Movement

• Base Movement Rate
• Movement by Scale
• Dungeon (Indoor) Movement
• Outdoor Movement
• Other Movement Modes

Base Movement Rate

• Each character and monsters has one or more base movement rate in AD&D expressed in inches. For example, an unarmored and unencumbered human typically has a base movement rate of 12” when walking.
• Some monsters and characters may have additional movement modes, such as flying, swimming, burrowing, or web-walking. See also Other Movement Modes.
• Armor (DMG, 27) and encumbrance modify a character’s base movement rate.
• Certain magic and effects may also adjust base movement rate.

Party Movement Rate

Players moving together have a party movement rate equal to the base movement rate of the slowest member modified by armor and encumbrance.

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Movement by Scale

Converting base movement rate into distance varies by scale.

Tactical Scale

Tactical scale movement includes:

• Exploration Movement: When players move through a dungeon or other indoor place as well as localized outdoor areas.
• Encounter movement: When players engage in combat indoors or out.

Movement Speed Table

• Dungeon (Indoor) Movement is measured in feet.
• Outdoor Movement is measured in yards.

Base Movement Rate	Exploration: Cautious (Turn)	Exploration: Standard (Turn)	Running, Fleeing (Turn)	Encounter (Round)	Encounter (Segment)
6”	60	300	600	60	6
9”	90	450	900	90	9
12”	120	600	1,200	120	12
15”	150	750	1,500	150	15
18”	180	900	1,800	180	18

Movement Scale by Location
LOCATION	UNIT OF MEASURE
	Feet
	Yards

Strategic Scale

Strategic scale movement refers to overland movement, typically tracked in hexes or miles over the course of hours or days.

Refer to the Travel section for details on movement at the strategic scale.

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Dungeon (Indoor) Movement

Each inch of movement rate translates into feet while moving in dungeons or other indoor locations.

Dungeon (Indoor) Movement by Activity:

• Exploration Movement
  • Cautious Movement
  • Standard Movement
  • Running (Fleeing)
• Encounter Movement

Base Movement Rate	Exploration: Cautious (Turn)	Exploration: Standard (Turn)	Running, Fleeing (Turn)	Encounter (Round)	Encounter (Segment)
6”	60’	300’	600’	60’	6’
9”	90’	450’	900’	90’	9’
12”	120’	600’	1,200’	120’	12’
15”	150’	750’	1,500’	150’	15’
18”	180’	900’	1,800’	180’	18’

Exploration Movement

Exploration movement in the dungeon or indoors is typically tracked by turns and measure in feet.

Cautious Movement

• Cautious movement is at base movement rate per turn (10 minutes).
• Players moving cautiously through an indoor area are assumed to be proceeding carefully at a slow pace and alert to signs of danger.
• Movement at this speed allows for mapping unknown areas.
• Standard rules for surprise apply (surprising or being surprised).
• Players have a better chance to notice details while moving through the environment.

Standard Movement

• Standard movement is at x5 base movement rate.
• Players who have mapped or who are otherwise familiar with an indoor area, or those wishing to hurry through unknown areas may opt to forgo caution and move at a standard rate.
• Movement at this speed does not allow for mapping of unknown areas.
• Players generally cannot surprise enemies and +1 change of being surprised.
• It is more difficult to notice environmental details, spot signs of danger, and avoid traps while moving at this pace.

Running (Fleeing)

• Players running or fleeing move at x10 base movement rate.
• Mapping impossible.
• Players cannot surprise foes and are significantly more likely to be surprised (referee discretion).
• Running players are very unlikely to notice environmental details or dangers. Players have an increased chance to trigger traps in their path.

Encounter Movement

• Encounter movement while in a dungeon or indoors is tracked by round (one minute), or sometimes in segments (six seconds) during combat.
• Distances at this scale are measured in feet.
• NOTE: The encounter movement rate may sometimes apply during dungeon exploration when more granular measures of distance would be useful. For example, if one or two party members scout ahead along a corridor while others search a chamber.
• See also: Combat, Charge, Fleeing from Combat

Base Movement Rate	Round	Segment
6”	60	6
9”	90	9
12”	120	12
15”	150	15
18”	180	18
24”	240	24

Type	Indoors	Outdoors
Bipedal	x2	+33%
Quadropeds	x2	+50%

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Outdoor Movement

• Outdoor movement here applies to the tactical scale, specifically exploration (of a localized area) and encounters (e.g., combat).
• The unit of distance for outdoors movement is yards, with each 1” equal to 10 yards (not feet).
• Refer to the Travel section for rules on overland travel at the strategic scale (e.g., hex crawling and longer distance journeys).
• See also: Combat, Charge, Fleeing from Combat

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Other Movement Modes

• Climbing
• Crawling
• Jumping
• Running
• Standing Up
• Swimming

Type	Speed	Details
	1/4 base movement rate	- Considered prone
	1/2 base movement rate	- Surface (yards) - Underwater (feet) - See additional rules

Climbing

• No rolls for easy climbs (e.g. short distances with plenty of handholds) in non-stressful or disadvantaged circumstances.
• Only thieves can climb sheer or slippery surfaces.
• Use the tables below if it is necessary to determine the chance a character falls while climbing or how far they can climb per round.¹

Thief Wall Climbing Speed Table

The table below shows feet per round climbing by surface and condition for thief classed characters.

Wall Surface	Thief: Non-Slippery	Thief: Slightly Slippery	Thief: Slippery
Very smooth or few cracks	6’	3’	0
Smooth but cracked or somewhat rough	12’	6’	3’
Fairly rough and some cracks or very rough	18’	9’	6’
Rough and with ledges or many projections	24’	12’	9’

Non-Thief Wall Climbing Speed Table

The table below shows feet per round climbing by surface and condition for non-thief classed characters.🧪

Wall Surface	Non-Slippery	Slightly Slippery	Slippery
Fairly rough and some cracks or very rough	75%	33%	25%
Rough and with ledges or many projections	100%	50%	33%

Base Movement Rate	75%	50%	33%	25%
6”	4′	3′	2′	1′
9”	6′	4′	3′	2′
12”	9′	6′	4′	3′
15”	11′	7′	5′	3′
18”	13′	9′	6′	4′

Climbing Chance

• Thief characters:
  • Base chance: Have a chance to climb based on their level modified by race.
  • Check frequency: Once per climb or every 100’ for long or difficult climbs.
• Non-thief characters:
  • Base chance: 40%
  • Check frequency: Once per climb or every 50’ for long or difficult climbs.🛠️
• Climbing chance modifiers: The modifiers below may apply based on circumstance to all characters.
• Additional checks: Climbers may need to make additional climbing checks when challenging events occur (combat, damage, adverse circumstances arise, etc.).

SITUATION MODIFIERS
Abundant handholds (brush, trees, ledges)	+40%
Rope and wall *	+55%
Sloped inward	+25%
ARMOR
Banded, splint	-25%
Plate armor (all)	-50%
Scale, chain	-15%
Leather (all), padded	-5%
**CHARACTER RACE ** **
Dwarf	-10%
Gnome	-15%
Halfling	-15%
Haff-orc	+5%
ENCUMBERANCE
Per encumberance leval †	-5%
SURFACE CONDITION
Slightly slippery (wet or crumbling)	-25%
Slippery (icy, slimy)	-40%
CLIMBER WOUNDED
Below 1/2 hit points	-10%

* Rope and wall: Applies when a character is able to brace their feet against the surface being climbed while using a rope.
** Character Race: These racial modifiers from the AD&D 1e PHB (p28) for thief skill modifiers. Be sure to not double penalize thief class characters.
† Encumbrance: The -5% is per encumbrance level above unencumbered, or per 1” movement penalty.

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Crawling

• Crawling characters are considered to be prone.
• Applies to characters on their hands and knees or flat, crouching, on their bellies. Can also apply to prone creatures.
• A prone character can only crawl unless they stand up.
• One quarter base movement rate.

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Jumping

Standard Jumps
Characters can typically perform the following jumps without a check:

Jump Type	Distance
Standing - Horizontal	1/2 height
Standing - Vertical	1/2 height - 1
Running - Vertical	x1 height
Longer Jumps
Strength checks are required for longer jumps:

• -2 per additional foot of distance
• -1 per level of encumbrance
• -1 while wearing medium (fairly bulky) armor
• -2 while wearing heavy (bulky) armor
  A Dexterity check may be required to retain footing for longer running vertical jumps if the character is wearing armor that is fairly bulky or greater or encumbered. Characters that fail the Dexterity check land prone.

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Running

It is important to remember that characters are often loaded down with heavy and awkward armor, weapons, equipment, and treasure. Running in most cases is therefore clumsy and tiring.² We can use the following rules if characters wish to push themselves to move faster.

**During Combat

• The movement rate is combat is at a hustle by default.³
• Charge action:
  • Characters may charge during combat to run.
  • This follows the normal AD&D 1e rules (e.g., once per 10 rounds, may attack at the end of the charge, cannot be encumbered, and receive the specified attack bonus and AC penalty).
  • A charge does not require an attack at the end, but it allows it.
• **Run action:🧪
  • The run action is similar to the charge with the following modifications:
    • The running character gains only the charge movement speed bonus.
    • No attack (or spell casting) is possible.
    • The running character has the charge AC penalty.
  • 10 round window:
    • If a character runs again within 10 rounds of a previous run or charge action, they must make a Con check or become exhausted.
    • A character can run a number of rounds equal to 1/2 of their Constitution score before becoming exhausted (no check).
    • A character exhausted by running must rest for 1 turn.
  • A running character may not normally take any other actions, except very minor ones at the referee’s discretion (e.g. picking up or dropping a small item, pulling a lever, etc.).

Outside of Combat🧪

• Characters exploring or fleeing may sometimes want to jog or run.
• Not available to characters that are encumbered, carrying very heavy gear, or wearing bulky armor.⁴
• Jogging:
  • A jog is a x2 the normal movement rate
  • Each turn jogging after the first requires a Constitution check at -1 per turn jogging to continue.
  • A character is exhausted after jogging and must 1 turn per two turns spent jogging (minimum 1 turn) to recover.
• Running⁵ A character may make a strength check to run faster. The table below shows movement rate multiplier and strength check modifier by race.
  • Tall Races: Human, Elf, Half-Elf, Half-Orc, and similar.
  • Short Races: Dwarf, Gnome, Halfling and similar.⁶

Running Movement Multiplier	Tall Races	Short Races
x3	0	- 4
x4	- 4	- 8
x5	- 8	n/a

• Running Limit and Constitution Check:
  • Run interval. A character may run for a number of rounds equal to 1/2 their Constitution score before needing to rest for 1 turn or become exhausted.
  • Multiple intervals Running longer without rest requires a Constitution Check per interval (1/2 Constitution score) to continue and inflicts additional levels of exhaustion. A character must rest for 1 turn per interval ran.

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Standing Up

• A character must expend one half their base movement rate to stand up from being prone.
• If in combat, cannot attack or cast spell that round, but can defend themselves as normal and potentially take other actions at the referee’s discretion.

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Swimming

All characters are presumed to know how to swim, unless there is reason otherwise.⁷

Swimming Speed

• Characters can swim at 1/2 their base movement rate.
• On surface: Movement rate is in yards.
• Underwater: Movement rate is in feet.

Swimming on the Water’s Surface

Swimming in Armor

Type	Details
Metal armor (non-magical)	Impossible
Leather or padded armor	Yes (awkward)
Magic armor	- Encumbered in the water. - Dog paddle to avoid drowning.

No Held Items

• Able to swim with dagger gripped between teeth.
  Chance of Drowning
• Base chance: 5% base chance of drowning per hour.
• High winds: 75% base chance of drowning if winds 35+ MPH.
• Modified by encumbrance: +2% for every pound of encumbrance besides armor (including weapons, bags, purses, backpacks, hard boots, etc.).
• Procedure:
  • Initial roll: Roll for chance to drown once per hour.
  • Additional rolls: Change in circumstance may require additional ability checks or a new chance to drown roll. Examples: encumbering burden, fighting, rough waters, or similar challenges.

Underwater Movement

Some adventures may find the characters operating underwater.⁸

• Movement in feet (not yards)
• Swimming not possible when:
  • Wearing non-magical armor heavier than leather
  • Encumbered with more than 20 pounds of equipment (modify by each 100 gp worth of strength bonus or penalty)
• Three-dimensional environment:
  • Can move horizontally or vertically
  • Vulnerable from attack from all directions
• Unable to swim
  • Characters that are too encumbered (carrying 20 pounds or more or wearing heavy armor) to swim must walk along the bottom of the body of water.
  • Subject to all obstacles (must climb or go around).
• Special
  • Ring of Free Action or similar effect: will be able to move normally and cover distance in yards as if in the wilderness (x3 dungeon rate).

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Notes

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🏠Index >

Footnotes

1. Climbing rules: The climbing rules combine AD&D 1e and 2e mechanics along with a homebrew ruling for determining the climbing speed of non-thief characters (who should be significantly less quick and capable compared to thief characters). ↩

2. Running Rules: These rules are experimental and combine elements from AD&D 1e, 2e, and Dolmenwood. I may streamline or eliminate them based on testing. ↩

3. Combat hustle: Exploration speed (cautious movement) in unexplored areas is at a slow base movement rate per turn (ten minutes). Exploration speed in explored areas is x5 base movement rate per turn. Encounter (combat) speed is base movement rate per round (minute), or x10 faster than cautious exploration and x2 faster than explored area movement. ↩

4. See AD&D PHB 101-102 and DMG 27. ↩

5. See the AD&D 2e optional rule in the PHB, 157. ↩

6. The higher strength check penalty and cap at x4 movement rate is intended to balance the unified based movement speed of 12” for all races. This compromise allows all characters to move at similar rates during exploration and combat, but gives an advantage to the taller races where it might matter: running or fleeing. ↩

7. Swimming rules: These rules draw from primarily from AD&D DMG (p, 55-56). I’ve taken some inspiration from D&D Rules Cyclopedia (p. 89-90), and 1/2 speed factor from Dolmenwood Player Book (p. 154) . ↩

8. Underwater rules The AD&D DMG (p. 56) has elaborated rules for underwater adventures. ↩