Movement

During combat, creatures can employ multiple mechanics that allow them to move around the battlefield. The most common of those mechanics is the Advance or Disengage move action (detailed under Move Actions below), but abilities granted by your class, equipment, ancestry, title, or other options might allow you other ways to move.

Your hero starts with a speed granted by their ancestry—usually 5. This represents the maximum number of squares you can move when you take the Advance move action or when another effect allows you to move. Your speed can be increased by your kit and other game options.

All squares adjacent to your character cost 1 movement to move into. No, there's no Pythagorean theorem on the grid. It's a game, don't overthink it.

Your hero can move freely through an ally's space. You can move through an enemy's space, but that space is difficult terrain (see below). You can't stop moving in any other creature's space, including to make a strike or use a main action or maneuver while in that space and then continuing your move, unless that creature's size is two or more sizes greater or smaller than your own.

At the Director's discretion, you can be forced into the same space as another creature whose size is within 1 of yours, such as by falling down a narrow shaft with such a creature already at the bottom. When you are squeezed into the same space as another creature whose size is within 1 of yours, your ability rolls and tests take a bane.

Can't Exceed Speed

A single move or other effect can never allow a creature to move more squares than their speed, unless the effect states otherwise. For example, a creature with speed 5 might have that speed reduced to 2 by the slowed condition (see Conditions in Chapter 5: Classes). If an ally then targets them with an effect that allows them to move up to 3 squares, the creature can move only 2 squares because that's their current speed.

Can't Cut Corners

A creature can't move diagonally when doing so would involve passing through the corner of a wall or some other object that completely fills the corner between the creature's space and the space they are moving to. This rule applies only to moving past objects, not moving past other creatures.

Shifting

Shifting is a careful form of movement that allows a creature to move safely past dangerous foes. Certain abilities, features, and other rules allow you to shift a specific number of squares, sometimes up to your speed. Whenever you shift, creatures can't make opportunity attacks against you triggered by that movement (see Opportunity Attacks later in this chapter).

You can't shift into or while within difficult terrain or damaging terrain (see below). If a rule allows you to shift, you can choose to instead move up to the number of squares you would have shifted (for example, to get out of difficult terrain). However, you can't combine moving and shifting within that movement.

Movement Types

Creatures in the game can use eight types of movement: walk, burrow, climb, swim, jump, crawl, fly, and teleport.

Walk

Walking is the most common movement type, whether it refers to ambulating on legs, rolling, slithering, or some other default method of movement. Unless specified otherwise, all creatures can move over solid horizontal ground without any problem.

Burrow

A creature who has "burrow" in their speed entry, or who gains the temporary ability to burrow, can move through dirt horizontally, and either has the means to breathe while doing so or doesn't require air to live. Such creatures can't move through more solid ground, such as stone, unless their stat block or the effect that lets them burrow says otherwise. Similarly, a burrowing creature doesn't leave a tunnel unless the rules say so.

Dig Maneuver

It takes extra effort to dig vertically through the ground as opposed to tunneling horizontally, requiring a creature to use a special maneuver. To use the Dig maneuver, a creature must have "burrow" in their speed entry, they must have a speed that is equal to or greater than their size, and they must be touching terrain that can be burrowed through.

When a creature uses the Dig maneuver, they can move vertically up to a number of squares equal to their size. If a burrowing creature has a creature who is not unconscious grabbed, they can't willingly move deeper into the ground. It's too difficult to dig with a flailing enemy in your claws.

Targeting Burrowing Creatures

If you are on the ground, you have line of effect to a burrowing creature if that creature occupies 1 or more squares of terrain that can be burrowed through and that touch the ground, and if you have line of effect to any of those squares. The burrowing creature gains the benefit of cover from you.

If you are completely beneath the ground while burrowing, you don't have line of effect to any creature on the surface unless a rule states otherwise.

If you are completely beneath the ground while burrowing and are adjacent to another creature who is burrowing, you have line of effect to that creature, though you both have cover from each other.

You can't gain the benefit of high ground (see below) against creatures who are completely beneath the ground while burrowing.

Non-Burrowing Creatures

If you are on the ground and adjacent to a creature who is beneath the ground while burrowing, you can use a maneuver to pull that creature up 1 square out of the ground, provided the creature is willing.

If a creature who can't burrow wants to dig into the ground, they can use the following ability provided their speed is 2 or more.

Claw Dirt

Power Roll + Might:

• ≤11: You can move 1 square into, out of, or through ground you are touching that can be burrowed through, and you are slowed and weakened (EoT).
• 12-16: You can use your main action this turn to move 1 square into, out of, or through ground you are touching that can be burrowed through, and you are slowed (EoT).
• 17+: You can move 1 square into, out of, or through ground you are touching that can be burrowed through.

Burrowing Forced Movement

While a creature who is completely beneath the ground while burrowing is force moved by movement that isn't vertical, they aren't moved, and they take 1 damage for each square they would have been force moved. If the forced movement is vertical, the creature is moved through the dirt as if it were air.

Climb or Swim

A creature who has "climb" in their speed entry, or who gains the temporary ability to automatically climb, can climb across vertical and horizontal surfaces at full speed. Likewise, a creature who has "swim" in their speed entry, or who gains the temporary ability to automatically swim, can swim in liquid at full speed.

Creatures without those types of movement can still climb or swim when a rule allows them to move, but each square of climbing or swimming costs 2 squares of movement. If a surface is difficult to climb (for instance, a sheer cliff or ice-covered wall) or a liquid is hard to swim through (a raging river or whirlpool), the Director can call for a Might test. On a failure, a creature can't climb or swim but wastes no movement in the attempt. The Director can also impose other consequences to failure, such as being caught in the spinning current of a whirlpool.

Climbing Other Creatures

You can attempt to climb a creature whose size is greater than yours. If the creature is willing, you can climb them without any trouble. If the creature is unwilling, you make the following test:

Power Roll + Might or Agility:

• ≤11: You fail to climb the creature, and they can make a free strike against you.
• 12-16: You fail to climb the creature.
• 17+: You climb the creature.

While you climb or ride a creature, you gain an edge on melee abilities used against them. The creature can use a maneuver to attempt to knock you off, forcing you to make the following test:

Power Roll + Might or Agility:

• ≤11: You fall off the creature into an unoccupied adjacent space of your choice, taking falling damage and landing prone as usual (see Falling below).
• 12-16: You slide down the creature into an unoccupied adjacent space of your choice and don't land prone.
• 17+: You continue to hold on to the creature.

If you are knocked prone while climbing or riding a creature, you fall and land prone in an adjacent space of your choice, taking damage as usual from the fall.

Jump

Whenever an effect allows you to move (including using the Advance move action), you can automatically long jump a number of squares up to your Might or Agility score (your choice; minimum 1 square) as part of that movement. The height of your jump is automatically 1 square as part of that movement.

If you want to jump even longer or higher than your baseline jump allows, make a Might or Agility test:

Power Roll + Might or Agility:

• ≤11: You don't jump any farther than your baseline jump allows.
• 12-16: You jump 1 square longer and higher than your baseline jump allows.
• 17+: You jump 2 squares longer and higher than your baseline jump allows.

You can't jump farther or higher than the distance of the effect that allows you to move. You can't jump out of difficult terrain or damaging terrain (see below).

Crawl

If you are prone (see Conditions in Chapter 5: Classes), you can remain prone and crawl on the ground. Doing so costs you 1 additional square of movement for every square you crawl. If you intentionally want to crawl, you can fall prone as a free maneuver. While voluntarily prone, you can choose to stand as a free maneuver.

Fly

A creature who has "fly" in their speed entry, or who gains the temporary ability to fly, can move through the air vertically or horizontally at full speed and remain in midair. If a flying creature is knocked prone or has their speed reduced to 0, they fall (see Falling below).

Hover

A creature who has "hover" in their speed entry (most commonly alongside "fly" or "teleport"), or who gains the temporary ability to hover, can remain motionless in midair. They don't fall even if they are knocked prone or their speed is reduced to 0.

Teleport

When a creature teleports, they move from one space to another space instantaneously. The following rules apply to teleporting:

• Teleporting doesn't provoke opportunity attacks or other effects that are triggered by a creature moving.
• When a creature teleports, they bypass any obstacles between the space they leave and their destination space.
• A creature teleporting themself must have line of effect to their destination space. A creature teleporting another creature must have line of effect from the space the teleported creature leaves and to their destination space.
• A teleporting creature's destination space can't be occupied by another creature or object.
• The effect that lets a creature teleport indicates how far they can teleport. That distance can be greater than the creature's speed.
• If a creature can teleport as part of their usual movement, they can use the Advance move action to teleport a number of squares up to their usual speed, unmodified by conditions or effects.
• If a creature teleports while prone, they can be standing when they reach their destination space provided they are able to stand. If a prone creature is teleported by another creature, it is up to that creature whether the teleported creature remains prone or stands if they are able.
• If you teleport while affected by the grabbed or restrained conditions, those conditions end for you.
• When a creature teleports, they must leave the space where they start and enter a new space. A creature can't teleport to and from the same space.

Falling

When a creature falls 2 or more squares and lands on the ground, they take 2 damage for each square they fall (to a maximum of 50 damage) and land prone. A creature who falls can reduce the effective height of the fall by a number of squares equal to their Agility score (to a minimum of 0). Falling into liquid that is 1 square or more deep reduces the effective height of a fall by 4 squares (to a minimum of 0).

Falling is not forced movement, but being force moved downward is considered falling. Movement from falling doesn't provoke opportunity attacks (see Opportunity Attacks below).

Falling Onto Another Creature

A creature who falls and lands on another creature causes that creature to take the same damage from the fall. The falling creature then lands prone in the nearest unoccupied space of their choice. If the falling creature's size is greater than the Might score of the creature they land on, that creature is knocked prone.

Falling Far

When a creature first falls from a great height, they fall 100 squares in the first round. At the end of each subsequent round that they remain falling, they fall another 100 squares.

Difficult Terrain

Areas of thick underbrush, rubble, spiderwebs, or other obstacles to movement create difficult terrain. It costs 1 additional square of movement to enter a square of difficult terrain.

Damaging Terrain

Areas of acid, fire, sharp rocks, lava, or any other terrain that causes damage to creatures within it is damaging terrain. The damage dealt by damaging terrain is noted in the terrain's description or in the description of the effect that creates the terrain.

High Ground

Whenever a creature uses an ability to target a creature or object while standing on the ground and occupying a space that is fully above the target's space, they gain an edge on the power roll against that target. To be fully above a target, the bottom of a creature's space must be higher than or bordering on the top of the target's space.

A creature can gain this benefit while climbing only if they have "climb" in their speed entry or can automatically climb at full speed while moving.

Forced Movement

Some actions and maneuvers allow a creature to push, pull, or slide a target creature or object a specific distance across the battlefield. Collectively, these types of movement are called forced movement.

• Push X: The creature moves the target up to X squares away from them in a straight line, without moving them vertically. Each square the creature moves the target must put the target farther away from them.
• Pull X: The creature moves the target up to X squares toward them in a straight line, without moving them vertically. Each square the creature moves the target must bring the target closer to them.
• Slide X: The creature moves the target up to X squares in any direction, except for vertically. Unlike a push or a pull, a slide doesn't need to be a straight line.

When you force move a target, you can always move that target fewer squares than the number indicated. For example, when the conduit obtains a tier 3 "push 3" outcome with their Call the Thunder Down ability, they can push targets any distance up to 3 squares, including choosing to not move certain targets at all.

Forced movement ignores difficult terrain and never provokes opportunity attacks. When you force move a target into damaging terrain or into terrain that produces an effect, they are affected as if they had moved into it willingly.

Multitarget Abilities and Forced Movement

Some creatures can force move multiple creatures or objects with a single ability. Unless the ability specifies otherwise, the creature using the ability determines the order in which the targets are force moved. The creature should select each target individually and complete their forced movement before force moving the next target affected.

Vertical

If a forced movement effect has the word "vertical" in front of it, then the forced movement can move a target up or down in addition to horizontally. For example, if a forced movement effect says "vertical push 5," then a creature targeted by the effect can be pushed up to 5 squares in any direction, as long as the forced movement is a straight line.

If a creature who can't fly is left in midair at the end of a vertical forced move, they fall. Forced movement made against a creature who is flying is always a vertical forced move, whether or not the effect specifies it.

Though you can't freely push, pull, or slide a target up and down unless that forced movement specifies "vertical," you can move them along a physical slope such as a hill or staircase. For a target to be force moved along a slope, each square of the slope can be no more than 1 square higher or lower than the previous square.

Big Versus Little

When a larger creature force moves a smaller target with a melee weapon ability, the distance of the forced movement is increased by 1. If a smaller creature force moves a larger target with a melee weapon ability, the distance doesn't change.

Slamming into Creatures

When you force move a creature into another creature, the movement ends and both creatures take 1 damage for each square remaining in the first creature's forced movement. You can also force move an object into a creature. The object's movement ends, and the creature takes 1 damage for each square remaining in the object's forced movement.

It's possible to move a creature or object of a larger size into several creatures of a smaller size at the same time. When this happens, the larger creature in the collision takes damage only once, not once for each smaller creature they slam into.

If a creature is killed by damage from an ability or effect that also force moves them, a second creature they are slammed into still takes damage unless the Director deems otherwise.

You can force move another creature into yourself with a pull or a slide.

Slamming Into Objects

When a creature force moves a target into a stationary object that is the target's size or larger and the object doesn't break (see below), the movement ends and the target takes 2 damage plus 1 damage for each square remaining in their forced movement.

If you force move a creature downward into an object that doesn't break (including the ground), they also take falling damage as if they had fallen the distance force moved and their Agility score was 0 (see Falling above).

Tracking Object Forced-Movement Damage

At the Director's discretion, mundane objects that are force moved into creatures or other objects take damage as if they were creatures. Sturdy objects can take damage as follows before they are destroyed:

• Wood object: 3 damage for each square it occupies
• Stone object: 6 damage for each square it occupies
• Metal object: 9 damage for each square it occupies

More fragile objects are destroyed after taking any damage.

Hurling Through Objects

When you move a creature into a mundane object, the object can break depending on how many squares of forced movement remain. The cost of being slammed into an object is tied to the damage a target takes for being hurled through it:

• It costs 1 remaining square of forced movement to destroy 1 square of glass. The creature moved takes 3 damage.
• It costs 3 remaining squares of forced movement to destroy 1 square of wood. The creature moved takes 5 damage.
• It costs 6 remaining squares of forced movement to destroy 1 square of stone. The creature moved takes 8 damage.
• It costs 9 remaining squares of forced movement to destroy 1 square of metal. The creature moved takes 11 damage.

If any forced movement remains after the object is destroyed, you can continue to move the creature who destroyed the object.

Forced Into a Fall

If you can't fly and are force moved across an open space that would cause you to fall, such as being pushed over the edge of a cliff, you continue moving the total distance you were moved first. If you are still in a position to fall when the forced movement ends, you fall.

Stability

Each creature has a stability that allows them to resist forced movement. When a creature is force moved, they can reduce that movement up to a number of squares equal to their stability. Heroes start with stability 0 and can increase their stability through ancestry, class, and kit options.

A creature's stability can't be less than 0, even when reduced by a penalty.

"When a Creature Moves..."

Certain abilities and effects trigger when a creature moves into a particular area. Forced movement triggers these options unless otherwise noted, including an effect stating that a creature must willingly move to trigger it.

Death Effects and Forced Movement

Some creatures have traits or abilities that trigger when they die or are reduced to 0 Stamina. If such a creature is reduced to 0 Stamina by damage from an ability or effect that also force moves them, the forced movement takes place before the triggered effect.