If my character (a human barbarian) has a base speed of 40 ft, what is his speed when wearing medium armor?
I would have assumed that it would be 30 ft, but the actual text for the armor speed doesn's say that (or anything) about fast folks. All it says is:
Humans, elves, half-elves, and half-orcs have an unencumbered speed of 30 feet. They use the first column.
And the first column says "20 ft" in this case. So is the intent that medium armor reduces humans and such by 10 ft, or is the intent that it limits them to 20 ft no matter what they started at? Or maybe being 10 ft faster than normal only gives you 5ft extra in medium armor since being 10 ft slower than normal (like a halfling) only slows you from 20 to 15 in medium armor?
The barbarian text is:
A barbarian’s land speed is faster than the norm for her 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. This bonus stacks with any other bonuses to the barbarian's land speed.
The armor reduces you by 10 ft. The other way doesn't make sense. Take an unencumbered and unarmored human barbarian and an unencumbered human fighter, identical in every respect but class. First apply the barbarian bonus, so barbarian is 40, fighter is 30. Now load them both up with identical medium armor. The barbarian retains his advantage. He doesn't lose his speed edge, because they are wearing the same armor. That would mean that the barbarian suffers a greater disadvantage than the fighter by donning the armor, which doesn't make sense. So long as conditions are the same for both, the barbarian will remain 10 ft faster (10 ft faster than the norm, meaning a non-barbarian who is otherwise the same).
Fear not! For there is a chart!
It's on page 170 of the Core Rulebook. It lists the reduced speed for all base speeds. From 5 ft right up to 120 ft.
Fear not! For there is a chart!
It's on page 170 of the Core Rulebook. It lists the reduced speed for all base speeds. From 5 ft right up to 120 ft.
Excellent. Thank you very much!