Slow (the condition) seems weak

[Wormwood]

My group also believed the speed is 2 version (which I believe is the RAW interpretation of slow) was not strong enough.

We have changed it to 2 move total in the round, and it now has plenty of punch.

My experience exactly. Being limited to 2 squares is *awful*.

 

[Tallifer]

I firmly believe that a slowed creature merely has its speed reduced to two squares. That still makes it a useful condition.

Of course it is not as strong as dazed or soem other conditions.

My limited experience at the table and cursory perusal of powers seems to indicate an increasing effectiveness from slowed to dazed to immobilized to blinded to stunned, and that there is a general corresponding increase in the level of powers which inflict those conditions.

 

[Mistwell]

If you couldn't charge while slowed, it would be an effective condition.

But I think the fact that most monsters have their best at-will power also available as a basic attack, which is something most PCs do not have, that makes slow mostly useless against monsters.

If you can simply move and then charge and attack with your best at-will power, which is the case for most monsters, then other than the first round of combat, it's a relatively meaningless condition. 4 squares is plenty of space to get out of a zone. It's plenty of space to reach the PC they probably wanted to reach. Heck, it's often plenty of space to set up a flank. 4 spaces is pretty much all you need in most situations to do what you want to do once combat is underway.

Eliminate charges while slowed, and it's a decent condition to have attached to powers. Let it stand, and I think a lot of folks are overestimating the impact of slow even if set up with a zone or something else.

 

[Joshua Randall]

But I think the fact that most monsters have their best at-will power also available as a basic attack [...] that makes slow mostly useless against monsters

I think you hit the nail on the head there.

which is something most PCs do not have

This was true when all we had was the PH, but now... observe: the following at-wills can all be used as melee basic attacks.

• Barbarian: howling strike (only when charging)
• Druid: grasping claws, pounce (only when charging), savage rend
• Fighter: wicked strike (from Dr379), knockdown assault (PH Heroes)
• Paladin: ardent strike (charging), virtuous strike
• Warden: warden's lunge (charging) (Dr379)
• Warlock: eldrich strike (PH Heroes)
• Warlord: inevitable wave (charging)

So slowing a melee PC from the above list doesn't do much good, if you're the monster.

 

[JoeNotCharles]

Sure, occassionally you can Slow a melee monster at a distance, keeping him out of the battle for a round or two. But if you Slow a melee monster who's already in melee, it typically won't care (it will just attack the PC adjacent to it, which is what it would have done anyway, probably).

But when that PC runs away, now it can't usefully follow.

If you Slow a ranged monster, it really won't care. (Except in rare corner cases where it being Slowed means it can't move into range of you -- again, for a round or two.)

You've never had a ranged enemy do "back away, then attack" to keep just ahead of a melee character and lead it on a chase all over the map? Slow will prevent that.

 

[Saeviomagy]

I think slow is a weak condition.

However I also think that it's been deliberately balanced as a weak condition, and that with some tactical expertise, it can easily be turned into the equivalent of a stun.

That said, it should definately be extended to cover shifting, movement as part of powers etc etc. The only movement mode that should be free of the 2 square speed limit is teleporting.

Something along the following lines:

While slowed you may not move more than 2 squares in a single action unless you teleport. This restriction applies to normal movement, shifting, flying, burrowing etc.

This means you can still do a 4 square charge, but you're stuck with 2 squares on your "shift 7 squares and attack" power.