Velbrik's Stutterstep

This is a spell I designed for my character in Living EN World. Since it deals with sticky rules issues and it's not particularly convenient to playtest, garyh suggested that I post it for community judgement. Does it seem too powerful, or not quite up to par? I tried to make it about equivalent to expeditious retreat of the same level. It's designed for a versatile support fighter; Sor/Wiz get it because by definition those classes receive almost every arcane spell, but they have it at a higher level because the spell doesn't fit the class archetype quite as well.

Any comments at all are welcome; if the wording or any other aspect of the spell is confusing, I'll be happy to clarify.

Velbrik's Stutterstep
Illusion (Shadow)
Level: Brd 1, Sor/Wiz 2
Components: V,S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round/level (D)

This spell allows you to smoothly step back and forth between the Material Plane and the Plane of Shadow. Whenever you take a move action, up to half of the movement, as determined by the caster, may be taken on the Plane of Shadow. You cannot be affected while you are 'phased out,' but you must begin and end your turn in the Material Plane, so this spell does not allow you to avoid attacks or ongoing effects. For example, if you move a total of thirty feet, you may move up to fifteen feet, or three squares, while phased out, and therefore you are not subject to attacks of opportunity you would incur by passing through those squares. However, the first and last five feet of movement must be taken on the Material Plane, so you would still be subject to an attack of opportunity for moving out of a creature's threatened area, if applicable. This spell does not grant surprise or deny creatures their dodge or Dexterity bonus to AC. You may not move anywhere you could not move normally, with the exception that you may move through a square occupied by another creature while on the Plane of Shadow.

It seems balanced as a combat spell, but I'm a bit leery of its ability to pass through materials- like knock, only it works on walls too. That seems a tad much.

It doesn't work on walls - the last line specifies you can't move anywhere you couldn't without the spell. You can't go through a wall normally, so you can't under the effects of this spell. The exception is the ability to move through a square occupied by a creature, since that's the intent of the spell: combat mobility in a situation with a lot of combatants.

My bad. Read this a few days ago, only replyed now.

Perhaps as a solution to the complaint that you can't plane-travel with a 1st level spell, you could modify the text to something along the lines of "partially moved" into the plane of shadow. It seems that the flavor text is the only complain against it, now....

I really like the concept, tho. Kudos on a cool spell!

To keep it in line with dimension door, I'd make it so that if you move with through the plane of shadow, you cannot take any actions after you complete your move action.

Hm. I'm not sure that there's really any special advantage to be able to attack immediately after you move, though, rather than being forced to attack before. The caster isn't able to do anything he can't without just a normal move; he's just avoiding some potential AoOs in the middle section of it. So it's not a free spring attack or an easy way to hit-and-run; since you still take AoOs from any creature you had previously been in melee with.

Plus, the movement might (and probably will) be part of a charge - is the attack that follows a charge 'acting after your move action'? If that's true, the only legal combination would be standard action/move action, in that order. That severely limits the caster's options, and usually will mean the caster gains no real benefit from the spell, since he could take a double-move in a long path around creatures (and get to make a full attack on his next turn) to avoid AoOs rather than going through their midst and having to sacrifice a standard action anyway once he arrives, making a net gain of zero with the stutterstep. If the caster has a way to affect the creature at range with a standard action before moving, that means there's really no reason to use the spell to close in, since he can already do what he needs to. Or, is it okay to charge using the spell, which means that you are allowed to attack afterwards, you just have to charge everything if you want to attack after completing the move action? That would plainly circumvent the attack-then-move only restriction.

I like this spell. I don't think its overpowered, even for a first level spell, and I see very few ways to abuse it. I don't like the restriction on what you can do after making your move, as it keeps half of the utility of the spell from being used. Cast it while being chased to be able to get through a crowded area much faster than your pursuers. Use it in conjuction with Spring Attack, and Expedious Retreat, for some very interesting combat maneuvers. I like the potential this spell has, though the duration is a little low at the levels at which it can first be cast. I have a feeling it won't become truely useful until second or third level spells could be cast, at which point, having it as a first level spell is a great deal. Good job, all around. I'll have to steal this, if y'don't mind.

- Kemrain the Thief

Seems pretty good at the level it's at, but I would bump it up to 2nd for Bards too.

Could it be used to avoid the effects of a raging river so that I could cross to the other side unharmed? I'm not sure how exactly going to the Plane of Shadow works, but how would it affect other things, like passing through fire? Is a wall of fire still a wall? People aren't really a barrier per se, but enemies can prevent someone from passing in much the same way as a wall, yet don't stop the caster? Could 2 large barbarians Meanwhile a thin paper wall could contain her. I understand the idea of the spell and like it, but perhaps the details of the mechanics should be hashed out a bit more. I would develop a weaker Dimension Door to match this spell to avoid some of the 'issues'. Or it could just be me not knowing enough about the Plane of Shadow.

The plane of shadow is a darker reflection of the world- where a town is in the material corresponds to a dark set of ruins in the shadow world. People, however, do not have shadow counterparts.

I too really like this spell.

It seems to me that you could use this spell to move in on a creature with reach without penalty. But then maybe that's the point...

How about Velbrik's Shadowstep instead of Stutterstep?

I believe I'll be stealing this as well.