[Haste] The new information

[LokiDR]

If we are talking about what haste could be, here are my ideas.

I would like to see a whole series of spells to give extra abilities/speed.
1) expeditious retreat (with fixed rules on stacking)
2) lesser haste: extra move equivelent, one target
3) haste: as discussed in 3.5 revision, giving haste bonuses specifically, to a small area (10 or 15' radius)
4) greater haste: +4 haste bonus AC, +4 attack, extra attack or move, one target
5) Quickspell: haste as we know it now, with a bonus to attack.
6) Timeheal: you age a person your level/2 in days and apply healing as if they had rested those days. They are fatigued afterwords.

There would also be "mass" versions of each single target spell a few levels higher.

The one thing I hope is not forgotten is the fun of the tatical movement you can get out of using a partial action for a move. It is the poor-man's spring attack/shot on the run/flyby attack. This should be included some where as it isn't too broken, and leads to interesting situations.

 

[Hypersmurf]

6) Timeheal: you age a person your level/2 in days and apply healing as if they had rested those days. They are fatigued afterwords.

Actually, I'd like to see that more generalised - spell durations affecting the character are affected as if they have been effect for those days as well, per day or per week abilities reset, disease/drug addiction/geas penalties accrue, etc.

Could have all sorts of interesting effects

-Hyp.

 

[LokiDR]

Actually, I'd like to see that more generalised - spell durations affecting the character are affected as if they have been effect for those days as well, per day or per week abilities reset, disease/drug addiction/geas penalties accrue, etc.

Could have all sorts of interesting effects

-Hyp.

Damn, I didn't think of that. Geas/timeheal would be a killer. The Relics and Rituals 2 version I yanked this from doesn't do that, but it is only a 5th level spell I believe.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Oh, and not just fatigued... but hungry

I wouldn't be so cruel as to impose dehydration penalties, though

Hmm. It would be a good way to get immediate benefits from a Ring of Sustenance, though... put it on, cast the spell, and skip the one-week adjustment period

-Hyp.

 

[LokiDR]

I know someone obsessed with that item, so it would let him get some real use out of it.

What about the more interesting uses of the spell? Want a child but don't have time for the diper years, timeheal. Dwarf's beard got burned away, timeheal. Too young to get into the bar, timeheal a lot

 

[Hypersmurf]

What about the more interesting uses of the spell?

Since I personally reject the idea that Reincarnate can bring back someone who dies of old age (as far as I'm concerned, it can bring back an 85 year old in a 21 year old body, but if they have a 90 year lifespan, then they still die of old age 5 years later), it would also be a way to kill someone permanently.

It might take a few years, but you'd get there eventually

-Hyp.

 

[LokiDR]

True, but if you can speed time, you should be able to slow it. Then, there is always strange places like the astral plane.

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

The point isn't that the wizard is out of options. The point is that the wizard has no spells to increase armor class after first level. (Except Haste, Polymorph Self, and Foresight--foresight is 9th level and with haste most likely being area effect and giving an attack bonus, the effective defensive contribution will usually be nill, and walking around as a giant all day is cheesy). It seems that there ought to be more--maybe a shield of faith spell for wizards or Magic Vestment for wizards or something.

WRT to what you listed (note that they're all currently available so the number of options is still decreasing):

Bracers and Rings are items--and expensive ones at that.

Blink, displacement, and improved invisibility are all miss chances.

Fly and levitate are ways to avoid melee (and make yourself a target for archers).

Stoneskin is damage reduction.

Iron Body is damage reduction (and 50% spell failure making it pretty useless--the only people it'd be good for are spellswords and even then, the dex penalty and measly strength bonus make it a pretty weak choice).

Bracers of armour? Rings of protection? Displacement/blink/improved invisibility? fly/levitation/etc? stoneskin/iron body?

I don't think that the wizard is out of options yet...

 

[Plane Sailing]

Iron Body is damage reduction (and 50% spell failure making it pretty useless--the only people it'd be good for are spellswords and even then, the dex penalty and measly strength bonus make it a pretty weak choice).

Still Spell? Get rid of that spell failure!