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How fast can you move and still hide?

The travel pace rates on PHB p.182 have "Slow" as 200 feet per minute, and the effect is "Able to use Stealth". This rate is 20 ft per round.

Yet most characters movement in combat would be approximately 30 ft, so can they still use Stealth if they move more than 20ft in their turn?

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Are you asking for an actual "speed limit" while stealthy or for how far one could move before hiding? @Christopher's answer, below, seems to emane from the latter interpretation, which I think is not what you are asking here. \$\endgroup\$
    – Meta4ic
    Commented Jul 4, 2016 at 17:15
  • \$\begingroup\$ @Meta4ic I'm trying to work out the inconsistency between one mode of travel and the other, so travelling through a dungeon, you're limited to 20 ft per round, but as soon as combat is initiated, you're up to 30/35 and some even higher, e.g. the rogue \$\endgroup\$
    – SteveC
    Commented Jul 4, 2016 at 18:06

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Yes, characters can move more than 20 feet in a round and still hide

The travel pace you are referring to is for overland travel, according to PH 181:

Every character and monster has a speed, which is the distance in feet that the character or monster can walk in 1 round. This number assumes short bursts of energetic movement in the midst of a life-threatening situation.

The following rules determine how far a character or monster can move in a minute, an hour, or a day.

The rules for combat rounds state that (PH 189):

On your turn, you can move a distance up to your speed and take one action.

If your speed is 35 feet (for example, a wood elf) you can move 35 feet and make a Dexterity (Stealth) check to hide as your action. Some characters can move even faster than their speed would indicate and still make a Dexterity (Stealth) check to hide.

  • Rogue's 2nd level cunning action allows you to dash or hide as a bonus action, meaning you can dash and hide in the same turn
  • Monks gain an increase in unarmoured movement based on their level
  • Barbarians gain +10 feet to their speed when not wearing heavy armour
  • Several spells grant increase in speed or the ability to dash as a bonus action (expeditious retreat for example)
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  • \$\begingroup\$ I know this is fantasy, but it's a heck of a jump from 4e where standard sneaky rate was 2 sq/turn, and higher had negatives to the roll. Now a 2nd level Rogue with Cunning Action can be moving 60' (12 sq) per turn and still have standard roll for Hide. Then at 9th a Thief gets Supreme Sneak \$\endgroup\$
    – SteveC
    Commented Jul 6, 2016 at 8:10
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    \$\begingroup\$ It's not only fantasy, but it's a game. The rules are to make play fun, not simulate reality. If you want more 'realistic' rules check out GURPS. \$\endgroup\$
    – Christopher
    Commented Jul 6, 2016 at 12:57

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