Haste spell

[Maximillian]

I would weigh in on cutting off the AC bonus to haste. I think that might be a good idea. I hadn't considered it yet. The extra partial actions tend to be interesting, but not unbalancing.

Also, I tend to run combats that average 5-7 rounds, not 3. Important, climactic battles are often 10-15 rounds, but involve things like reinforcements, feinted charges, retreats and such.

 

[haiiro]

What about just ruling that the extra partial action is not in effect the round haste is cast? Sounds like a good compromise, imho. That way you get the buff effects to AC and movement, but you cannot cast haste and another spell in one round, making it a bit more of a decision whether to open with haste, or a damage spell, or a buff spell in a combat encounter.

I believe this is how boots of speed work (activate as a standard action, receive the extra partial the next round), and it definitely makes you consider your options in the first round of combat.

 

[Fenes 2]

None of our characters would give up a year of their lives for a few minutes of extra speed, would you?

My first 2E character told the party mage that should he ever haste him he would kill him.

 

[Stalker0]

I think an xp component is definately one way to do it. The problem is xp components tend to be less of a threat at higher levels (where haste really becomes powerful) unless the xp component is large, and then its prohibitive at lower levels.

I think a full round casting time is a good way as well.

 

[Destil]

I think an xp component is definately one way to do it. The problem is xp components tend to be less of a threat at higher levels (where haste really becomes powerful) unless the xp component is large, and then its prohibitive at lower levels.

I think a full round casting time is a good way as well.

Components: This spell drains five times the target's current level in experience from each target creature, as their own life-force is drained to fule the acceleration, and a more powerfull creature is more difficult to accelerate.
(you would need to make the spell fail if the target is unwilling, though)

 

[Hashmalum]

Aging is such a bother, and it maybe it would re-introduce weird things like system shocks etc. We used to kill enemy wizards with Haste spells back in the old days. No save, 25% instant kill chance (considering the average Con of wizards) and if they did not die, they wouldn't have much of an advantage. Worked well on groups too.

I never said anything about bringing back system shock. Let it stay gone, and good riddance to it.

None of our characters would give up a year of their lives for a few minutes of extra speed, would you?

If the choice was between losing a year of my life, and losing all of my life (losing the battle), I'd say the choice was pretty obvious. The point here is to make sure that characters only use haste when they absolutely have to, not in every fight.

As for the disparate lifespans issue, it could work like limited wish did, aging the target one year per every hundred or so they'd normally live. Or you could just not adjust it and give demihumans an advantage; in my campaigns, for some reason none of my players ever seem to want to play a demihuman character. But YMMV.

 

[Marshall]

And I wouldn't even say the extra partial action is the reason haste is unbalanced. What I mean is that its not getting one more action a round that's the big prob. Its the fact that there's a huge difference between a standard and a fullaction. The fact that I can take a moveequivalent or standard action, and still get the benefits of a full round action is huge especially at high levels. The move in, and then take 4 attacks for a fighter is one example.

The problem is that to a spellcaster there is functionally very little difference between a Partial and FRA.

Give a spellcaster the extra partial and he doubles his output for the round.

Give a FTR type and extra partial and you increase his mobility a little and/or add one extra attack.

Haste breaks down when applied to spellcasters. The d20 modern fix of and MEA or 1 extra attack brings it back down to a 3rd level spell.
Getting two spells a round without the Quicken feat is an Epic spell ability and even then it only works for one round.

 

[Destil]

The problem is that to a spellcaster there is functionally very little difference between a Partial and FRA.

Give a spellcaster the extra partial and he doubles his output for the round.

Give a FTR type and extra partial and you increase his mobility a little and/or add one extra attack..

Not really. Particuarly not in the first round when mass haste is in play.
Normal: Charge and one attack.
Haste: Charge, 1 attack +1-6 more from a Full attack.

Any time a melee type needs to move more than 5' haste is huge. Archers are the only type that only gain a marginal benifit from hasts (which is fine, and a good reason to get a bow of speed).