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Darkxarth
2008-11-13, 10:30 PM
I was tinkering with a non zilla Druid, looking at alternate class features from Unearthed Arcana, and I realized that I could make a very fast character at only level 6. I wasn't sure, considering the fact that enhancement bonuses to speed (the only kind I thought I'd seen) didn't stack (such as haste and a monk's speed), but it turns out the ones I'd found were all stackable.

I started with a Druid, taking the Swift and Deadly Hunter (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#druid) variation.

Druid: The druid might choose to give up her wild shape ability in exchange for becoming a swift and deadly hunter.
Gain: Bonus to Armor Class when unarmored (as monk, including Wisdom bonus to AC), fast movement (as monk), favored enemy (as ranger), swift tracker (as ranger), Track feat (as ranger).
Lose: Armor and shield proficiency, wild shape (all versions).
That means, at level 6, he gains a 20 ft. enhancement bonus to speed.

Then, continuing to peruse the alternate class features, I found the Druidic Avenger (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#druidVariantDruidicAve nger).

Druid Variant: Druidic Avenger
The druidic avenger channels her inner fury to wreak vengeance upon those who injure the natural world. This comes at a price, however, since the avenger must give up some of her own sensitivity to nature.
Class Skills: Add Intimidate to the avenger's list of class skills. Eliminate Diplomacy from the avenger's list of class skills.
Class Features: The druidic avenger has all the standard druid class features, except as noted below.
Animal Companion: An avenger does not gain the service of an animal companion.
Fast Movement (Ex): A druidic avenger's base land speed is faster than the norm for her race by 10 feet. This ability is identical to the barbarian ability of the same name.
Rage (Ex): An avenger can enter a furious rage, identical to that of a barbarian. An avenger can use this ability once per day at 1st level, and one additional time per day for every five levels above 1st. An avenger does not gain the greater rage, indomitable will, or mighty rage abilities.
Spontaneous Casting: An avenger cannot channel stored spell energy into summoning spells.
Tireless Rage (Ex): At 17th level and higher, an avenger no longer becomes fatigued at the end of her rage.
Wild Empathy: A druidic avenger takes a -4 penalty on wild empathy checks.
Noting that I had also gained a Barbarian's Fast Movement (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/classes/barbarian.htm), I wondered whether or not it stacked with a Monk's increased speed.

Fast Movement (Ex)
A barbarian’s land speed is faster than the norm for his race by +10 feet. This benefit applies only when he is wearing no armor, light armor, or medium armor and not carrying a heavy load. Apply this bonus before modifying the barbarian’s speed because of any load carried or armor worn.
It is an unnamed bonus, meaning I had just gained 10 ft. unnamed bonus to speed.

At this point, I realized that this character could now move 60 ft. per round as a move action, which isn't bad, but not uncommon. So, I went about looking for other ways to increase speed that would stack with the two I already had.

I chose to be a Xeph (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/psionicRaces.htm#xephs) Druid. The relevant part being the Burst ability.

Burst (Su): Three times per day, a xeph can put on a burst of speed to increase her speed by 10 feet, plus 10 feet per four character levels beyond 1st, to a maximum increase of 30 feet at 9th character level and higher. These bursts of speed are considered a competence bonus to the xeph’s base speed. A burst of speed lasts 3 rounds.
At level 6, that's a 20 ft. competence bonus to speed, albeit for only 3 rounds.

However, being a Xeph gave me 1 Power Point, meaning I now qualified for Speed of Thought (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/psionicFeats.htm#speedOfThought), since I could gain Psionic Focus (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/skills/concentration.htm#gainPsionicFocus).

Speed Of Thought [Psionic]
The energy of your mind energizes the alacrity of your body.

Prerequisite
Wis 13.

Benefit
As long as you are psionically focused and not wearing heavy armor, you gain an insight bonus to your speed of 10 feet.
Now I had a 10 ft. insight bonus to speed whenever I was psionically focused, which takes a full round of meditation and a concentration check of 20 (which can easily be done in the morning) and lasts until I expend it (which isn't required for Speed of Thought), use my power point (which I cannot do), fall unconscious (at which point all the speed in the world isn't going to save me), or go to sleep.

I was now very interested in finding other ways to increase my speed, and was searching the variant rules closely. The Traits section had just what I was looking for with the Quick (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/buildingCharacters/characterTraits.htm#quick) trait.

Quick
You are fast, but less sturdy than average members of your race.

Benefit
Your base land speed increases by 10 feet (if you don't have a land speed, apply the benefit to whichever of your speeds is highest).

Drawback
Subtract 1 from your hit points gained at each level, including 1st (a result of 0 is possible).

Special
You must have a Constitution of 4 or higher to select this trait.

Roleplaying Ideas
Characters with this trait typically try to stay away from physical combat, but a rare few might relish it, striving to see if their superior speed is enough to best hardier warriors.
While I lose 1 hit point per level, I gain a 10 ft. unnamed bonus to speed.

I also recalled the Dash feat from Complete Warrior, whose text reads something like this:

You may increase your movement by 5’ as long as you are wearing no more than Light armor and are no more than Lightly Encumbered.
That's a 5 ft. unnamed bonus to speed.

For those of you with an aversion to math, that's 75 ft. per round whenever I'm wearing no armor (which I can't anyway, having lost my armor proficiencies). This increases to 85 ft. per round whenever I'm psionically focused (which I should be all day). This can further be supplemented by Burst, giving me 105 ft. per round (though only for 3 rounds).

But wait, you say, that's only 2 of my 3 feats for being level 6. So I picked up Run (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/feats.htm#run), which means I get to move 5 times as fast whenever I use the run action (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/actionsInCombat.htm#run).

That means, when I am psionically focused, use Burst, and make a run action, I can move 525 ft. per round.

This is about 60 mph (~96 kph). 525 feet in 6 seconds. 525 * 10 = 5250 ft in 1 minute. 5250 * 60 = 315,000 feet in one hour. 315,000 / 5280 = 59.659 miles per hour.

I was impressed by this speed and just wanted to share.

EDIT: Of course, at level 9 my Monk speed increases to +30 ft, my Burst increases to +30 ft, and I can take Sprinter feat.

You may increase your movement by 10’ for a number of rounds equal to your Constitution modifier.
This ability may be used up to 3 times per day.
:smallbiggrin:

monty
2008-11-13, 10:35 PM
Toss in Feral, Half-Minotaur, and Scout for another 30' (I think they're all untyped, anyway).

martyboy74
2008-11-13, 10:40 PM
I think that perhaps this (http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=852524)character could help. Notably Footsteps of the Divine is only a 3rd level spell, just within your range.

Darkxarth
2008-11-13, 10:41 PM
Toss in Feral, Half-Minotaur, and Scout for another 30' (I think they're all untyped, anyway).

I didn't even think about Scout. :smallredface:
Both the Scout class and the Feral (template?) would fit the character very well, though Half-Minotaur wouldn't quite mesh (though it would be cool).

EDIT: The Scout's Fast Movement is an enhancement bonus, which doesn't stack with the Monk's speed bonus. :smallfrown:

Emperor Tippy
2008-11-13, 10:43 PM
The Dark template is another +10 unnamed.

And the D&D mile is 6,000 feet.

Darkxarth
2008-11-13, 10:50 PM
The Dark template is another +10 unnamed.

And the D&D mile is 6,000 feet.

Wait, really? Why?

Draken
2008-11-13, 11:18 PM
To make a nice, round number most likely.

Here in Brazil, where we use the metric system, a base square is 1,5 m, and most places where it syas a "mile" become 1,5 km (1500 m). And I always though the D&D mile was 5000 feet because of this, living and learning I guess.

Epinephrine
2008-11-13, 11:44 PM
Cool - are we looking to peak your speed for a sprint, or sustainable speed?

for single round movement it'll be hard to beat Cheetah's Speed, a Wild feat. For one hour your base speed is increased to 50 feet (not bad, since it'd stack with other bonuses too), but more importantly, you can move at 10 times your speed for a charge once per hour.

Without much effort at all, you take Druid 5/Barb 1 and your base speed is 50+10, take Quick as a trait and you've got another +10, use your Xeph bonus thingy to get it up by another +30 (still without an enhancement bonus), slap on a Longstrider (+10 enhancement bonus) and you've got a speed of 110', and invoke your Cheetah's Speed on a charge. You can move 1100' in 6 seconds, not shabby. Really, you could slap a bunch more on there, you're getting a nice speed multiplier out of the charge.

Darkxarth
2008-11-13, 11:49 PM
Cool - are we looking to peak your speed for a sprint, or sustainable speed?

for single round movement it'll be hard to beat Cheetah's Speed, a Wild feat. For one hour your base speed is increased to 50 feet (not bad, since it'd stack with other bonuses too), but more importantly, you can move at 10 times your speed for a charge once per hour.

Without much effort at all, you take Druid 5/Barb 1 and your base speed is 50+10, take Quick as a trait and you've got another +10, use your Xeph bonus thingy to get it up by another +30 (still without an enhancement bonus), slap on a Longstrider (+10 enhancement bonus) and you've got a speed of 110', and invoke your Cheetah's Speed on a charge. You can move 1100' in 6 seconds, not shabby.

Not necessarily looking for anything, just wanted to share mostly.

Cheetah's Speed (Complete Divine) is pretty good, but I wanted to ditch Wild Shape to try to create a Druid that would have my players (this is an NPC, I guess I should've mentioned) in awe. Plus, without the wild shape and the animal companion they'll have a darn hard time figuring out what class this guy is (unless he starts throwing around flashy druid spells, which I intend to avoid until absolutely necessary).

That being said, ~1100' on a charge is impressive.

Mr Pants
2008-11-13, 11:57 PM
Wait, really? Why?

Easier calculations, I guess. But still at least don't round it up by 700feet. But hey, the great thing about RPGs is you can change them, right?

Zeful
2008-11-14, 12:22 AM
The people of the wizards CharOp board managed to build a character that could run at the speed of light or something.

Epinephrine
2008-11-14, 12:24 AM
Not necessarily looking for anything, just wanted to share mostly.

Cheetah's Speed (Complete Divine) is pretty good, but I wanted to ditch Wild Shape to try to create a Druid that would have my players (this is an NPC, I guess I should've mentioned) in awe. Plus, without the wild shape and the animal companion they'll have a darn hard time figuring out what class this guy is (unless he starts throwing around flashy druid spells, which I intend to avoid until absolutely necessary).

That being said, ~1100' on a charge is impressive.

Ah, I get that - my druid in the RHoD is a monk-type druid as well, with no companion. Very cool feel to it, though I only have a 60' move so far (can buff up to 90', using Essence of the Raptor - it's got a nice long 10 min/level duration and as I understand it, grants a base 60' move, scent, and +8 to Hide, Jump, Listen, Spot, and Survival - nice for getting around fast, ambushing prey and so on.)

I should point out, if you are looking for other speed buffs, that Holt Warden gets a typeless speed bonus at level 2, and is a pretty appropriate druid prestige class. Forest Reeve grants 2 speed boosts (one at first level, another if you already have Woodland Stride, at 2nd level), and suits a more combat oriented druid/ranger type. Of course, you're getting plenty of speed already ;)

Brock Samson
2008-11-14, 12:26 AM
Would haste/Boots of Speed add, or has that type of speed bonus already been accounted for?

Naleh
2008-11-14, 12:34 AM
I did something similar with 4e when it came out... Let's see if I can find it...

I started as an elf ranger. (A gnoll would work too.) Base speed: 7, double-move 14, run 18.

To begin with, I took the feat Fast Runner to get a +2 untyped bonus when I charge or run: move 7, double 14, run 22.

At level eight I bought Elven Battle Armour. When used (once per encounter as a minor action), this grants a +2 power bonus to speed until the end of my next turn: move 9, double 18, run 26.

At level nine I bought Boots of Striding, which give me a constant +1 item bonus to speed when wearing light or no armour: move 10, double 20, run 28.

At level ten I chose the utility power Expeditious Stride. When used (once per encounter as a minor action), this increases my speed by 4 until the end of my next turn: move 14, double 28, run 36.
(In an alternative build, I might make use of lots of shifting, in which case it'd be relevant that Expeditious Stride also increases my shifting by 1.)

At level eleven I entered the Pathfinder paragon path. Whenever I use an action point to gain an extra action, I gain an additional move action. For fun, I made that action point into a move action, so now I have four move actions per round: move 14, quadruple 56, run 72.

I also took the feat Fleet-Footed to get a +1 feat bonus to speed: move 15, quadruple 60, run 76.

At level sixteen I chose the utility power Longstrider. When used (once per day as a minor action), this increases my speed by 2 for the duration of the stance: move 17, quadruple 68, run 84.

Not used (for simplicity or due to stacking):
any pushes, pulls, or slides.
flight or teleportation.
level 11, Elven Boots: as a minor action once per encounter, a +2 power bonus to speed and Stealth checks until the end of my next turn.
level 14, Boots of Striding and Springing: a constant +1 item bonus to speed when wearing light or no armour.
level 26, Star Opal Ring: a constant +1 item bonus to speed.
level 28, Boots of the Infinite Stride: a constant +1 item bonus to speed.

That's up to 420 feet in six seconds - about 48 miles per hour. And I haven't used a single splatbook. This isn't even the best build. If the last movement could be a charge, Orc would be a slightly better race. I also suspect that Beast Stalker would be a better paragon path, with Hunter's Grace and Action Shift. And there's crazy things you could do with multiclassing (I'm looking at Rogue and Dazzling Acrobatics).

Possible extra conditions:
Hire two people - a cleric and a warlord.

Get the cleric to use Cause Fear on me. Then I get to move my base speed plus his Cha modifier, for free.

Get the warlord to use Knight's Move on me as a move action, giving me an extra move action of my own. If he's 6th-level, get him to use Quick Step on me as a minor action, increasing my speed by 2 for the encounter. If he's 10th-level, get him to respond to the cleric's fear-causation with a Tactical Shift on me, letting me shift 1 + his Int modifier. If he's 11th-level and a Combat Veteran, get him to use an action point to grant me a free move action. If he's 16th-level, get him to use White Raven Formation as a standard action to grant me another move action. If he's 17th-level, get him to hit someone else with Warlord's Rush as another standard action (he used an action point, remember?) and grant me another free movement.

That brings it up to move 19, quadruple 76, run 92 on my own turn, plus five times my running movement + the cleric's Cha, plus a shift of 1 + the warlord's Int + 1 from Expeditious Stride above.

With the conservative assumption that the cleric's Cha modifier and the warlord's Int modifier are each +4, it's a total of 217 movement, or 1085 feet in six seconds, or more than 124 miles per hour.

edit: And remember that this is 100% Player's Handbook. :smallbiggrin:

Darkxarth
2008-11-14, 11:01 AM
Would haste/Boots of Speed add, or has that type of speed bonus already been accounted for?

Alas, the bonus from both the haste spell and from the Boots of Speed is an enhancement bonus, which means that it does not stack with the monk-type speed bonus he already has.

Vagnarok
2008-11-14, 11:13 AM
All this information on how to make a fast character is pretty cool, but I still have one question:

As far as I can tell, you don't gain any partial actions despite being able to move at super human speeds, so what's the point? How do you plan to apply this in the game world?

The only thing I can think of is making your character open a delivery service.

Darkxarth
2008-11-14, 11:20 AM
All this information on how to make a fast character is pretty cool, but I still have one question:

As far as I can tell, you don't gain any partial actions despite being able to move at super human speeds, so what's the point? How do you plan to apply this in the game world?

The only thing I can think of is making your character open a delivery service.

Well, the character wouldn't normally be running everywhere, and his regular move action is still 75 or 85 ft. Also, Swift Tracker, Woodland Stride, and Trackless step make him a fairly decent tracker. Add to that the fact that he's got Favored Enemies and he becomes a hunter in addition to a tracker. Additionally, the Rage ability makes him an able combatant. And if combat turns sour? Run away! :smallbiggrin:

charl
2008-11-14, 11:53 AM
In some ways the ultimate tracker, and depending on how good the character is in combat, the ultimate hunter as well. Good luck trying to outrun that.

Zelc
2008-11-14, 02:41 PM
Easier method:
Be a level 6 Wizard.
Have something that gives you +1 Conjuration caster level.
Cast Phantom Steed. Its speed is 140. Have it run. 140 x 4 = 560 ft speed.
If you don't have the +1 Conjuration caster level, its speed is 120 and it'll run at 480 ft.

All at the low low cost of one spell slot and maybe a feat, if you're impatient. And you get to be a wizard!

Vagnarok
2008-11-14, 02:57 PM
In some ways the ultimate tracker, and depending on how good the character is in combat, the ultimate hunter as well. Good luck trying to outrun that.


Well, the character wouldn't normally be running everywhere, and his regular move action is still 75 or 85 ft. Also, Swift Tracker, Woodland Stride, and Trackless step make him a fairly decent tracker. Add to that the fact that he's got Favored Enemies and he becomes a hunter in addition to a tracker. Additionally, the Rage ability makes him an able combatant. And if combat turns sour? Run away! :smallbiggrin:

I see, good points.
How would other party members keep up with this ultimate tracker though? It seems as though he'd have to track other baddies that would have builds based around something other than combat prowess.

Eldariel
2008-11-14, 03:11 PM
I see, good points.
How would other party members keep up with this ultimate tracker though? It seems as though he'd have to track other baddies that would have builds based around something other than combat prowess.

Teleport to him when they get the telepathic signal. Magic solves.

xPANCAKEx
2008-11-14, 03:19 PM
The people of the wizards CharOp board managed to build a character that could run at the speed of light or something.

but only if he gets a higher intiative roll than the line of peasants with a pig :smallwink:

Vagnarok
2008-11-14, 03:23 PM
Teleport to him when they get the telepathic signal. Magic solves.

Ah of course. In the campaign that I'm running right now magic plays a smaller role in society, and the PCs don't even have access to arcane magic (rogue, paladin, ranger and cleric). Generally that's how we like DnD, so that magic feels, well, more magical!

To each his own I suppose.

hamishspence
2008-11-14, 03:27 PM
Megalodon has a 120 ft swim speed and all swimming creatures can use Run action. Swap a few feats (Run, Rapid Swimming (+20 ft speed)) and you can have a fish moving very, very fast.

700 ft per round to be precise. And with its high CON, it can keep it up for a while.

Zeful
2008-11-14, 04:06 PM
but only if he gets a higher intiative roll than the line of peasants with a pig :smallwink:

There are rules for improvised weapons. The pig won't do much damage after it's 10ft flight.

Darkxarth
2008-11-16, 07:44 PM
I see, good points.
How would other party members keep up with this ultimate tracker though? It seems as though he'd have to track other baddies that would have builds based around something other than combat prowess.

Ah. Well. He'd probably be an NPC in some sort of wilderness adventure. Perhaps hired to track the PCs down and... injure them? Anyway, he could attack them, they escape, get horses, and he runs them down again. :smallsmile:

Cathaidan
2008-11-16, 09:47 PM
I like this build, a lot, I think I'll have to use something close to it with a kobold that I've been wanting to build. The idea being that the only kobolds that really survive to become level 6 are the ones that can outrun adventurers. Not to mention there's a running joke among my play group that kobolds are actually the fastest monsters in the game (30 ft. base speed with small size.)

Heliomance
2008-11-16, 09:59 PM
There are rules for improvised weapons. The pig won't do much damage after it's 10ft flight.

It will if one of those commoners had the Pig Bond flaw.

xPANCAKEx
2008-11-18, 05:41 PM
There are rules for improvised weapons. The pig won't do much damage after it's 10ft flight.

Shush you! Don't spoil the dream :smallwink: