Freedom of Movement and Armour

[Dan strother]

I've been searching around the forums for this for a while, but aside from the 2007 thread, I really haven't found a discussion on this, so I'm very sorry if I missed it.

Does freedom of movement remove the movement penalty for wearing heavy armour? If so, does it remove any other penalties such as armour check penalties, arcane spell failure, etc? I know the question about max Dex has been raised before, but I wouldn't even consider allowing that lest I risk the wrath of the fighters complaining about losing the specialness of their armour training.........

[Dan strother]

Any takers on this?

[Lathiira]

Generally speaking, I don't think freedom of movement affects the movement penalties of armor. If you look at all the effects in the description, they are external effects that reduce or negate your ability to move (paralysis, slow, etc.). Then it continues to discuss underwater combat, where you'd be in trouble regardless of armor. Grappling-armor isn't relevant either. There is room for interpretation that says it does, but at that point you make it required for everyone in heavy armor (except dwarves) and it would be surprising (and it is) that no one's put it into armor to get the benefits all the time while in their full plate.

[xJoe3x]

It says it allows you to act move normally, would that also negate the spell bonuses to movement like haste?

[DM_Blake]

xJoe3x wrote:

It says it allows you to act move normally, would that also negate the spell bonuses to movement like haste?

"allows" is quite different than "forces". With Freedom of Movement you can ignore all the penalties that are listed, and you can gain all the benefits of any beneficial spell or effect that is on you.

[xJoe3x]

DM_Blake wrote:

xJoe3x wrote:

It says it allows you to act move normally, would that also negate the spell bonuses to movement like haste?

"allows" is quite different than "forces". With Freedom of Movement you can ignore all the penalties that are listed, and you can gain all the benefits of any beneficial spell or effect that is on you.

That is what I thought, it wouldn't make much sense otherwise.

[Dan strother]

Thanks alot guys, our DM decided to rule that it removes the actual movement limitations of armour, but nothing else, probably part of his ongoing "use spell that do more than just blow stuff up" campaign. This should be fun paired with expeditious retreat....