Unarmored Speed: Stacking Monk & Barbarian Movement
Unveiling the Truth: Can Unarmored Movement and Fast Movement Stack?
The short and direct answer is: yes, Unarmored Movement and Fast Movement can stack, but with a critical caveat. While these features both grant a bonus to your movement speed when unarmored, they do not stack in the way you might initially imagine. You don’t simply add the bonuses together as if they were independent numerical increases. Instead, the rules of the game dictate you follow a “most stringent requirement” principle. In effect, it’s the greater of the two bonuses which takes effect.
To clarify, if you’re a Monk with the Unarmored Movement ability, which grants an increasing movement speed bonus with Monk levels, and you also multiclass into Barbarian which grants Fast Movement, the two do interact. However, if the Barbarian’s Fast Movement bonus is less than the Monk’s Unarmored Movement bonus, you won’t see a combined increase equal to both. Instead, you’ll use whichever bonus is higher. In cases where they’re equal, then no change will be made.
So if a Barbarian has a Fast Movement bonus of +10ft, and the same character as a Monk would have an Unarmored Movement bonus of +15ft, then you are only benefitting from the +15ft from your Monk levels.
It’s crucial to understand that this applies to speed bonuses granted from the features themselves and not other enhancements or effects.
Deep Dive into Movement Speed Mechanics
How Unarmored Movement Functions
The Monk’s Unarmored Movement ability provides a straight speed increase when the character is not wearing armor or wielding a shield. Starting at 2nd level, this bonus begins at +10 feet, increasing further as you level up in the Monk class. It’s a passive, constant bonus that’s always active as long as you meet the requirements (no armor, no shield).
How Fast Movement Functions
The Barbarian’s Fast Movement feature also grants a speed bonus when the character is not wearing heavy armor, which is added to the Barbarian’s total movement.
The Crucial Distinction
The key here is that both features modify your base walking speed and aren’t two separate bonuses that add together. The rule of choosing the most stringent requirement comes into play because these abilities have the same effect—they increase speed. This rule prevents double-dipping into the same category of bonus, ensuring that characters don’t achieve unrealistic and unintended levels of movement speed.
The Impact of ‘Stacking’
As mentioned, the bonuses don’t add together in the traditional sense. It’s important to view these two features not as two simultaneous effects boosting you, but rather two effects, one of which will be the one which is active.
If you are a Monk 9 (with a bonus of +15ft from unarmored movement) and Barbarian 2 (with a bonus of +10ft from fast movement), you are using the +15ft bonus. But if you were Monk 2 and Barbarian 9, with the Barbarian providing the higher bonus of +15ft, then that +15ft bonus is the one you are using.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Does Unarmored Movement Affect Fly Speed?
Yes, Unarmored Movement applies to any speed you have. If you gain a flying speed, such as from the Fly spell, the bonus from Unarmored Movement would increase your flying speed in the same way it increases your walking speed.
2. Do Unarmored Defenses Stack?
No, Unarmored Defenses do not stack. If you gain the Unarmored Defense feature from multiple classes (like Monk and Barbarian), you use only one version, as specified in the multiclassing rules of the Player’s Handbook.
3. What is the Max Move Speed for a Monk?
A human Monk’s maximum move speed without magic items or spells is achieved with the Mobile feat, which increases base speed, plus the monk’s Unarmored Movement bonus, plus the Dash action. This would be base movement of 30ft + 20ft from Mobile and Unarmored Movement + 90ft from two dashes = 140 ft in a round. Certain races can achieve even greater speeds.
4. How Does Monk Unarmored Movement Work?
Starting at 2nd level, a Monk’s speed increases by a fixed amount when not wearing armor or a shield. This bonus increases as the Monk levels up, as indicated in the Monk class table.
5. Can a Monk Move Between Flurry of Blows?
Yes, a monk can move between attacks made with Flurry of Blows, provided they have sufficient movement speed. Actions and bonus actions, like Flurry of Blows, are made of weapon attacks, and the rules allow movement between these, so long as you have movement left.
6. Does Monk Increase Fly Speed?
Yes, any speed-boosting effect that applies to walking speed also applies to flying speed, including the Monk’s Unarmored Movement. If a spell grants fly speed, the monk will use the improved speed on that flight.
7. What Feat is Best for Monk?
Some of the best feats for Monks include Mobile, Mage Slayer, Tough, Weapon Master, Sharpshooter, Fey Touched, Athlete, Alert, and Sentinel, depending on your preferred play style and build.
8. What is the Strongest Monk Class?
The Open Hand Monk subclass is often considered one of the most reliable and strongest Monk subclasses, excelling in combat with its core abilities. The Mercy Monk subclass is another of the top subclasses.
9. What is the Best Ability for a Monk?
Dexterity is the most important ability for a Monk, followed closely by Wisdom for AC and additional abilities. Constitution is important for health and the rest of the abilities can be used according to your preferences.
10. Do Shields Stop Unarmored Defense?
No, shields do not stop Unarmored Defense; they simply add +2 to your AC. Unarmored defense functions as your AC calculation, and shields give their bonus to this.
11. Can Warforged Benefit from Unarmored Defense?
Yes, Warforged can benefit from Unarmored Defense, despite their inherent +1 to AC. Warforged benefit from not having to rely on physical armor, and can benefit from unarmored defense bonuses.
12. Why Are Aarakocra Banned?
Aarakocra are often banned in some campaigns due to the problems their inherent fly speed can cause, especially at lower levels.
13. Does Movement Speed Stack?
Movement speed bonuses stack, but not in the traditional way in terms of these specific examples. With items, or additional movement speed from spells or abilities that are separate from each other, yes, the effects stack, though some games might implement a cap.
14. Is Monk the Weakest Class?
Monk is sometimes considered one of the weaker classes, due to a lack of spells and its more complicated damage output and ability requirements. With the right build and approach, it is certainly not the weakest class, but it can be challenging at low levels.
15. What is the Fastest Monk Subclass?
While no one subclass inherently has faster speed, the Tabaxi is often seen as the fastest due to Feline Agility, which lets you double your speed in a turn.
Combining races with abilities, or feats with monk levels can lead to truly impressive speed. Aarakocra is known for its innate fly speed, allowing for incredible speed, but it is often banned.
Conclusion
Understanding the nuances of how Unarmored Movement and Fast Movement interact is crucial for building effective characters in D&D 5e. While these features don’t ‘stack’ in a simple additive manner, you can still utilize them together for impressive mobility. By knowing how these abilities work, you can optimize your Monk or Barbarian for maximum effectiveness on the battlefield.