Abrupt Jaunt change;

[Trance-Zg]

I played conjurer variant with abrupt jaunt but I changed it even before I tried printed version 'cause it looked overpowered on paper as instant teleport.

So we made it to;

Move action, distance 25ft +5ft/2 levels(to compensate for no instant escape)

Reason; It was to cheap escape tool to escape grapple, or even charging raging barbarian, he would just swing and see you 10 ft to the left, lol.

So I ask someone that tried it as immediate action, is it broken and/or game breaking?

 

[lordxaviar]

since I just found about this (have to read more..omg i feel like a newbie lol) and I have to say that I dont think its that overpowering, as its times per day is based on the intelligence bonus. I have been working on converting that 6th lv wiz (that has this) into a NPC for my world and his good avg stats accentuate my point. So if your campaign has much higher stats.. yes i can see altering this.. btw I like what you have done with it and I will keep it on file for just such occasions. (personally I use LG buy in 28 points - the 6th lv wiz was 4 pnts under this)
jeesh think that is the largest quick comment i have ever made..lol

 

[Celebrim]

So I ask someone that tried it as immediate action, is it broken and/or game breaking?

I've never used it or allowed it, but I have noticed two things about it:

a) It shows up - along with spells with similar effects like Improved Blink and Wings of Cover - in the suggested build of a lot of optimized casters.
b) It is often cited as justification for creating a lot of things that I consider overpowered, as in: "There is nothing wrong with it, because it's not as powerful as Abrupt Jaunt."

Frankly, I don't think it can be fixed. It should simply be banned, though if you must keep it, your version works fairly well in the model of 'Feather Fall' as a spell rather than an class ability.

 

[Theo R Cwithin]

In it's original form, most people seem to agree it's way overpowered. Here's a thread on it, as well as some people's attempts to make it a bit less b0rken.

 

[Greenfield]

Not sure how this applies to Abrupt Jaunt, since I'm unfamiliar with the spell, but casting any spell while grappled calls for a Concentration check, base DC20 + spell level +damage received.

 

[Rhun]

Not sure how this applies to Abrupt Jaunt, since I'm unfamiliar with the spell, but casting any spell while grappled calls for a Concentration check, base DC20 + spell level +damage received.

It isn't a spell. It is an alternate class feature, I believe. I don't believe a Concentration check is needed on it, per RAW.

 

[Theo R Cwithin]

Not sure how this applies to Abrupt Jaunt, since I'm unfamiliar with the spell, but casting any spell while grappled calls for a Concentration check, base DC20 + spell level +damage received.

Yeah, Rhun's correct: it's not a spell, but an alt class feature in PHB2 that can be taken in place of familiar. It allows a caster to teleport without error 10ft in any direction as an immediate action with no conditions, checks or components as drawbacks, usable a number of times per day equal to the INT modifier.

So it's effectively a "get out of grapple free" card, and/or a nice way to completely negate a handful of attacks per day.

 

[Ranger19k]

The problem we always had with Abrupt Jaunt is not the "get out of grapple free", but the "avoid any attack for free" aspects of it being an immediate action. We house ruled Abrupt Jaunt to be a swift action rather than an immediate action, and as a swift action it works just fine. It's still a great ability, but is no longer flat-out broken.

 

[Celebrim]

The problem we always had with Abrupt Jaunt is not the "get out of grapple free", but the "avoid any attack for free" aspects of it being an immediate action. We house ruled Abrupt Jaunt to be a swift action rather than an immediate action, and as a swift action it works just fine. It's still a great ability, but is no longer flat-out broken.

In the long run, maybe.

In the short run you are still dealing with an ability that is equivalent to:

"You start with the ability to cast a useful 2nd level spell that remains relevant throughout the whole campaign a number of times per day equal to your intelligence bonus."

Sure, you won't be dealing with 'Each usage completely negates virtually any sort of attack' (charges are made to automatically fail, full attacks are converted into single attacks, tramples are side stepped, area of effect spells are dodged, missile attacks can be evaded, los on spell attacks can be broken, etc.), but you are still dealing with:

a) "Oh, I'm threatened by a large monster. Let me take a free 10' step, then a free 5' to get into a position where I'm not threatened."
b) "Oh, I'm grappled. Let me take a free 10' step out of the grapple so I can break the grapple, and then a free 5' step, and still cast a spell this round without needing a concentration check."
c) "Oh, I'm stuck at the bottom of a 10' high obstacle. Not a problem."
d) "I need to get away from my foe this round, but if I double move I'm still in charge distance. Let me add an additional 10' to my move, so that I'm outside of charge range."
e) "I want to cast a spell this round, but if I take a move action, I'll draw an AoO, and if I just 5' step I'll take a full attack next round. Let me take a 10' step, then a move action, then cast a spell, and now my foe not only doesn't stick to me, but has to charge just to attack me next round."

It's reduced from being utterly broken to... still a no brainer option that will get used again and again and again.

 

[Theo R Cwithin]

Of the fixes mentioned in the link I made upthread, one I'm really curious about is simply to attach a drawback: making an Abrupt Jaunt leaves the caster dazed until the end of his next turn.

Has anyone ever used that variant? I'm curious to hear how it would work in play.