Some spells in Dungeons & Dragons may initially seem inconspicuous or have a clear purpose. However, one player underestimated a spell so much that he even created a meme from his enlightenment that resonates well with the community.
Which spell is it? As medli20 shares in his Reddit thread, he completely underestimated the spell “Haste” over multiple campaigns and did not recognize its potential.
With this spell, you can grant yourself or an ally the following effects for 1 minute (which is 10 rounds in combat):
- Double the speed / range of the movement action
- +2 to Armor Class
- Advantage on Dexterity saving throws
- 1 extra action per round
- Either: Attack, Dash, Dodge, Hide, or Use
For this, the spellcaster only needs a twig of licorice root and must maintain concentration on the spell for the entire duration. The spell ends only after its duration expires, if the caster’s concentration is broken, or if the buffed character becomes incapacitated.
So far, medli20 has only applied the spell to very specific characters. However, a special situation led him to rethink and realize how powerful the spell really is.
“If your class doesn’t have an extra attack, buying in the store is also fine”
How did the user discover the power of Haste? As medli20 reports in his post, he had previously only applied Haste to front-line fighters to make them a bit more resilient and stronger.
But when he played a new campaign and the group didn’t have a clear tank to take on that role, he was unsure whether to still use the spell. After all, he could only use his sneak attack once per round, thereby adding only a normal attack through the buff.
Nevertheless, he decided to apply Haste to their rogue and was surprised by how much damage the buff allowed him to deal – especially at range: “Now that I’ve tried it, I can say with certainty that my doubts were completely unfounded. Even without an additional sneak attack, Sharpshooter + Steady Aim + Elf Precision deals enormous damage.”
This encouraged him to apply the spell to other classes as well and continue experimenting. In his thread, he shares a meme that embodies his experience. “If your class doesn’t have an extra attack, buying in the store is also fine” is the caption and shows the aforementioned rogue with his bow as he quickly fires multiple attacks:
What does the community say about it? With over 3,400 likes and currently 54 comments, his meme is celebrated and validates his discovery. In their opinion, Haste is suitable for all melee and ranged fighters who attack with weapons. The spell can also be effectively combined with others, such as “Bless,” which allows you to add 1d4 to every attack or saving throw.
Especially for the classes fighter and barbarian, Haste leads to epic moments where they can seemingly rain down endless attacks on their opponent one after another. Haste also works excellently for monks.
User TimeStayOnReddit humorously adds: “Among the spell components that often come with puns is the licorice root, which – not surprisingly – is used to make licorice. Haste is a sugar rush.”
Spells are by no means the only thing that can often be underestimated or overestimated. As a discussion in the community shows, players also frequently underestimate one of the core mechanics because they feel it is useless, while it can and should be applied in various ways: Players underestimate an essential mechanic in Dungeons & Dragons that everyone should use
