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Movement speed is the speed at which a player, Monster, or Summon moves through the dungeons.
General
The main way to influence your character's movement speed is through a stat called "Move Speed".
Move Speed is measured in both a rating as well as a percent. 3 points of Move Speed rating is equivalent to 1% Move Speed, which means 300 Move Speed = 100% Move Speed. Thus, you can convert between the two forms using the following formulae:
Move Speed = % * 3 % = Move Speed / 3
This conversion is important because certain effects are stated in terms of Move Speed rating while others are stated in % Move Speed.
Unless stated otherwise, effects that mention % Move Speed or % Move Speed Bonus are not multiplying your Move Speed rating by that % plus 1. Rather, they are adding to (or subtracting from) your % Move Speed obtained by converting your Move Speed rating as explained above.
Changes in % Move Speed will carry over to your Move Speed rating and vice versa so that they are never out-of-sync, and the conversion formulae above always hold true. Because of this equivalence, it is not incorrect to consider anything that applies to Move Speed as applying to % Move Speed instead or vice versa, provided that the appropriate conversions are performed.
In the Details screen, both Move Speed and % Move Speed are displayed in the Move Speed line in this form:
Move Speed (% Move Speed)
Like most other stats, Move Speed can be fractional - even if the Stats screen displays a rounded value - and the fraction portion still contributes to your actual Move Speed. The displayed % Move Speed value will usually be more accurate than the Move Speed value, but ultimately both may be slightly inaccurate due to rounding.
All classes technically have a base Move Speed of 300 (100%), but classes also have varying base Agility stats, which will affect each class's Move Speed with no gear, perks, or other modifiers. This modified base Move Speed may be referred to as a class's base Move Speed instead of the aforementioned 300 Move Speed.
An important distinction to keep in mind when reading this page is that between a character's movement speed and a character's Move Speed. While these can and are used interchangeably in certain contexts, more precisely, Move Speed is a character stat which reflects the amount of influence you could exert over your character's momentum using the movement keys, and it is visible in the Details screen. On the other hand, movement speed is a property representing the speed at which your character is moving at a given point in time, and it is not visible in the Details screen. Consider these situations:
- If you are standing still, you could have 30 Move Speed or 300 Move Speed, but in both cases you would have 0 movement speed.
- Ranger's Backstep moves your character a fixed distance over a fixed period of time. This gives your character a consistent, fairly high movement speed which likewise does not change whether you have low or high Move Speed.
Modifiers
There are a number of ways Move Speed may be modified.
All modifiers are additive aside from AMP's.
The additive modifiers are applied first, and the AMP multipliers are applied after.
Move Speed is hardcapped to 330 (110%). This cap is applied after additive modifiers and AMP's, so manual calculations may need to use Move Speed values greater than 330.
Gear
Gear modifies your character's stats. Some of these modifications affect your Move Speed.
Agility
Agility is the attribute that affects Move Speed. See Stats#Move_Speed for more details including how to convert Agility to Move Speed.
Gear Move Speed
Most pieces of gear have a "Move Speed" value as a primary stat. This value is added to your Move Speed rating.
Note that this value is usually negative, meaning your Move Speed will actually decrease instead of increase.
Currently only boots have a positive gear Move Speed.
Gear with no gear Move Speed (effectively 0 gear Move Speed) include Torches, Lanterns, Accessories, Backs, most Hands, the Shadow Mask, and the Golden Scarf.
Additional Move Speed
Functions the same as gear Move Speed, but is only available as a gear enchantment.
Only found on boots.
Move Speed Bonus
Functions the same as gear Move Speed except it is a percent which is added to your % Move Speed (remember this also modifies your Move Speed rating).
Only found as an enchantment on boots, but can also be found as a primary stat on certain pieces of craftable gear - both boots and non-boots.
Perks
Some perks can affect your Move Speed by modifying your Agility, or by directly modifying your Move Speed or % Move Speed.
These effects can have unlimited duration or be applied as a temporary buff/debuff.
Fighter's Swift perk deserves special mention for its unique effect of reducing negative gear Move Speed by a percentage - the positive gear Move Speed from boots is unaffected.
Other examples include:
- Fighter's Counterattack perk temporarily granting 10% Move Speed Bonus upon successfully blocking
- Rogue's Double Jump perk applying a passive penalty of -10 Move Speed Add
Buffs
Some buffs can affect your Move Speed. These buffs might come from perks, skills, spells, songs, or shapeshifts.
Examples include:
- Rogue's Jokester perk granting 2 All Attributes including Agility, effectively granting the Rogue passive Move Speed
- Barbarian's Rage skill temporarily granting 10% Move Speed Bonus
- Wizard's Haste Spell temporarily granting 5% Move Speed Bonus
- Bard's Accelerando Song temporarily granting up to 3 stacks of 1/3/5 Move Speed Add
- Druid's Bear Shapeshift granting -20% Move Speed Bonus for as long as the Druid remains in Bear form
Debuffs
Some debuffs can affect your Move Speed. These debuffs might come from perks, skills, spells, songs, weapon hit slow, or Monsters.
Weapon Hit Slow
Being hit by a player's weapon applies a hit slow. This takes the form of a debuff, with the duration and severity of the slow varying based on the weapon as well as which part of the weapon's combo you are hit with.
See Weapons for individual data.
Action Movement Penalty
Certain actions apply an Action Movement Penalty as a multiplier to your Move Speed. These apply after all other additive effects (such as gear Move Speed, passives, and debuffs) have been applied.
| Source | Multiplier | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walking | .4 | This penalty applies while holding the Walk key. | |
| Crouching | .65 | This penalty applies while holding the Crouch key. | |
| Moving Backwards | .6 | This penalty applies as long as your horizontal momentum points at an angle within a certain cone behind you - even if you aren't holding the Move Backward key. Consequently, while moving in one direction such as during a running jump or when using Ranger's Backstep skill, you can apply/remove this penalty by spinning the camera around horizontally. At certain camera angles, you can have backwards momentum while not suffering this penalty, though you would also necessarily need to have significant sideways momentum.
| |
| Landing | .65 | This penalty applies for a short period when landing after being airborne.
| |
| Casting/Channeling | .65 | This penalty is applied during every stage of casting or channeling a Spell - cast bar, standby after cast bar fills, cast animation, channel bar, recovery animation). The Magic Staff and Ceremonial Staff are currently bugged and instead exhibit a casting penalty multiplier of ~.5575 and ~.6 respectively. | |
| Weapon attacks | Various | See Weapons#Movement_Multiplier_Explanation for explanation. See Weapons for individual data. | |
| Double Jump | .75 | This penalty is applied after double-jumping. See #Double Jump for more details. |
These multipliers stack multiplicatively e.g. crouching backwards results in an effective multiplier of .65 * .6 = .39
Jumping
Jumping is not directly affected by the Move Speed stat. Higher Move Speed does not result in a faster or higher jump.
However, jumping does interact with your movement speed. Momentum is maintained when jumping, so running jumps will go faster and farther than standing jumps. Jumping of course also means eventually landing (unless you are jumping into The Void), and landing will apply the landing AMP.
Jumping can't be initiated during the following:
- Crouching
- Installing Campfires and Hunting Traps
- Installing Pavises
- Interacting with Props
- Walking
Jumping can be initiated during the following:
- Attacking
- Casting a spell
- Channels which allow you to move
- Channels which require you to remain still
- Playing a song
- Reloading the Windlass Crossbow
- Reloading bows and crossbows other than the Windlass Crossbow
Whether these actions are interrupted or not largely depends on #Mid-Air Mechanics.
A strange interaction can be seen when jumping while moving backwards:
- While moving backwards on the ground, the backward AMP is applied.
- At the start of the jump, the backward AMP stops applying, even while moving backwards.
- Closer to the top of the jump, the backward AMP starts applying again.
- At the end of the jump but well before landing, the backward AMP stops applying again, even while moving backwards.
- As soon as you land i.e. as soon as the landing AMP starts applying, the backward AMP starts applying again.
| One possibility is that the cone determining whether the backward AMP is applied or not is actually a 3D cone, and gaining enough upward momentum (as when jumping) or downward momentum (as when falling for long enough) can push the momentum direction out of the cone. The problem with this theory is that it's already known that the cone is affected by the camera in real-time, but looking down while jumping or up while falling does not make the backward AMP apply. Maybe moving the camera moves the 3D cone horizontally but not vertically? Contribute by joining the Spells & Guns discord! |
| Is jump height based off character height?
In-game Chicken description doesn't mention a jump height modifier, but Chicken jumps are clearly much shorter than Human jumps.
With Rat, the jump is much shorter than a Human jump despite apparently having +10% jump height. |
Mid-Air Mechanics
While airborne, the primary influence on your movement is usually gravity. However, there are ways you can still influence your momentum while airborne.
This section describes movement options available to every class. See #Movement Abilities for class-specific mid-air mechanics.
The following can't be initiated mid-air:
The following can be initiated while mid-air:
- Attacking
- Casting a spell
- Channels which allow you to move
- Crouching
- Installing campfires and Hunting Traps
- Interacting with Props
- Playing a song
- Reloading the Windlass Crossbow
- Reloading bows and crossbows other than the Windlass Crossbow
- Walking
Being mid-air immediately cancels the following:
- Installing campfires and Hunting Traps
Being mid-air quickly cancels the following:
- Interacting with Props
When attempting to install a campfire or hunting trap while airborne, your character visibly starts the animation, but the action is cancelled so quickly the progress bar doesn't even appear.
When attempting to interact with props while airborne, the progress bar can be seen filling. Typically, the interaction is cancelled and the bar disappears almost immediately. However, it is possible to interact with a prop and land before the interaction is cancelled by being airborne. This can allow you to interact with props which are slightly too high to reach from the ground, props on the other side of an obstacle which you can only see over while jumping, etc.
Directional Influence
While mid-air, pressing the movement keys will still influence the direction in which your character travels. More broadly, Being able to DI means the movement keys will still affect your character's momentum while airborne.
DI'ing in the direction you're already traveling in will increase your horizontal speed, while DI'ing in another direction can change your momentum's direction, or even reverse its direction - multiple times, provided you can stay airborne long enough/can DI strongly enough.
Move Speed affects how strongly you can DI - the higher your Move Speed, the higher your DI strength. Thus, Move Speed can affect how fast you move while in the air - even if you disregard running jumps.
AMP's are still applied while mid-air, so crouch-jumping, holding the walk button while jumping, flying backwards, etc. will all reduce your DI strength.
Just like Move Speed, differences in DI strength don't necessarily imply lower or higher movement speeds. If you only hold the Walk key during a running jump, you will travel exactly as fast and as far as if you held no key. DI strength only comes into play when you attempt to influence your momentum using the movement keys.
Generally, mid-air DI isn't nearly as impactful as running or even walking on the ground. But this apparent decrease in control doesn't appear to be due to an AMP or any other sort of direct Move Speed loss.
| Is there a special, hidden multiplier of some sort which applies while mid-air, resulting in less DI potential? It seems plausible that movement on the ground and DI in the air are coded as precisely the same mechanic, just with a hidden multiplier applied for DI in the air. Contribute by joining the Spells & Guns discord! |
Crouch-Jumping
Crouching mid-air will pull your feet up. Thus, crouching while jumping aka crouch-jumping can allow you to clear higher obstacles than you would be able to otherwise.
Crouch-jumping also pulls your head/camera up, allowing you to see higher. Your camera may even clip through the ceiling if you are close enough, allowing you to see the floor above you in rare cases.
| Does crouch-jumping forward reduce the distance traveled compared to DI'ing forward with no Penalties? Crouching pulls your feet up, delaying impact with the ground, thus granting you more distance. This may or may not be enough to make up for the lower movement speed. Contribute by joining the Spells & Guns discord! |
Movement Abilities
A number of perks, skills, spells, etc. modify Move Speed in a fairly straightforward manner. This section instead focuses on class-specific abilities which actually move a character. See the appropriate class page for details not related to movement.
Types
While each movement ability is generally unique, some groups of them share a number of properties. Some informal movement ability types are defined here based on those shared properties. These definitions may change as more information becomes available.
Dash
Dash-type abilities instantly cancel all momentum on activation and replaces it with a momentum that varies between dash abilities but always includes an upward component, which means you will immediately become airborne at the start of the dash.
Dash abilities have an associated duration in which an animation plays and/or the ability may apply other effects. But the movement portion of the dash is an instantaneous change in momentum and not a continuous "push", so turning the camera alone while dashing will not change your momentum.
Like jumping, Move Speed does not affect the initial dash momentum.
Dashes can be used mid-air or to move off a ledge without cancelling any portion of the dash, though gravity still applies at all times. Normal ground movement and regular jumping are disabled for the duration of the dash, but mid-air DI is still possible - including during the small window in which the dash makes you airborne when used on flat ground.
Dashes can't be activated during the following:
- Installing Campfires and Hunting Traps
- Installing Pavises
- Interacting with Props
- Reloading a Windlass Crossbow
Dashes can be activated during the following:
- Attacking
- Casting a spell
- Channels which allow you to move
- Channels which require you to remain still
- Playing a song
- Reloading Bows and Crossbows other than the Windlass Crossbow
- Walking
Whether these actions are interrupted or not largely depends on #Mid-Air Mechanics.
Compare/contrast with #Fixed-Animation.
Examples of Dash abilities include:
Fixed-Animation
Fixed-animation-type abilities instantly cancel all momentum on activation and lock your character into an animation which forces your character to move along a path that can't be influenced by your own inputs for the duration of the animation. Your camera is similarly forced to point in a set direction: straight forward.
Move Speed does not appear to affect these animations.
Fixed-animation abilities can be used mid-air or to move off a ledge without cancelling any portion of the animation, though gravity still applies at all times. All other movement abilities are disabled for the duration, including skills, every type of jumping and mid-air DI.
All AMP's still apply during the animation, though it's unclear how this would actually affect movement if at all since movement inputs are disabled.
Interestingly, holding the crouch key before and during the animation will apply the crouch AMP, and letting go mid-animation will remove the penalty. But if the crouch AMP is not applying at any point during the animation, it can't be (re)applied for the remainder of the duration. On the other hand, the walking AMP may be applied/removed/reapplied any number of times during the duration.
The camera's exact path can be influenced before starting the animation by looking at different vertical angles. But upon activation, the camera will smoothly and swiftly swivel to point straight forward. The animation will always end with your camera pointing straight forward.
If you are airborne at the end of a fixed-animation, you will be able to initiate the ability again without landing provided the ability comes off cooldown in time.
Fixed-animations can't be activated during the following:
Fixed-animations can be activated during the following:
- Attacking
- Casting a spell
- Channels which allow you to move
- Channels which require you to remain still
- Crouching
- Reloading the Windlass Crossbow
- Reloading bows and crossbows other than the Windlass Crossbow
- Walking
Fixed-animations immediately cancel the following:
- Attacking
- Casting animations
- Channels which require you to remain still
- Reloading the Windlass Crossbow
- Reloading bows and crossbows other than the Windlass Crossbow
Fixed-animations cancel the following at the end of the fixed-animation:
Examples of Fixed-Animation abilities include:
Compare/contrast with #Dash.
| Tumbling has an extra-weird interaction with Warlock's Ray of Darkness.
Channeling Ray of Darkness and looking down at a steep enough angle as you activate Tumble results in:
|
Multi-Jump
Multi-jump-type abilities allow your character to jump while mid-air (aka double-jump) by pressing the Jump key. Each double-jump cancels all vertical momentum on activation and replaces it with a fixed upward momentum based on the dash ability used.
Each multi-jump ability has a double-jump limit; for each period of time spent airborne (i.e. between landings), you may double-jump up to a number of times equal to that limit before double-jumping is disabled. In other words, you may be able to triple-jump, quadruple-jump, etc. depending on the double-jump limit. You will need to land in order to recover any expended double-jumps.
You do not need to perform a regular jump to enable double-jumping e.g. running off a ledge will still allow you the same number of double-jumps.
There does not appear to be a hard upper/lower bound on the time you can/must wait between becoming airborne and using a double-jump, nor any bound on the time between consecutive double-jumps. Note that this means it is possible to "override" your regular jump or previous double-jumps by hitting the Jump key quickly enough, cancelling the (vertical) momentum from previous jumps. For maximum height, you will want to wait until the top of each jump to initiate the next double-jump.
Double-jumping follows all the behaviors and restrictions of regular jumping.
Examples of Multi-Jump abilities include:
Knockback
Knockback effects instantly add some amount of momentum to the target's momentum. Notably, this effect does not necessarily cancel any component of the target's momentum. If the knockback pushes the target in the direction of movement, they will speed up. If the knockback pushes the target in the opposite direction from movement, they will slow down, stop, or even reverse direction.
Most player abilities with knockback effects in Dark and Darker are damaging abilities that can only push other targets away from you. While this can delay the time an enemy takes to reach you like a more traditional movement ability would, such knockbacks lose value when you only wish to move your own character more quickly, and can actively be a detriment when attempting to chase fleeing enemies.
However, in team situations, you can potentially use these effects to push your teammates, or have your teammates use them to push you. This will likely come at the additional cost of some Health, though Shields may help.
Wizard's Fireball spell gets special mention here as it is currently the only player ability which can knock targets in a direction other than directly away from you. It can even be used to push yourself in a direction of your choosing - if you feel adventurous enough.
In addition to player abilities, a number of Monsters have the ability to apply knockback. Like with player knockback effects, these can potentially be used to your advantage, but you may need to be prepared to take some damage if you plan to get knocked back yourself.
There are currently 2 player abilities which directly grant knockback resistance: Fighter's Breakthrough skill grants complete knockback immunity for 10s whereas Barbarian's Iron Will perk grants immunity passively. Although these abilities don't explicitly move your character, they may be worth considering if you expect to face a lot of knockback which you would rather resist. Keep in mind that knockback can potentially be used to your advantage, and these abilities may take that option away.
Fixed-animation abilities may also be used to completely negate knockback effects as noted in #Fixed-Animation + Knockback.
Different monsters may have different amounts of knockback resistance. Notably, Bosses and Minibosses are completely immune.
Also note that some monsters move forward (toward you) as they attack; the momentum from this attack may cancel out a knockback, making it appear as if the monster was not affected by the knockback at all when they are attacking in your direction.
Examples of abilities with knockback components include:
- #Fireball
- #Forceful Shot
- #Shield Slam
- #Bash
- Demon Bat's attacks
- The Lich's back-attack
- Ice Harpy's attacks
- Frost Giant Shielder's attacks
- Some of the Frost Wyvern's attacks
Druid
See Druid#ShapeShifts-0 and Druid#Skills-0 for details not related to movement.
Bash
Druid's Bear Shapeshift grants your character access to the Bash attack. Bear's Bash attack knocks targets in a small area in front of you, away from you.
Chicken
Druid's Chicken Shapeshift grants your character a multi-jump ability with a limit of 2 double-jumps before needing to land.
Rush
Druid's Panther Shapeshift grants your character access to the Rush skill. Panther's Rush skill is a dash that makes your character leap forward, giving you a sizeable forward momentum plus a moderate upward momentum.
Rush can be activated during the following:
- Crouching
See #Dash for more allowances/restrictions.
Fighter
See Fighter#Skills-0 for details not related to movement.
Shield Slam
Fighter's Shield Slam skill slams forward with your shield, knocking all targets hit away from you.
Ranger
See Ranger#Skills-0 for details not related to movement.
Backstep
Ranger's Backstep skill is a dash that makes your character perform a short hop backwards, giving you a sizeable backwards momentum plus a very small upward momentum.
The backward AMP is applied as soon as you activate Backstep, though spinning the camera left or right quickly enough will remove the AMP before the Backstep ends. You don't need to make a full 180, or even 90 degree turn, you just need to turn enough to move your backward AMP cone off of your Backstep momentum vector.
If you are airborne at the end of a Backstep, you will not be able to Backstep again until you land.
Rush can't be activated during the following:
- Crouching
See #Dash for more allowances/restrictions.
Forceful Shot
Ranger's Forceful Shot skill adds a knockback effect to your arrows, pushing targets away from you.
Rogue
See Rogue#Perks-0 and Rogue#Skills-0 for details not related to movement.
Double Jump
Rogue's Double Jump perk grants your character a multi-jump ability with a limit of 1 double-jump before needing to land.
Equipping Double Jump also causes you to suffer the Double Jump AMP upon initiating a double-jump. The AMP is only removed after you land.
Double Jump seems to interact strangely with DI; it's very apparent that your DI strength actually increases significantly after starting the double-jump rather than decreases, despite the decreased Move Speed from the Double Jump AMP.
| If DI in the air being weaker than movement on the ground is caused by a hidden multiplier, does double-jumping cancel that hidden multiplier? It may be that whatever restricts DI before the second jump stops applying after the second jump, and you consequently can DI just as much as you would move on the ground but with the .75x Move Speed penalty. Contribute by joining the Spells & Guns discord! |
Tumbling
Rogue's Tumbling skill is a fixed-animation that makes your character perform a backward somersault, moving you backwards and including a small hop.
As Tumbling forces you to move backward, the backward AMP will be applied for the entire duration.
Currently the only example of a fixed-animation ability.
See #Fixed-Animation for more details.
Wizard
See Wizard#Spells-0 for details not related to movement.
Fireball
Wizard's Fireball spell knocks targets hit by the splash damage away from the center of the blast.
This spell can be quite versatile. Potential uses include but are not limited to:
- Pushing enemies away from - or toward - yourself
- Pushing enemies in front of yourself to use them as cover from attacks
- Pushing Frost Sentinels away from the walls they spawn on, forcing them to float in the air awkwardly
- Boosting your own jump height
- Boosting friendly players and summons toward or away from enemies
- Always Fireball responsibly
Interactions
Movement ability interactions are detailed here.
Some listed combinations state an ability type rather than a specific ability. This means that the interaction was tested for a number of abilities of that type but not necessarily every one, so discrepancies may exist.
Each listed combination might only be available with the help of Monsters, other players, or through Multi-classing, which itself may or may not be available at the time of reading.
Backstep + Multi-Jump
Double-jumping is disabled for the duration of Backstep.
If you are airborne at the end of a Backstep, you will not be able to double-jump until you land.
Dash + Dash
Dashes can be used in quick succession before their duration ends (the momentum from the earlier dash is cancelled).
Dash + Fixed-Animation
Fixed-animations can be used at any point during a dash (the momentum from the dash is cancelled).
Double Jump + Shapeshift
Shapeshifting does not affect any of Double Jump's unique effects.
Fixed-Animation + Multi-Jump
Aside from the normal movement input lockout, Fixed-animation abilities don't affect double-jumping.
Fixed-Animation + Knockback
During fixed-animations, you are immune to knockbacks.
Tested with Tumbling + Frost Giant Shielder/Ice Harpy
Multi-Jump + Knockback
Knockback effects don't affect double-jumping.
Tested with Double Jump + Fireball/Frost Giant Shielder/Ice Harpy
Multi-Jump + Multi-Jump
The jump limits for each multi-jump ability will stack, giving you an effective limit equal to the sum of the individual limits. For example, the 2 double-jumps from Chicken Form will stack with the 1 from Double Jump, giving you a total limit of 3 double-jumps and thus allowing you to quadruple-jump while in Chicken Form.
Multi-Jump + Rush
Rush does not affect double-jumping.
Multi-Jump + Shapeshift
The double-jump limit applies across Forms. For example, double-jumping and then shifting to Chicken Form still uses up a double-jump you otherwise could have used in Chicken Form.