Updraft (Spell Compendium)

[Nifft]

What does this spell actually do?

For how long are you held aloft? (The duration is listed as "Instantaneous", and yet you "gently float back down to the ground".)

Do you get to take your Standard and Move actions while you're up there? Is it basically for sighting & scouting? If it were an Immediate action I could see some combat uses, but as a Swift action... I dunno. What do you do with it?

Thanks, -- N

 

[Quez The Lame]

Updraft is a fast and easy way to reach high spots, like the roof of a tower, though somewhat limited due to only 5 feet of lateral movement.

Clerics and druids are no great tumblers and could use the spell for escape - either by having fly speed und staying up there, or by sending a nice flame strike down while slowly returning to the ground.

 

[Nifft]

... or by sending a nice flame strike down while slowly returning to the ground.

Okay, so this is still begging the question: how long do I get to stay up there? A Standard action? 1 full round? The duration of my Swift action?

-- N

 

[Quez The Lame]

The wording is pretty bad, but I read it as using the swift action to cast updraft and gain height. IMHO you spend the rest of your turn descending, reaching the ground at the end of your turn. But that's just my guess.
Another (house)ruling might be to use feather fall for the descending part.

 

[blargney the second]

The main combat utility I can see is to set up a flying creature for a dive attack charge for stupid damage.

 

[Whimsical]

After running dragons, this spell would benefit them greatly. Normally, they have to fly forward 45 degrees taking double moves to ascend.

My players have been using it to good effect. Clerics normally don't have any good utility magic to move around and they normally don't have any ability to Climb or Jump. If your DM includes terrain and multi level locations, this spell is wonderful.