Mini HB Spell: Snake's Swiftness - Opinions?

[jaults]

Snake's Swiftness is a Drd1, Wiz/Sor 2 Spell that grants a single creature an extra, immediate melee or ranged attack outside of their initiative order. Also, there is the Mass version, called Legion's Snake's Swiftness, that does the same thing for all allied creatures within a 20 ft radius burst at Medium range. The mass version is a Drd 2, Sor/Wiz 3 spell.

Anyone seen this spell in use? Anyone have any comments? As a player, I like it, but I am not convinced it is a good and balanced spell.

Jason

 

[jgsugden]

Snake's Swiftness is a Drd1, Wiz/Sor 2 Spell that grants a single creature an extra, immediate melee or ranged attack outside of their initiative order. Also, there is the Mass version, called Legion's Snake's Swiftness, that does the same thing for all allied creatures within a 20 ft radius burst at Medium range. The mass version is a Drd 2, Sor/Wiz 3 spell.

Anyone seen this spell in use? Anyone have any comments? As a player, I like it, but I am not convinced it is a good and balanced spell.

Jason

Dear God, I *hope* this is a joke. I have not seen the books, but if this description includes all ther important info, this spell is ridiculously broken.

At high levels, this is a devastating spell. A PC fighter type with leadership can fire off 30 attacks in a round by having his follower druids cast this spell on him over and over and over ...

 

[jaults]

Dear God, I *hope* this is a joke.

Not a joke, but I guess I did leave out the fact that this only works once in a given round per target, and does not stack with extra attacks from haste or other "extra attack" effects.

So, with that, how does this spell sound?

Jason

 

[dagger]

Not a joke, but I guess I did leave out the fact that this only works once in a given round per target, and does not stack with extra attacks from haste or other "extra attack" effects.

So, with that, how does this spell sound?

Jason

HAHA, yea that is an important part. I think the spell is fine with those limitations.

 

[FrankTrollman]

and does not stack with extra attacks from haste or other "extra attack" effects.

So it happens outside of the character's initiative order and doesn't stack with attacks they take during their normal initiative sequence?

That's complete garbage. For starters, which round does it apply to? Next round, or last round? Can you not use it because you full attacked last round, or does using it keep you from getting the Haste Attack next round?

Ugh. Breaking the initiative mechanics like that doesn't help anyone - this spell should never have been written if it's going to have a nonsense restriction like that.

-Frank

 

[anon]

Current Round

IMC we keep track of which round we are in. For example "Round 1, Initiative 28" then count down from there. It is then very easy to track what once per round means.

I'm not sure why you're asking whether it applies to "Next round, or last round?". It applies to the current round.

 

[Pagan priest]

Once a person acts, there is no next round or last round. The system is totally subjective, a circular loop.

I would not allow such a spell without a massive rewrite. Bump levels by a couple, drop the mass version entirely. Hefty material components. Those, just for starters, and even then I might not allow it.

 

[Intrope]

So it happens outside of the character's initiative order and doesn't stack with attacks they take during their normal initiative sequence?

That's complete garbage. For starters, which round does it apply to? Next round, or last round? Can you not use it because you full attacked last round, or does using it keep you from getting the Haste Attack next round?

Ugh. Breaking the initiative mechanics like that doesn't help anyone - this spell should never have been written if it's going to have a nonsense restriction like that.

-Frank

Actually, it's much easier to track this than everyone is making it seem: Once you've been the target of this spell, you aren't eligible to be targeted again until after your next turn in the initiative sequence (regardless of whether you act then or not). This guarantees that you never benefit twice in the same round.

Edit: I should add that this is my quick and dirty way to keep this straight, not some thing I divined from the spell's text; if you actually keep track of when rounds 'end' (rather than just rolling over) it's not quite right, since a second spell caster could Snake's Swiftness you again in the first part of the new round. But it's a workable guideline, so I'd use this rather than get bogged down.

And for the record: I think it's a reasonable spell which is probably balanced. Without some playtesting I can't be sure, of course.

 

[hong]

So it happens outside of the character's initiative order and doesn't stack with attacks they take during their normal initiative sequence?

That's complete garbage. For starters, which round does it apply to? Next round, or last round? Can you not use it because you full attacked last round, or does using it keep you from getting the Haste Attack next round?

Ugh. Breaking the initiative mechanics like that doesn't help anyone - this spell should never have been written if it's going to have a nonsense restriction like that.

-Frank

Indeed, this "snake's swiftness" is without a doubt the worst spell ever. Rest assured that I was on the Internet within minutes, registering my disgust throughout the world.


Hong "comic book kitten" Ooi

 

[Hardhead]

I'm guessing a lot of people here haven't read the mini's handbook at all. It includes a lot of stuff that lets people act outside their inititive order for one reason or another.