I'm moderately new to Pathfinder, having only played in one low-level campaign. We just finally got access to Haste, and started casting it in order to run around faster. (Amusingly, the first encounter we used it ended up being a chase scene, but that's beside the point…)
The parts of the spell description relating to movement speed state:
All of the hasted creature’s modes of movement (including land movement, burrow, climb, fly, and swim) increase by 30 feet, to a maximum of twice the subject’s normal speed using that form of movement. This increase counts as an enhancement bonus, and it affects the creature’s jumping distance as normal for increased speed.
As I read this, I infer that movement speed increases – "all modes of movement … increase" via an enhancement bonus. In other words, for a creature with a base speed of 30 ft, then they have a Hasted speed of 60 ft. In a single round, then, with two Move actions, they can travel speed + speed = total round movement, or (30+30) + (30+30) = 120 feet.
However, the GM insisted that it's not an enhancement bonus to speed, but instead to movement in the round. In other words, the aforementioned creature taking two Move actions would travel speed + speed + haste enhancement = total round movement, or 30 + 30 + 30 = 90 feet.
So my question is – which interpretation is correct? Does Haste grant enhancement bonus to speed (thus allowing 120 feet with 2 Moves), or does it grant an enhancement bonus to movement per round (thus allowing 90 feet with 2 Moves)? Can you help me with citations / quotes from the rules or official sources to back up either side?
Best Answer
There's no such thing as total round movement. Your speed is how far you move when you take a move action.
(from the CRB combat section on actions)
The haste spell increases your speed(s) in an overly complicated manner, which nonetheless states:
(source: Haste spell text in your post)
A typical character has a land speed of 30 ft. Increasing that movement mode by 30 feet results in a land speed of 60 ft, because 30 + 30 = 60 (source: addition).
When a creature with a land speed of 60 ft. takes a simple move action, it moves 60 feet (see above). If said creature elects to use a second move action at a later time, that character would again move 60 feet. After two move actions, the character would have covered a total of 120 feet, because 60+60=120.
If said character instead elected to take the 'run' action, the character would instead move three or four times their speed (depending on if they have the run feat or not), and that would result in a total movement of 180 or 240 feet respectively (source: multiplication).