Speed in Heavy Armor

[Arkusus]

Does anyone know any good ways to improve a character's speed while wearing heavy armor?

I can find plenty that work with light armor, still some with medium armor, but there's very little that works for heavy armor.

Boots of springing and striding are the only thing I can find that works.

Feats are ideal, but magic items work too. Races and classes are still worth mentioning, but are harder to fit into builds

[Drelua]

I think the best way to improve your speed in heavy armor is to treat it like lighter armor. If you get Mithral Full Plate, then it works with a Barbarian's Fast movement, and probably some other abilities too.

It can also help to be a Dwarf, since that way your speed in never reduced by armor. Sure, they have a slower base speed, but as soon as you put on armor heavier than light that disadvantage is gone.

[Big Fau]

Feats are probably the worst way to go about increasing your speed. They are a very limited resource compared to gold. Two enhancements exist for boosting your speed (that I know of): One in the MiC (that only gives a +5ft enhancement bonus) and the Halfweight enhancement from Underdark (which works best with Mithral).

Speaking of, Mithral reduces the penalty as if the armor were one step lighter.

[Nettlekid]

Well, Greater Luminous Armor comes to mind if you just want the AC and not to enchant it.

The Tooth of Savnok will let you ignore armor speed penalties like a Dwarf does, but it also forces you to never take off your armor or any AC-boosting items, which might be a bit iffy.

Alternatively, just boost your speed. Take the Quick trait. Carry (not even wield) Rapid Wrath, from Ghostwalk, to double your speed. Get a continuous item of Haste made by a Trapsmith for 8000 gold.

[SolioFebalas]

Something like this:


Dwarf. Take a level of Barbarian for the +10, take the Quick trait (Unearthed Arcana) for -1 HP/level and +10 move, take the Dash feat for +5, take the Animal Devotion (Cheetah) feat for +5/5 levels for 1 minute per day, Boots of Striding and Springing +10, the Martial Study (Desert Wind - Wind Stride) feat for +10ft once per encounter. Wear Mithril Fullplate.

Your base speed would be 55ft, your max speed would be 70ft as a move action. Get a Belt of Battle to give you extra move actions, and your speed goes crazy.

If you were a light armored fighter (Catfolk), you could dip into Scout and Cleric (Celerity and Travel domains) for an additional +20 (+ another 10 for Catfolk), losing the bonus from Boots of Striding and Springing, you could pick up Boots of the Battle Charger instead, to give you a nice angled charge ability.

Your base speed would be 75ft, your max speed would be 90ft.

-TRRW

[Talderas]

I think the best way to improve your speed in heavy armor is to treat it like lighter armor. If you get Mithral Full Plate, then it works with a Barbarian's Fast movement, and probably some other abilities too.

You need to get armor from heavy to light to improve movement speed. Going from heavy to medium only increases your run speed from x3 to x4.

[Auramis]

If you're DM is allowing, Pathfinder fighters get the ability to move in heavy armor freely as if it were light at level 7. Knights also get the ability to mvoe in heavy armor more easily as well. As far as I know, there's no feat for movement in heavy armor.

[MukkTB]

Most people seem to ignore the speed effects when they talk about which armor is best. I see a lot of discussions about tanky characters where speed isn't even brought up. Maybe they never need to run away or chase someone?

[Auramis]

Most people seem to ignore the speed effects when they talk about which armor is best. I see a lot of discussions about tanky characters where speed isn't even brought up. Maybe they never need to run away or chase someone?

I can deal with the speed, and I like the idea of a heavy armored dude walking around the field, but it's not always fun when your enemy is just faster than you and strolls away. My most recent fix is to get mithril scale with enhancement bonuses. Works out well for a Bahamut worshipper to be wearing scales. Better for the tank to be mobile, too.

[Humble Master]

Taking the Quick trait and being a Dwarf seems like the easiest way to go.
Most people seem to ignore the speed effects when they talk about which armor is best. I see a lot of discussions about tanky characters where speed isn't even brought up. Maybe they never need to run away or chase someone? There are few situation were the enemy running away can't be counter as a victory. Those that are can generally be solved with a spell like Grease, or Slow or a decent ranged attack.

[GeekGirl]

First level paladin/Blackgaurd/Artificer spell from "The Forge of War" Knight Unburdened, removes the movement penalty for hour/level.

[Psyren]

Binding Aym should do it. I can't recall if you can get her Dwarven Step ability from the Binding feats but if so, that should keep you from locking in one race or dipping.

[Auramis]

First level paladin/Blackgaurd/Artificer spell from "The Forge of War" Knight Unburdened, removes the movement penalty for hour/level.

You... I... I didn't know such a spell existed before... Thank you. :eek:

[GeekGirl]

You... I... I didn't know such a spell existed before... Thank you. :eek:

I aim to please ^_^

[Scots Dragon]

I just house-rule that whole section of the rules away because it's a stupid heavy armour in real life doesn't reduce your effective movement speed by a third. And honestly, I don't think removing those penalties is going to unbalance the game very much.

[Telonius]

I've found that this (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/horse.htm#warhorseHeavy) (or this (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/dogRiding.htm)) can be an effective method of increasing speed in heavy armor.

[Auramis]

I've found that this (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/horse.htm#warhorseHeavy) (or this (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/dogRiding.htm)) can be an effective method of increasing speed in heavy armor.

Those aren't effective underground or in tight quarters.

Well, maybe the dog is.

[lsfreak]

I just house-rule that whole section of the rules away because it's a stupid heavy armour in real life doesn't reduce your effective movement speed by a third. And honestly, I don't think removing those penalties is going to unbalance the game very much.

This is why I often forget to bring it up, as well. I rule that certain armors (mail and plate, basically) affect long-distance movement speeds, not tactical, and that after doing physically taxing things for too long (running, walking in heat) you start becoming fatigued faster.

I don't think anyone's mentioned Absolute Steel Stance, a 3rd level Iron Heart stance that gives a +10-foot enhancement bonus and +2 dodge to AC if you move at least 10 feet.