[OOC] Return to the Rusty Rat

[Toot]

There are some aspects, like
- haste being close range while SSM is medium plus burst radius
- haste restricting distance of any two to 30ft while SSM burst radius 20' implies it may affect allies up to 40 ft away
- haste having a limit of one target creature per level while SSM cast on a tightly packed squad may affect up to 44 S/M creatures (up to 176 tiny ones...)

but most of all I am concerned about bringing stuff out of sequence. Someone may build upon a strategy where only one person can attack and giving an extra attack to that one person (e.g. the party mage with lowest BAB is the only one whose multiple-use ranged touch spell can affect the opponent) and it would be completely imbalanced by the casting of a first level spell. And yes, this is why I have not decided about the non-mass version either.

as a side note; I've considered allowing 3.0 version of haste for a long time in my 3.5 DM'ing career as an alternative to the 3.5 version (i.e. them being two completely independent spells, the 3.0 version being called "Greater Haste". There are still other spells which I consider having multiple variants; like fly or ability enhancers (both having 'combat' and 'overland' variants)

Well, it's still only one round.  Range is not likely to come into effect because how often do groups split up where they wouldn't be effected by a haste as haste is basically 15' radius while MSS is 20' radius?  As far as the number of creatures, it's highly unlikely that a group would have 44 party members.  But even if they did have a large number of members with companions included, they aren't allowed to move to make that extra attack.  Not even a 5' step.  They have to be standing within reach of an enemy or have a range weapon handy for it to work.  Also it's not stackable with haste or any other spell that gives you an additional attack.

It's also fairly useless to wizards since Haste is soooo much better.  So it's only really the Druid which gets use out of the spell.  And as a druid I have found the core spell list rather lacking.  I don't believe you can make another range spell do more attacks then normally possible.  Most if not all state you can only attack once per round.  Produce flame could allow you multiple attacks but each attack lowers the duration by 1 minute so you're just speeding up how quickly you exhaust the spell.

Most the spells you mention to enhance are great for mages which just expand the gap of power Mages already lord over divine casters.

I didn't mean to go on for so long.  I sometimes just like to debate.  In the end it doesn't matter because you've already decided the spells are too powerful.  Thanks for the consideration.