Henry's Hoojibulous Haste

[Henry]

Hello, all!

Over in this thread in General Discussion:

http://enworld.cyberstreet.com/showthread.php?s=&postid=655607#post655607

The poster known as Frostmarrow gave me an idea for an alternate version of haste. Since WotC's new version for 3E Revised eliminates the partial action, but some people are not happy with the AC Bonus and extra attack that the New Haste is purported to give you, We were discussing pro's and con's, and the idea came up:

What if the Arcane Spell Haste gave you a DEX Bonus and doubled your move rate, a la Expeditious Retreat?

So, Without Further Ado:

Henry's Hoojibulous Haste
Transmutation
Level: Brd 3, Sor/Wiz 3
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: One creature
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates
(harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)

The transmuted creature moves and acts more quickly than normal. As a result, the creature affected gains a +8 Enhancement bonus to Dexterity, and her movement rate is doubled, for the duration of the spell. All related scores (Armor Class, Initiative Modifier, Reflex Saves, and Ranged Attack Bonuses) are affected.

---------------------

The rationale is a bit like the movie Spider-Man. Peter Parker was shown, in one marvelous fight scene, to have reflexes and reaction times far faster than a normal man. Everything seemed to happen in "bullet time" (to borrow a video game term) for him, and allowed him to react accordingly.

The end effect (increases to reflexes and movement) is more like what haste is to some people, but without the extra action, or (as poster Gez calls it) the "Frenzy" effect, which is just aiding fighters, and little aid to spellcasters. Also, I made it Enhancement bonus because I thought it too powerful to allow to stack with Gauntlets of DEX, or Empowered cat's graces. a +12 to +20 to DEX just didn't sit well with me.

I know that other options are making Haste and Mass Haste higher level, as well as banning them entirely, but I thought having another option might be useful?



Questions? Comments? Lynchings?

-Henry

 

[Crothian]

It becomes a rogues best friend and light armored fightyers as well. It becomes a lot less useful to people in heavy armor. Archers and finesse fighters will love it.

It's an interesting idea, and I'd like to hear how it works if people try it out.

 

[Gez]

I don't have troubles with haste as it is now, but if I have some in the future, I'll use that fix rather than the "revised" one.

Still think it will be a haste bonus rather than an enhancement, but well. I'll see.

 

[MarauderX]

I like the revision you have, as it is more "realistic" to what is actually happening with the haste. I would go with it as a DM, now I just need someone to test it on....gimme a target....

 

[drdevoid]

While I like the rationale used for this, I think the level might be off. It's only one spell level higher, but is substantially more powerful than even a maximized Cat's Grace (the spell it is now more similar too) in all ways except the duration is substantially shorter and the range is substantially farther. This as an extended spell is kind of scary. I'd rethink the range and possibly bump this up a level.

 

[Frostmarrow]

As much as I like your proposal Henry I still feel that making haste grant a dex bonus makes your suggestion miss the target by a thumb. (-Hey, that's not much). Haste today is good for everyone and in order to preserve backwards compatitbility (lots of people have haste for their characters in some way or another) I think haste should continue to be good for everyone.

One can argue that with great speed comes better aim but in the context of the game rules I think aim is covered by True Strike as it is.

Therefore I suggest granting bonus to the aspects of dex rather than to dex itself. I.e. Initiative, reflex saves, AC and speed. Moreover I think the bonuses given should be sick. That is, no measly +4 to initiative. I'm talking a +20 to initiative (akin to True Strike). A bonus that virtually will ensure your character acting first.

A bonus to dex is better for some characters than others but a great bonus to reflex saves benefits anyone.

Still, just a suggestion. Thanks for the credit, by the way.

 

[nHammer]

It becomes a rogues best friend and light armored fighters as well. It becomes a lot less useful to people in heavy armor. Archers and finesse fighters will love it.

It's an interesting idea, and I'd like to hear how it works if people try it out.

It makes sense that it is less useful to people in heavy armor. The armor doesn't change, it's still the bulky, weighty, impairing hunk of metal it always was.

Just a thought...

 

[Henry]

Frostmarrow, thanks for the insight. I wanted to bring this point back up because upon taking a further look at it I like my Hoojibulous Haste even more (I'll call it Henry's Hoo-Haste, if HHH is too confusing to some. )

Therefore I suggest granting bonus to the aspects of dex rather than to dex itself. I.e. Initiative, reflex saves, AC and speed. Moreover I think the bonuses given should be sick. That is, no measly +4 to initiative. I'm talking a +20 to initiative (akin to True Strike). A bonus that virtually will ensure your character acting first.

I have to disagree with monster bonuses here, because of the desire to cap its power as a 3rd level spell. I could definitely see giving the bonuses to the contributing stats, rather than to the attribute itself, but I wanted to (1) keep it simple, and (2) keep the bonuses from getting too "sick." I have to keep in mind that the first Min/max thing someone will do is couple this with a set of gauntlets of DEX, cat's grace or other enhancing magic, and give themselves a +10 to +12 to reflex, armor class, init, etc. - and find some way to keep it going as long as possible.

I want it to be insanely useful at 5th to 10th level yet still not ubiquitous, but then start to taper off at 12th or higher, just like most other 3rd level spells.

You mentioned making it useful to ALL classes, however, the version that gives an extra attack, and a +4 armor class bonus, is useful really only to warrior-types, and very few others will want to pack it. Expect to see with the new version, fighters almost always buying a set of boots of speed, and no one else. (Currently, EVERYONE owns boots of speed, and those who don't are Striding and Springing.)

I could see giving it a +4 enhancement bonus to AC/reflex/init/ranged to hit, but just not an unnamed bonus, and no where near the +20 like true strike, mainly because true strike, like feinting, sets you up for one awesome attack one round later, and then it's gone.

Anyone have other comments?