8.2 Overland Movement
This section provides rules governing overland movement speeds. Not every game should think about overland movement travel speed in a detailed way. It’s fine to just spend “a few days” walking around between various important locations. However, sometimes the details are important, such as when you are on a strict timetable. The GM can tell you when overland movement matters.
8.2.1 Standard Travel Days
Characters covering long distances cross-country use overland movement. Overland movement is measured in miles per hour or miles per day. A day normally represents 8 hours of actual travel time. However, sailing ships and other methods of travel that keep moving without requiring a rest are listed with a full 24 hours of travel time.
You can make an Endurance check to push beyond a standard 8-hour travel day. In addition, you can make an Endurance check to travel faster within a normal travel day. For details, see Endurance.
Standard travel distances on foot are listed in Table 8.1: Travel Distance By Movement Speed. When using mounts or ships, Table 8.2: Mounts and Vehicles will be more convenient.
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15 feet | 20 feet | 30 feet | 40 feet |
| One Hour (Overland) | ||||
| Walk | 1-1/2 mile | 2 miles | 3 miles | 4 miles |
| Hustle (Exertion) | 3 miles | 4 miles | 6 miles | 8 miles |
| One Day (Overland) | ||||
| Walk | 12 miles | 16 miles | 24 miles | 30 miles |
| Hustle (Exertion) | — | — | — | — |
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| Mount/Vehicle |
Per Hour | Per Day |
| Mount (carrying load) |
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| Light horse or warhorse | 5 miles | 40 miles |
| Draft horse | 4 miles | 32 miles |
| Pony or war pony | 4 miles | 32 miles |
| Donkey or mule | 3 miles | 24 miles |
| Dog, riding | 4 miles | 32 miles |
| Cart or wagon | 2 miles | 16 miles |
| Ship | ||
| Raft or barge (poled or towed)1 | 1/2 mile | 4 miles |
| Keelboat (rowed)1 | 1 mile | 8 miles |
| Rowboat (rowed)1 | 1-1/2 miles | 12 miles |
| Sailing ship (sailed) | 2 miles | 48 miles |
| Warship (sailed and rowed) | 2-1/2 miles | 60 miles |
| Longship (sailed and rowed) | 5 miles | 120 miles |
| Galley (sailed and rowed) | 6 miles | 144 miles |
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1 Rafts, barges, keelboats, and rowboats are used on lakes and rivers. If going downstream, add the speed of the current (typically 3 miles per hour) to the speed of
the vehicle. In addition to 10 hours of being rowed, the vehicle can also float an additional 14 hours, if someone can guide it, so add an additional 42 miles to the
daily distance traveled. These vehicles can’t be rowed against any significant current, but they can be pulled upstream by draft animals on the shores.
8.2.2 Overland Terrain
Travelling over a flat, paved highway is much faster than trailblazing through a jungle. You can use Table 8.3: Terrain and Overland Movement as a reference for common terrain.
A highway is a straight, major, paved road. A road is typically a dirt track. A trail is like a road, except that it allows only single-file travel and does not benefit a party traveling with vehicles. Trackless terrain is a wild area with no significant paths.
| Terrain |
Highway | Road or Trail | Trackless |
| Desert, sandy |
x1 | x1/2 | x1/2 |
| Forest | x1 | x1 | x1/2 |
| Hills | x1 | x3/4 | x1/2 |
| Jungle | x1 | x3/4 | x1/4 |
| Moor | x1 | x1 | x3/4 |
| Mountains | x3/4 | x3/4 | x1/2 |
| Plains | x1 | x1 | x3/4 |
| Swamp | x1 | x3/4 | x1/2 |
| Tundra, frozen | x1 | x3/4 | x3/4 |