D&D 3E/3.5 3.5 Animal Buffs as 10min/level

[maggot]

I run a travel intensive 3.0 game converting now to 3.5. Encounters are often spread out. In 3.0, the animal buffs (Bull's Strength, etc) worked for ever. Now in 3.5, they last only 1 minute/level. 1 minute/level works for an entire dungeon with short distances between locations, but outdoors, 1 minute/level might as well be 1 rd/level (after about 5th level).

So I'm thinking of house ruling animal buffs to 10 minutes/level. Still shorter than 3.0. Hard to have these up all day unless you really want to dedicate slots to them, and it makes extending these spells attractive again (one character has taken 3.0 extend spell for animal buffs and greater magic weapon).

Any hidden consequences I should keep in mind.

 

[Trainz]

If you use them ONLY outdoors, then you're fine. But if you use them only outdoors, then what difference does it make ? Your next encounter will be in a few hours minimum (most of the time), so you're back to square one.

As soon as you do a dungeon, 10 minutes per level is the same as 1 hour per level when you get around 10th level. They more or less last the whole dungeon (most of the time). Look at bark skin. Every player has one cast on him. Lasts the whole dungeon. If not, well then re-cast.

 

[Crothian]

Even before 10th level it's easy to extend the duration of them.

 

[Terath Ninir]

That is the most common house rule for people who play 3.25. It also weakens the buff items, which have become all-important and all-pervasive and all-annoying. "Gee, your rogue has gloves of dexterity? Man, am I shocked to hear that!"

One hour per level was a bit strong for a 2nd level spell, but 10 min/level is a number that no reasonable person can complain about.

 

[Storminator]

We allow a casting time decision. Either +4 for 1 min/level, or +2 for 10 min/level. Worked reasonably well for a while, but as we pushed up in level everyone bought permanent items. Now we never use the animal buffs at all.

PS

 

[Treebore]

Our group was asked by the DM which version we wanted, ie duration, and we decided to use the 1 turn duration from 1e/2e. Which is 10 minutes per level.

 

[maggot]

We allow a casting time decision. Either +4 for 1 min/level, or +2 for 10 min/level. Worked reasonably well for a while, but as we pushed up in level everyone bought permanent items. Now we never use the animal buffs at all.

I like that a lot. Yoink!

 

[jgsugden]

The real balance issue is that the spells should not be up for many combats in a row. If you can find a way to explain it in your game that makes sense to everyone, a version that lasted the lesser of 1 hour / level or 1 combat / 5 levels would probably be just fine.

 

[slingbld]

I run a travel intensive 3.0 game converting now to 3.5. Encounters are often spread out. In 3.0, the animal buffs (Bull's Strength, etc) worked for ever. Now in 3.5, they last only 1 minute/level. 1 minute/level works for an entire dungeon with short distances between locations, but outdoors, 1 minute/level might as well be 1 rd/level (after about 5th level).

So I'm thinking of house ruling animal buffs to 10 minutes/level. Still shorter than 3.0. Hard to have these up all day unless you really want to dedicate slots to them, and it makes extending these spells attractive again (one character has taken 3.0 extend spell for animal buffs and greater magic weapon).

Any hidden consequences I should keep in mind.

I actualy do 15 minutes per level for the targeted buffs & 5 minutes per level for the Group buffs. My reasoning:
Simply put, I have never in my life seen any group succesfully run through a 20+ room dungeon (Which most of mine are) in under 3-4 hours of game time. Quite often I do cavernous dungeons that require the PC's to camp within them if they want to keep up the momentum. The 3.0 rules fit wonderfully for that type of game. I personaly never liked the 3.0 though. they did last just too long. but the new rules realy handicap the players. I feel this is a happy medium. at level 10 the targeted buffs last 2 hours 30 minutes, the group buffs last only 50 minutes. The targeted ones will get them through the entire dungeon (or at least that level) whereas the grouped ones will get them through up to 10 encounters (usualy less though).

Slingbld~