DND 3.5E – Lowest Level Human to Run Marathon Under 2 Hours

character-levelsdnd-3.5emovementoptimization

Inspired by What is the lowest level at which a human can beat the 100m world record (or: the presumed human limit) without using magic?, which I read just after finishing the Athens Marathon last November. Earlier in 2019, Kenyan athlete Eliud Kipchoge ran the marathon distance (42.195 km, about 26.2 miles) somewhat an order of magnitude faster than me in an amazing time of just under 2 hours, during the Ineos 1:59 Challenge.

Most D&D optimization attempts are aimed at short periods/distances (focused on combat situations), so for a change I'd like my (human) athlete to perform a feat of endurance: break the marathon distance record. What is the minimum level at which this can be achieved? A level 12 Monk has a base speed of 30ft + 40ft (assuming they're unarmed) = 70ft, which, extrapolating the 'Movement and Distance' table on page 162 of my 3.5e Player's Handbook translates to a Hustle speed of 14 miles an hour. A second hour of hustling incurs 1 point of nonlethal damage, and makes the character fatigued (I know how that feels) but doesn't influence movement speed, so this monk should cross the finish line after 1:52 and a bit.

Since, unlike Usain Bolt, Eliud Kipchoge got some help from others (pacemakers, nutrition provided by a horseback bike rider, pacing lasers) during this record attempt, our human athlete character is allowed to invoke the help of their fellow party members, but no magic: otherwise, you could just hire a bunch of Sorcerers, located at specific intervals on the track, each casting Expeditious Retreats for a continuous 30ft/round bonus. So everything that is qualified as a spell-like or supernatural ability is out of the question.

Assume D&D 3.5e rules, and any officially rule book is allowed (I only have the Core Rulebooks, which for instance (AFAICT) don't contain a feat which increases movement). When in doubt, the contest rules in the linked question apply (except for the assistance of up to five party members, which are the same level as the athlete).

Best Answer

You can get there without any levels with favorable rulings, but otherwise level 1

The Character

The character to run the sub-2-hour marathon at level 1 with three of the following selections (only one of which can be a class, and only two of which can be a feat):

  • The Barbarian class (for Fast Movement)
  • The Cleric class with the Celerity Domain (Spell Compendium)
  • The Ardent class with the Freedom Mantle (Complete Psionics)
  • The Monk class with the feat of Carmendine Monk selecting Fast Movement (Champions of Valor)
  • The Druid class with the Druidic Avenger variant1 (Unearthed Arcana)
  • The Quick trait (Unearthed Arcana)
  • The Fleet of Foot regional feat (Player's Guide to Faerûn)

...as well as these debatable selections:

  • The Fast Leg graft (Fiend Folio) perhaps granted by a Sibriex (Fiendish Codex I) with the Instant Graft Special Action since grafts are not "magical" strictly speaking
  • If the barbarian class is chosen, the Altered State feat2 assuming gifts from totem spirits are valid with the no magic restriction and you have 1d6 days to prepare ("Dragon Magazine 332")

1 Credit to KRyan's answer for mentioning this class variant.
2 Credit to JohnP in the comments for the find.

The Marathon

For a two hour journey, our character must move at a hustle since running is severely limited in terms of duration. This means that the character must travel 13.1 miles in an hour which requires a land speed of greater than 57.68 feet.

  • Humans have a base land speed of 30 feet.
  • Each of the three selections increase land speed by 10 feet.

The second hour at a hustle will cost 1 nonlethal damage, but that's certainly survivable for our character, who completes the marathon at around 1:55.36.

These three selections could be the Quick trait, the Fleet of Foot regional feat (via the extra feat from being human), and the Fast Leg graft meaning that a "level 0" character could run the marathon in under 2 hours (i.e. a character without needing their level 1 feat, nor any class levels). Technically, this level 0 character would not adhere to character creation rules since race and class are chosen before feats, but the spirit of the classless marathon runner is possible.

Fastest at level 1?

With the optimal selections (assuming favorable rulings on debatable ones):

  • The Barbarian class
  • The Quick trait
  • The Fleet of Foot feat
  • The Altered State feat
  • The Fast Leg graft

...a level 1 character could achieve a land speed of 80 feet which yields a marathon of 1:26.52

Without favorable rulings on debatable selections, you get:

  • Any of the class selections other than Monk
  • The Quick Trait
  • The Fleet of Foot feat
  • The Dash feat3 (for 5 feet of land speed)

This results in a land speed of 65 feet which yields a marathon of 1:46.49

3 Credit to KRyan's answer for mentioning this feat.