Movement allows a character to move from place to place. Usually, this is a standard ability, like Running, Leaping or Swimming, while others are completely new modes of movement, such as Teleportation or FTL Travel. All characters begin the game with a base Running of 6”, a base Swimming of 2”, and a running Leap of 1” per 5 STR.

In a Heroic campaign, the Normal Characteristic Maxima for movement are Running 10”, Swimming 5”, and Leaping 5”; the cost of additional Running, Swimming, or Leaping doubles after these maxima.

COMBAT AND NONCOMBAT MOVEMENT
The HERO System rules divide movement into two categories: Combat and Noncombat. A character using Combat Movement is dodging and looking out for targets and enemy attacks — he moves as fast as he can while still trying to find targets and to present a difficult target for his attackers. A character using Combat Movement retains his full OCV and DCV and can move at his normal movement rate.

A character using Noncombat Movement concentrates on moving swiftly, not on finding targets or dodging attacks. Accordingly, his Noncombat Movement rate is double his Combat Movement rate, but he’s at ½ DCV and 0 OCV (and ½ DECV and 0 OECV, if appropriate). You can also determine a character’s Noncombat Movement DCV from his velocity, though this takes more time (see Hero System Rules, page 364). All characters can move double their Combat Movement rate with all of their Movement Powers for free; you can double the rate of Noncombat Movement in one movement mode for + 5 Character Points. (Leaping also has special rules for Noncombat Movement. Refer to the individual Power descriptions for further information.)

HALF MOVES
A Half Move consists of any amount of movement up to half of a character’s inches of movement. A character may not use part of this Half Move, perform an Action (even a Zero Phase Action or Action which takes no time), and then use the rest of his Half Move inches of movement as a single Half Phase Action. Characters may make Half Moves when moving at Noncombat velocity.

A character can accelerate or decelerate up to his full Combat Movement velocity each Phase. However, adding or removing velocity is a Zero Phase Action, which characters can do only once per Phase, unless the GM rules otherwise (as the GM typically does if the character simply wants to move to a location within his inches of movement — the character accelerates while moving there, then slows down and stops when he reaches his destination). Characters can Abort to decelerate if necessary.

A character may add or subtract up to 5” velocity per hex he moves, up to his full Combat Movement velocity. Characters may increase their acceleration/deceleration by buying an Advantage (see below). A character cannot instantly decelerate to 0” by turning off a Movement Power, or by switching to another slot in a Power Framework (if that’s how he bought the Power). He may not deactivate the Movement Power until he decelerates to 0” normally or through some outside means (such as being hit with an attack that would stop him from moving), or the GM specifically allows him to.

Endurance Cost of Movement
For the purposes of Endurance Cost, it is assumed that Running and Swimming use 1 Endurance per 5" of movement used (Combat Velocity) per Phase of movement. Leaping requires 1 Endurance per 1" of Leap used (as it uses strength directly to increase distance, and Strength requires Endurance). (This includes movement the character receives for “free,” such as the standard Running 6” and Leaping from STR.)

If a character moves at Noncombat velocities, the END cost equals the END he uses to move at Combat velocities — a character with Running 10” and a x2 Noncombat Movement multiple (total of Running 20") only spends 2 END per Phase, not 4 END per Phase)

If a character uses less than his full inches of movement, typically he only pays END proportionately (for example, he pays half the power’s full END cost when making a Half Move). However, if he’s trying to attain full velocity for some reason (to improve Move Through damage, for example), he must pay END for the full number of inches, regardless of how many inches he actually moves.

NORMAL MOVEMENT As stated earlier, every character starts with a basic amount of movement, which can be bought up, or down, as with any other Characteristic.

These are:

Running of 6" (and a cost of 2cp per + 1" of Run Speed)

Swimming of 2" (and a cost of 1cp per + 1" of Swim Speed)

Leaping of (STR/5)" (and a cost of 1cp per + 1" of Leap Distance)

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