Guild Wars 2

I complained to a buddy at work about my slow charr, and he claimed that all races have the same speed.

Is that true? It sure seems like I always get run down when chased by a mob, even if I am not hit by a spell or weapon. It also seems like fleeing enemy can out-pace me. For that matter, when I am zerging with allies it seems like I get left in their dust, even when they don’t appear to be using speed-me-up spells.

I am a noob, but it’s hard to see how that could account for being a slow runner.

Different professions have different speed buffs (ex: thieves have a 25% passive, rangers have a 10% passive, ele’s have an omgwthsuperspeed%) not to mention so many professions can self-swiftness is some way or another.

Assuming they’re not just using swiftness (nevermind, you mentioned that), there are traits/skills/weapons that can change how fast someone runs. Some traits or skills give a passive speed bonus. Also, if you’re wielding a greatsword or hammer I believe you run slightly slower than with other weapons.

There are also mobility skills that teleport or allow a player to leap forward.

Don’t forget, when you’re in combat you move slower! (Yellow smudge around your skill bar).
Bigger characters usually seem to move slower because of “slower” animations of their walking- Think about it like this. For a norn and an asura to walk at the same speed, the asura must walk faster than the norn, because the norn has bigger footsteps. That translates into animation, which makes bigger characters seem slower.

And nothing runs as fast as a zombie in Tyria. Nothing. …

i feel my Norn / Guardian – giant with heavy armor – runs slowly than my wife and friend’s thieves. D i claim that jumping with his giant body is harder as well but o well. only makes sense that a larger character has a harder time jumping around in small spaces (jumping puzzles) and or runs / moves slower.

the loud, clunking armor doesn’t help with this perception lol

It only appears slow because of the bigger size, and asurans might seem pretty quick coz of their small size. But try entering a running contest, you’ll find out all races are the same. They even have the same footing size (area where you can stand), and i reckon they had to do this (even if it seems my asura is hanging by a pinky toe) to be fair in jumping puzzles. The only diff it would seem si the vantage point at some angles.

maybe it your class some class say like thief have a signet buff that give i think 25% movement speed on top of swiftness. i cant speak for other classes because i have not tried them

All characters have asura-sized hitboxes and run at the same speed.

Running speed can be increased with certain traits, unique to each class, as well as certain utilities, such as the +25% speed signet a thief has.

Not all speed buffs stack, for instance, elementalists have a +25% speed buff, while in wind attunement, they also have a signet that gives +10% speed and a trait that gives +15% speed while wielding dual daggers. While the signet and dual daggers trait stacks with each other, neither stacks with the wind attunement speed buff.

The top speed boost I’ve ever observed was a town-only priest swiftness, in addition to a warrior’s horn’s buff. It’s the only time I’ve seen two swiftness buffs stack and also the only time I’ve ever seen a character gain more then a 33% movement speed bonus.