Casting Sleep in the surprise round

[lukelightning]

While I'm not arguing that sleep is any good, you normally won't have to worry about the enemies moving.

You do if they've moved right next to you. Or out of range or area of effect.

 

[3d6]

Sleep has a pretty good range; 100 feet at 1st level. I'm not sure how them moving right next to you is a problem (unless they surround you, of course).

 

[lukelightning]

Most encounters start at far closer than 100 feet, especially in a dungeon situation. I guess the sleep spell works like it does in Order of the Stick.... you drone on and on blah blah blah until everyone is asleep.

 

[3d6]

Right; most encounters start well within 100 feet in dungeons, which means that it's hard for enemies to get out of range of sleep. I'm not sure how that's an argument that sleep sucks.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Right; most encounters start well within 100 feet in dungeons, which means that it's hard for enemies to get out of range of sleep.

I think the more likely disadvantage of the full round casting time is the goblin adept making his Spellcraft check, and yelling "Sleep spell - everybody scatter!", so that you can only catch a couple of goblins in any given 10' radius burst.

-Hyp.

 

[3d6]

Or, even more irritating for the poor wizard--"Sleep spell -- rush the wizard!" A 1st-level wizard's probable +6 Concentration isn't going to help much at that point. Even if they don't disrupt the spell, if the surround the wizard, he can't get all of them without risking putting himself to sleep. Be he wishes he had prepared color spray...

 

[lukelightning]

Right; most encounters start well within 100 feet in dungeons, which means that it's hard for enemies to get out of range of sleep. I'm not sure how that's an argument that sleep sucks.

Yeah, plenty of time for them to run up and hit you or shoot you with arrows or move behind a corner.