Small character in medium armor with boots of striding and springing.

[NO37]

So I have a Wayang Slayer that runs around in medium armor, which is really annoying because he takes forever to get anywhere. Now, the obvious solution is boots of striding and springing which I am going to get ASAP. Then the conundrum of when to apply the speed penalty and bonus hit me... On a medium character there is no problem as it is 10ft either way. But for a small character, is it minus 5ft(as per the medium armor table for 20ft base speed) plus 10ft, or first add the 10ft taking it up to 30ft therefore changing the penalty to 10ft?
The latter would make small characters lose out, I feel, but us there anything in RAW that could give clarity on this?

[Dasrak]

Boots of Striding and Springing wrote:

These boots increase the wearer's base land speed by 10 feet.

Armor and Encumbrance for Other Base Speeds wrote:

The table below provides reduced speed figures for all base speeds...

RAW seems pretty clear, the Boots of Striding and Springing change your base speed, which determines which entry you lookup in that table. And yes, this is a bit of a pain for small-sized characters.

It's worth noting that forging your armor out of Mithril will cost 4000 GP. This would eliminate the annoying speed penalty of your armor for a rather nominal cost.

[dragonhunterq]

I'm curious how you feel the latter makes small characters lose out? It creates parity. Medium armour and boots puts you at your normal speed whether you are small or medium. (20+10-10=20; 30+10-10=30) Because calculating it as per your former example actually grants small characters an advantage compared to a medium creature. (20-5+10=25; 30-10+10=30).

[Finn Kveldulfr]

NO37: The boots are NOT the obvious solution, at least as a first choice-- mithral (which Dasrak has already pointed out) is your basic option for getting your character's speed back up to normal in medium armor. Now, if you want your character's speed lifted up to 30' on a small character while wearing medium armor-- mithral and the boots of striding and springing are a good combo.

[Paulicus]

A dip into barbarian/monk/Travel-domain cleric could also get you a +10ft base speed. Or a mount.

Also, give me back my face! D:

[NO37]

@Paulicus: alignment restricts me from barb, monk takes 3 levels, and wisdom is to low to consider cleric, thanks for the advice, though (and the face, if it is all the same, I will hold on to it)

@Finn +Dasrak: looking at doing that as well, but it does limit me on max dex.

@dragon: In truth, I may have been a bit cheeky to say that small characters lose out.

Thank you all for the input, and, yes I realise I can't dodge everything. My most recent epiphany (credit goes to the guy with the handsome face for getting me thinking about multi-classing) is to dip into an flame oracle and take the the cinder dance revelation. This does not even conflict with boots of s&s as it is not an enhancement bonus. So at the end of the day I get to 30ft movement in medium armor for the cost of only one level and the boots. Also it gives me a spell list which enables me to use Cure wands (score!)

[Umbranus]

Bloodrager has no alignment restriction, in case you think about multiclassing. And one cavalier archetype grants you normal speed in med armor. That would not stack with mithral but with the boots.

[NO37]

Thanks, didn't consider bloodrager. That bit about the cavalier is also interesting information. Not relevant for this character but: a character using heavy mithral armor might find this very useful.