If food is particularly scarce, the GM may rule it takes more time, or may make a roll indicating success or percentage of success. Likewise, if the individual takes more time, the GM may allow more food to be foraged (x2 for half speed, and x4 for staying put, for example). See also Food and Water.