Movement And Position

Combat Overview

Where you stand determines everything — who threatens you, who you can reach, whether you are flanked, and whether you have cover. Movement in combat is spent in 5-foot increments; your speed sets how many you can use per turn.

Speed

Most Medium and Small races have a base speed of 30 feet. Dwarves, gnomes, and halflings have 20 feet. Armor can reduce your speed:

Armor category Base speed 30 ft Base speed 20 ft
Unarmored / Light armor 30 ft 20 ft
Medium armor 20 ft 15 ft
Heavy armor 20 ft 15 ft

Dwarves ignore armor speed penalties — they move 20 ft regardless of armor weight. Encumbrance (medium or heavy load) applies the same reductions as medium/heavy armor. See Vital Statistics for carrying capacity thresholds.

If you have multiple movement types (land, swim, climb, fly, burrow), each has its own speed. Use whichever is appropriate to the terrain. Switching between types during a move is allowed but each uses its own speed pool — you can't combine land and swim speed in one move.

Type Skill check required? Speed note
Climb Climb check each round (DC varies by surface) If no climb speed, move at ¼ land speed. With climb speed, full speed and +8 Climb.
Swim Swim check each round (DC varies by water) If no swim speed, move at ¼ land speed. With swim speed, full speed and +8 Swim.
Fly Fly check for turns, hovering, and difficult maneuvers Maneuverability (clumsy → perfect) determines what turns and actions are allowed.
Burrow None (if you have burrow speed) Cannot burrow through solid rock unless stated. Leaves no tunnel by default.

Movement Actions in Combat

Action Distance AoO? Notes
Move action Up to your speed Maybe Provokes when you leave a threatened square. Moving through a non-threatened square does not provoke.
Double move Up to 2× speed Maybe Use your standard action as a second move action. Same AoO rules apply to each square you leave.
5-foot step Exactly 5 ft No Never provokes. Only if you have not otherwise moved this turn. Not in difficult terrain. See callout below.
Withdraw Up to 2× speed No* Full-round action. The first square you leave is not threatened. Remaining squares provoke normally. Cannot attack.
Run 4× speed (3× heavy armor) Yes Full-round action. Must move in a roughly straight line. Lose DEX bonus to AC. Provokes from every threatened square you pass through.
5-Foot Step Move exactly 5 ft with no AoO — but only if you haven't otherwise moved this turn, and not in difficult terrain. The key escape tool for spellcasters and retreating fighters.
AoO Rules

Difficult Terrain

Moving through difficult terrain costs 2 squares of movement per square, effectively halving your speed. You cannot take a 5-foot step into or through difficult terrain.

Rubble or uneven ground
Dense undergrowth or forest
Shallow water or marsh
Ice or slippery surfaces
Steep slopes or stairs
Crowds of creatures or debris

Moving Through Spaces

Situation Rules
Through an ally Allowed freely. An ally's square is not an obstacle and does not provoke. You cannot end your movement in an ally's square.
Through an enemy Requires either a successful Acrobatics check (DC 5 + enemy CMB) or an Overrun combat maneuver. Attempting without either provokes an AoO and is blocked on failure.
Diagonal movement The first diagonal square costs 5 ft; the second diagonal costs 10 ft; alternating 5/10 thereafter. Track your diagonal count separately across your full movement.
Squeezing You can squeeze through a space one size smaller than you at half speed. While squeezing you take a −4 penalty to attack rolls and AC. See Size & Reach for size categories.

Flanking

When you and an ally are on opposite sides of an enemy — so that a line drawn between your and your ally's squares passes through opposite sides of the enemy's space — both of you are flanking that enemy and each gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls against it.

Flanking also allows a Rogue (or any character with sneak attack) to apply sneak attack damage to that enemy.

Flanking — Full Rules Diagonal flanking, what negates it (Improved Uncanny Dodge), and feats that enhance it (Outflank, Gang Up, Precise Strike).
Flanking

Prone and Standing Up

The prone condition applies these modifiers:

Situation Modifier
Melee attacks you make −4 to attack rolls
Ranged attacks against you +4 to AC (harder to hit with ranged)
Melee attacks against you −4 to AC (easier to hit in melee)
  • Drop prone: free action, never provokes — useful to reduce ranged attack risk.
  • Stand up: move action that provokes an AoO from threatening enemies.
  • Crawl 5 ft: move action that provokes. Only movement available while prone other than standing up.

Overland Movement

Outside of combat, distances are measured in miles per hour and miles per day. An 8-hour travel day is standard. Difficult terrain (dense forest, mountains, swamp) halves overland speed.

Base speed Normal (mph) Normal (miles/day) Hustle (mph) Hustle (miles/day)
15 ft 1.5 12 3 24
20 ft 2 16 4 32
30 ft 3 24 6 48
40 ft 4 32 8 64
50 ft 5 40 10 80

Hustle (double normal pace) requires a Constitution check (DC 10, +1 per previous check) at the end of each hour. Failure means 1d6 nonlethal damage and you must slow to normal pace. Running overland (4× pace) cannot be sustained for more than a minute without Constitution checks each round.

Overland Travel Calculator

Normal

3 mph

24 mi/day

Hustle

6 mph

48 mi/day

Run (1 min)

12 mph

not sustainable