D&D 5E Haste vs Ashardalon's Stride for a melee Warlock/Wizard

[ECMO3]

I am playing a Drow multiclass Bladesinger X/Undead Warlock 1 S8,D16,C12,I16,W10,Ch14

I am wondering which of these spells would be better at level 5/1. I have a lot of experience with Haste, but I have never used AS. The other 3rd level spell I am getting is Fear.

Other spells known/prepared are Hex, Armor of Agathys, Shield, Absorb Elements, Silvery Barbs, Feather Fall, Rime's Binding Ice, Whither and Bloom, Vortex Wrap, Invisibility and Misty Step plus my Drow spells

The party has no real tank. Other characters include a 4-elements Monk, an Assassin a bard and a druid.

 

[Professor Murder]

Stride looks like a fun spell and has plenty of flavor.
Haste looks mechanically more rewarding. AC Bonus+Extra action+can target someone other than the caster+a higher speed bonus.
Stride would shine if you are facing a ton of enemies with low HP and just wading up in the middle of them for the self aoe.

 

[Mort]

Since Haste allows disengage as one of the allowed actions it can also easily avoid AoOs. And the bonus to movement is better than Ashardalon's Stride unless you blow a REALLY high level spell.

The damage is mostly ribbon damage unless you're up against low HP mooks or, again, you're blowing a high level spell.

Like the flavor, but mechanically Haste is superior but for possibly very fringe cases.

 

[Professor Murder]

One last bit. Stride can be cast as a Bonus Action, which is a large advantage.

 

[ECMO3]

One last bit. Stride can be cast as a Bonus Action, which is a large advantage.

Not really. Haste gives you an extra action on the turn you cast it, so it is more or less a free cast in terms of action economy.

Also, on this multiclass, with Bladesong and Form of Dread, bonus actions are not aways easy to come by.

 

[Dausuul]

Casting haste on yourself in melee is extremely risky. If you lose concentration, it costs you an entire round. Additionally, while you do get a free attack on the casting turn, you can't use Extra Attack or green-flame blade or booming blade--so it's more like half an attack.

In the ideal case, where you can pre-buff and nobody disrupts it, haste is stronger. But considering the downside risk... you could make a case for Ashardalon's.

 

[Mort]

By

Casting haste on yourself in melee is extremely risky. If you lose concentration, it costs you an entire round. Additionally, while you do get a free attack on the casting turn, you can't use Extra Attack or green-flame blade or booming blade--so it's more like half an attack.

In the ideal case, where you can pre-buff and nobody disrupts it, haste is stronger. But considering the downside risk... you could make a case for Ashardalon's.

That's a really good point!

Bladesingers tend to be more into melee than other wizards. Since this PC is only going to have a +4 on concentration checks, one bad roll and he's out for a full round. Heck if the player accidentally forgets the Haste rider and decides to cast another concentration spell, automatically out for a round (I've seen players forget such things all the time when under pressure.)

Of course, Haste is great to cast on others so that mitigates the above a bit.

 

[Professor Murder]

Not really. Haste gives you an extra action on the turn you cast it, so it is more or less a free cast in terms of action economy.

Also, on this multiclass, with Bladesong and Form of Dread, bonus actions are not aways easy to come by.

Fair point.

 

[ECMO3]

Heck if the player accidentally forgets the Haste rider and decides to cast another concentration spell, automatically out for a round (I've seen players forget such things all the time when under pressure.)

With the last bladesinger I played, the party Sorcerer twin hasted me and our Ranger during a Battle with the Balor Bel. Then after about 7 rounds when the monk was on death's door he twinned polymorph on her and an NPC ..... and unknowingly immobilized us.

It was me that realized it. We play at a table with little table talk during another players turn. He cast the polymorph and I whinced. Then came my turn - and I fessed up - "I don't think I can do anything because concentration on haste just dropped".

So I did not go, Ranger did not go, then next time around I hasted myself and went back to laying waste to Bel.

Back to the current character - she will be in melee a lot but she is not going to be as survivable as a normal bladesinger because she is already behind in AC since she took a half feat to get charisma to 14 and uses studded leather instead of Mage Armor. Using haste would obviously mean no blur. I am trying to think if it is reasonable to think she can regularly go a whole fight without getting hit.

What I want to do is melee attack-form of dread frightened, move and hit another target with booming blade and then move again. If everything hits and the first guy fails his save it will prevent one enemy from approaching me at all (frightened) and will damage the other for doing so. I can do this with either spell. AS would give me an extra 2d6 doing it (assuming there were 2 enemies). Haste gives me more movement, more options and better action economy (since it will take 3 turns to get everything in place for AS)