Rules of Move and Speed

Basic Speed

±5 points per ±0.25 Speed
Your Basic Speed is a measure of your reflexes and general physical quickness. It helps determine your running speed (see Basic Move, below), your chance of dodging an attack, and the order in which you act in combat (a high Basic Speed will let you “out-react” your foes).
To calculate Basic Speed, add your HT and DX together, and then divide the total by 4. Do not round it off. A
5.25 is better than a 5!
You can increase Basic Speed for 5 points per +0.25, or reduce it for -5 points per -0.25. In a realistic campaign, the GM should not allow characters to alter Basic Speed by more than 2.00 either way. Nonhumans and supers are not subject to this limit.
Dodge: Your Dodge defense (see Dodging, B. 374) equals Basic Speed + 3, dropping all fractions. For instance, if your Basic Speed is 5.25, your Dodge is 8. Encumbrance reduces Dodge; see Encumbrance and Move (below). You must roll under your Dodge on 3d to duck or sidestep an attack. More on this stat will be covered below

Basic Move

±5 points per ±1 yard/second
Your Basic Move is your ground speed in yards per second. This is how fast you can run – or roll, slither, etc.
without encumbrance (although you can go a little faster if you “sprint” in a straight line; see p. 354).
Basic Move starts out equal to Basic Speed, less any fractions; e.g., Basic Speed 5.75 gives Basic Move 5.
An average person has Basic Move 5; therefore, he can run about 5 yards per second if unencumbered.
You can increase Basic Move for 5 points per yard/second or reduce it for -5 points per yard/second. For normal humans, training or a sleek build can justify up to 3 yards/second of increased Basic Move, while disability or poor fitness can explain up to 3 yards/second of reduced Basic Move. Nonhumans and supers are not subject to these limits. Races and supers who can move very fast should see Enhanced Move (B. 52).
Your Move score in combat is your Basic Move modified for your encumbrance level; see Encumbrance and
Move (below).
Encumbrance and Move
“Encumbrance” is a measure of the total weight you are carrying, relative to your ST. The effects of encumbrance are divided into five “encumbrance levels.” All but the lowest level will reduce your actual Move to a fraction of your Basic Move and give a penalty to Dodge, as follows:
No Encumbrance (0):
Weight up to Basic Lift. Move = Basic Move. Full Dodge.
Light Encumbrance (1):
Weight up to 2xBL. Move = Basic Move x 0.8. Dodge -1.
Medium Encumbrance (2):
Weight up to 3¥BL. Move = Basic Move ¥ 0.6. Dodge -2.
Heavy Encumbrance (3): Weight up to 6¥BL. Move = Basic Move ¥ 0.4. Dodge -3.
Extra-Heavy Encumbrance (4):
Weight up to 10¥BL. Move = Basic Move ¥ 0.2. Dodge -4.
Drop all fractions. Encumbrance
can never reduce Move or Dodge below 1.
Note that these levels are numbered from 0 to 4. When a rule tells you to add or subtract your encumbrance level from a die roll, this is the number to use. For instance, encumbrance gives a penalty to Climbing, Stealth, and Swimming skills.

Home Gravity
Gravity is measured in “Gs.” Earth’s gravity is 1G. Note the gravity of your home world if it differs from 1G; e.g., “1.2G” for a world with 1.2 times Earth’s gravity. All weights are multiplied by local gravity, so to function like someone with a given BL on Earth, multiply the desired BL by your home gravity and buy the ST corresponding to the adjusted BL. For instance, to operate in 1.2G as if you were a ST 10 person in 1G, start with BL for ST 10, which is 20 lbs., and multiply by 1.2 for gravity to get a BL of 24 lbs. This BL corresponds to ST 11, so you’d need ST 11 in 1.2G to function as well as a ST 10 person in 1G.

Move in Other Environments
Water Move is normally Basic Move/5, rounded down. You can increase water Move directly for 5 points per yard/second, or reduce it for -5 points per yard/second. Members of land-dwelling races must have Swimming skill (B. 224) to increase water Move, and cannot buy more than +2 yards/second. If you’re Amphibious (B. 40), both water and ground Move equal Basic Move, and changes to Basic Move adjust both scores. If you’re Aquatic (B. 145), water move equals Basic Move and ground Move is 0.