D&D 3E/3.5 Ramifications of disallowing Haste in 3E?

[WolverineJon]

I'm thinking of disallowing the Haste spell in the next 3E campaign I run. Keeping in mind that Haste is such a popular spell, would disallowing it break anything? For example, would this severely weaken the sorcerer and/or wizard classes at higher levels in comparison to other classes?

Assume that items that generate haste-like effects such as Boots of Speed would be disallowed as well.

 

[Crothian]

No, getting rid of haste does nothing to the game. I'm in my fourth d20 game, the first two I ran. The two that I ran and the first I played in nobody aquired haste. The GM never used it. So, it was basically a game in which Haste didn't exist. Now, in this campaign I'm in I have a Bard with Haste. I use it only in one out of 3 battles. I have better things to do then constantly haste people.

Edit: However, have you thought of first trying to raise the spell level to 4th or even 5th? That might solve some of the problems if you belive it is to good as a third level spell.

 

[WolverineJon]

Crothian, yes, I would also consider bumping Haste up a level or two. As a third-level spell, I feel that is falls into the "so good that everyone automatically takes it" category of overpoweredness. I don't think I've ever read a sorcerer spell plan that didn't include Haste.

Given the spell's near-ubiquitousness, though, I'm curious if anyone can see any interesting or unexpected possible effects on characters in a world without the spell.

 

[Crothian]

I don't think it changes anything. Personally, I think it's better to not use haste and other spells that increase PC stats and abilities all the time. If you always use them, you depend on them too much. I perfer using them as the last ditch effert to bring us victory and not have the GM thinking "Well, I need the encounter a little tougher becasue I know they will be using haste and GMW and I need to at least challenge them".

 

[Crothian]

And as a side note I'd like to offer this to the Power of RPGs for bringing people together. I, life long Ohio State Buckeye, have answered the call of help from a guy from "that School Up North". For those of you not familiar with the term, I'm refering to the Michigian Wolverines. There is a rather heated rivalry between the two. I'm not trying to turn this thread into a Buckeye Verse Wolverine thing. I just noticed his Avatar last night and found it amusing. That and I needed this for my 100th post.

 

[Fade]

I don't think it would unbalance anybody - sure wizards and sorcerers would lose some firepower, but they could stand to. Personally I would keep it, but make it a 5th level spell.

 

[Starfox]

The two [games] that I ran and the first I played in nobody aquired haste. The GM never used it. So, it was basically a game in which Haste didn't exist. Now, in this campaign I'm in I have a Bard with Haste.

I figure the biggest loser if you remove Haste would be the Bard; that is one of the few hard-hitting combat spells he has.

 

[Crothian]

Actually, the first spells I took of that level were Slow and Sculpt Sound. Slow is much better then Haste IMO. We had 4 paladins riding down on us, so I slowed all paladins and their mounts. I find it more effective to hinder all the enemy, then to increase one PC's fighting skill.

 

[Darklone]

Wow

Actually, the first spells I took of that level were Slow and Sculpt Sound. Slow is much better then Haste IMO. We had 4 paladins riding down on us, so I slowed all paladins and their mounts. I find it more effective to hinder all the enemy, then to increase one PC's fighting skill.

*Laugh*

Sure if you manage to slow all four of them? Well ... even with Cha 18 and Spell focus there ... paladins are TOUGH to slow. At least the ones I send against my players

They got a save... that's why slow is balanced with haste.

As for the thread: I don't think haste is such a loss. Compare what our Illusionist with a horrible DC did with some illusions, haste simply empties the slots of the sorcerer faster. That's fine if you got one fight per day or a lot of charges in some items, but not as useful if you have to fight more often.

So simply skip it.

 

[Crothian]

In cases where a group of enimies are all making the same save, the DM rolls one dice. I got lucky. There was only a 40% chance they would fail. I was really just counting on slowing the mounts.

Haste cast on the Druid or my Bard and we go through spells way to fast. It's like a high. I perfer to cast it on the monk and sit back and watch. I pull out my fiddle and I play melody and his fists pounding on the poor enemy is the percussion.

Haste is good, but people use it way to often. The extra action is nice, but I think it's best to use a variety of spells instead of keep using the same ones over and over. But as a Bard the only way I can do that is spend gold to aquire scrolls. Which I do.