Movement in D&D 5e: Speed, Difficult Terrain, Climbing, and Swimming

Movement is the part of 5e's combat that most players hand-wave until it matters. Then it matters a lot. This guide covers all the rules for getting around, from walking speed to Dash to difficult terrain to climbing, swimming, and jumping.

Speed

Your base speed is determined by your species:

• Most humanoids: 30 feet per turn.
• Dwarves, Halflings, Gnomes: 25 feet.
• Wood Elves: 35 feet.

Your speed doesn't change from exertion or armor (unless you lack Strength for heavy armor, in which case -10 ft).

Class features modify speed:

• Barbarian Fast Movement at level 5: +10 ft when not in heavy armor.
• Monk Unarmored Movement: +10 ft at level 2, scaling to +30 ft at level 18.

Magical speed boosts:

• Haste: Double speed for 1 minute.
• Expeditious Retreat: Gain a Dash as a bonus action for the spell's duration.
• Longstrider: +10 ft for 1 hour.
• Boots of Striding and Springing: Walking speed can't be reduced.

Dash Action

Use your action to Dash. Your movement for the turn doubles.

So a 30-ft character who Dashes moves up to 60 ft that turn.

Some features let you Dash as a bonus action:

• Rogue Cunning Action.
• Monk Step of the Wind (1 ki point).
• Barbarian Fast Movement + Dash = 80 ft turn.

Combining movement + Dash + bonus action Dash = triple your speed. A level 5 Monk with Step of the Wind can cover 90+ feet per turn.

Difficult Terrain

Movement costs 1 extra foot for each foot moved in difficult terrain. Effectively, your speed is halved in difficult terrain.

Examples:

• Deep snow.
• Loose rubble.
• Heavy foliage.
• Magical effects (Spike Growth, Entangle, Web).
• Water deeper than waist-high.

Some features or spells make you immune or reduce difficult terrain:

• Ranger Land's Stride. Ignore natural difficult terrain.
• Boots of Striding and Springing.
• Freedom of Movement spell.

Climbing

Cost 1 extra foot per foot climbed (so half speed).

Climbing requires one hand free unless you have a Climb speed.

Climb speeds come from:

• Spider Climb spell.
• Certain species (some have it, most don't).
• Some beast forms for Druids.

Swimming

Same as climbing: 1 extra foot per foot swum.

Swimming requires one hand free generally.

Swim speeds come from:

• Water Walk spell (walks on water, not swims).
• Freedom of Movement.
• Some beast forms for Druids.

Drowning rules: holding your breath for your Con modifier + 1 minutes (minimum 30 seconds). After that, you start drowning and need to succeed Con saves each turn.

Jumping

• Long Jump (running start): Distance equal to your Strength score in feet. From standstill, half that.
• High Jump (running start): 3 + Strength modifier feet. From standstill, half that.
• Jump spell: Triples your jump distance.

Jumping isn't usually much of a gameplay mechanic except to cross narrow gaps or reach elevated targets.

Falling

Falling deals 1d6 damage per 10 feet fallen, max 20d6.

You can try an Acrobatics check to land prone and reduce fall damage (optional rule).

Feather Fall spell negates all fall damage for up to 5 creatures for 1 minute.

Climbing Onto a Larger Creature

If you're Medium and the creature is Huge or larger, you can climb them. Use a Strength (Athletics) or Dex (Acrobatics) check against the creature's Acrobatics. If you succeed, you're on them. Attacks against you from them have disadvantage. Attacks against them have advantage.

Flight

Fly speed is rare. You gain it from:

• Dragonborn (at level 14 for Draconic Sorcerer).
• Fly spell (3rd level, concentration, 10 minutes).
• Warlock invocations (some).
• Potion of Flying.
• Winged species (some non-SRD).

Flying combat gets complicated (vertical movement, 3D positioning). Most combat stays 2D.

Forced Movement

Some effects move you without spending your movement:

• Gust of Wind, Thunderwave: Push targets back.
• Shove attack: Push 5 ft.
• Eldritch Blast + Repelling Blast: Push 10 ft per beam.
• Polearm Master + grapple combos.

Forced movement doesn't trigger opportunity attacks typically. Enemies pushed don't get to react to the movement.

In Combat

Movement is a tactical resource:

• Kiting: Move, shoot, move back. Prevents melee engagement.
• Closing the gap: Dash to reach a squishy caster.
• Positioning for cover.
• Avoiding AOE zones.

Know your speed. Know the enemy's speed. Move with purpose.

In Solo Play

Solo characters use movement to control fights:

• Kite slow enemies. Move + shoot beats melee chase.
• Escape when low HP. Dash out of combat.
• Force the enemy to close. Make them spend their turn moving.

The Endlessness and Movement

Our AI Dungeon Master tracks your speed, Dash uses, forced movement, climbing and swimming costs, Opportunity attack triggers when you move out of reach, and terrain effects. When you declare a movement, the system calculates costs and applies consequences.

For related reads, our opportunity attacks guide, combat rules, and cover and line of sight cover the combat context.

Final Takeaway

Movement is action economy. Your speed, Dash uses, and positioning determine whether you get hit or not, whether you can reach that caster or not, whether you survive or not.

Start a Monk or Rogue on The Endlessness and feel the difference when mobility is your primary advantage.