Far Step Optimization

[sandman102]

Let's talk about the spell: Far Step.

I think it's an underrated spell that improves upon misty step (basically 10 misty steps if allowed the full minute), but not as powerful as Plane Shift or Teleport. Sorcerers, Wizards, Warlocks and Bards (w/ Magical Secrets) get access to the spell.

The cons are it's concentration, you can't teleport an ally, it's a 5th level spell, and only lasts a minute.

But, it doesn't have the limitations that the class teleporting abilities (shadow monk, horizon walker) have. Req. Dim Light or only 10 ft of movement.

I play an aasimar bard, so my racial and cure wounds healing benefits greatly from being able to get in close and then bamf away. Thunderwave and Bestow Curse also have been improved upon and I'd imagine melee, touch, line, and cone spells (shocking grasp/booming blade, lightning bolt, cone of cold) would appreciate being positioned in the most advantageous place on the board.

Any other ideas of spells, feats, abilities that either can benefit or improve upon far step? Also, anyone have as much enjoyment I have had with basically creating a nightcrawler-like character?

[Bloodcloud]

Warlock are a pretty great candidate, what with multiple casting that recharge on a short rest, to take advantage of this as a core gameplay feature. Bladelock in particular can benefit from the in and out of melee.

Booming blade seems like an obvious choice. You have a good reason to want to get in and out, leaving the enemy without a melee target without moving first.

Wizard might like it in an encounter whit highly mobile enemies that the frontline is struggling to keep in place.

[Man_Over_Game]

Earth Tremor would allow you to both deal damage and create difficult terrain for your enemies as you basically create massive potholes for them to traverse through.
Booming Blade would allow you to lock an enemy in place and injure him if he plans on moving.
Shocking Grasp would allow you to hit an enemy and risk no retaliation if you happen to miss.
Inflict Wounds, because high melee damage.

[stoutstien]

If you grab thunderstep and steelwing strike you could have more ways of porting around the battlefield

[BigPixie]

Get Plant Growth. Unlimited teleport for 1 minute plus this seems almost broken. :smallsmile:

[stoutstien]

Get Plant Growth. Unlimited teleport for 1 minute plus this seems almost broken. :smallsmile: does plant growth and wall of sand stack?

[sandman102]

does plant growth and wall of sand stack?

Wall of Sand or any Wall requires concentration so it can't be stacked w/ far step. You can use plant growth and wall of sand together.

[BigPixie]

does plant growth and wall of sand stack?

No idea you should check (The classic handing something off to your minions) :smalltongue:

[Cyro24]

I'm building a utility combo that functions in a very similar manner to Far Step (i.e. teleport on bonus action), although is half distance (30ft), but doesn't require Concentration and duration is much, much longer.

Requirements: Warlock with Sign of Ill Omen Invocation (Bestow Curse) & Relentless Hex
Preferred: Pact of the Chain Warlock (or any familiar with descent move / fly)

Method:
Cast Bestow Curse (through Sign of Ill Omen Invocation) on familiar. At 5th level this doesn't require con, and duration is 8h.

You can now teleport 30feet to familiar on bonus action through Relentless Hex. Move familiar to where you want to go before you teleport. Chasing down an enemy? Easy. Teleport outside jail cell or onto Castle Wall? Easy.

It is invocation heavy (requires 2 of 5 available invocations at level 9), but both are strong in their own regard, and are flexible - I.e. can cast on Monsters etc.

[Nhorianscum]

Let's talk about the spell: Far Step.

I think it's an underrated spell that improves upon misty step (basically 10 misty steps if allowed the full minute), but not as powerful as Plane Shift or Teleport. Sorcerers, Wizards, Warlocks and Bards (w/ Magical Secrets) get access to the spell.

The cons are it's concentration, you can't teleport an ally, it's a 5th level spell, and only lasts a minute.

But, it doesn't have the limitations that the class teleporting abilities (shadow monk, horizon walker) have. Req. Dim Light or only 10 ft of movement.

I play an aasimar bard, so my racial and cure wounds healing benefits greatly from being able to get in close and then bamf away. Thunderwave and Bestow Curse also have been improved upon and I'd imagine melee, touch, line, and cone spells (shocking grasp/booming blade, lightning bolt, cone of cold) would appreciate being positioned in the most advantageous place on the board.

Any other ideas of spells, feats, abilities that either can benefit or improve upon far step? Also, anyone have as much enjoyment I have had with basically creating a nightcrawler-like character?

Far step is pretty good on lightning lord/fire lord sorcerer's who take heightened or careful spell over twinned (Tempest 2/StormX or Zeal 2/Pyro X) as the archetype is concentration light skirmish-blaster/controller. Stone would like the spell if it wasn't already "telefrag-the subclass"

Not the best spell but it's got a niche.

(Quicken/Subtle/twinned are assumed as base metamagic)

If you don't have "spare" 5th level slots the spell is pretty bad.

[Corran]

Far step can be useful for quick infiltration or escape. Combines nicely with the ghostly gaze invocation for seeing through walls (though I am not sure if you can use both at the same time).

In combat, I don't think there is a great deal you can do with that spell, since not many things trigger from or require constant moving around. It can be a decent defensive measure for ranged warlocks, and it could be ok for BB-using melee warlocks. But even for warlocks who have 5th level slots that recharge and are missing some good concentration options that other casters get, it is not that great.

Thinking back on a 4e character I had played that used constant teleportation, I was using every turn teleport in order to:
1) Get temp hp every turn
2) Move away from enemies I was marking (I had to separate marks that were quite decent)
3) Deal a few extra damage if the enemy moved (similar to how BB does that)
*Very important to note, this was not a fullcaster build.

So I would usually ping pong from enemy to enemy, relying on the temp hp I was creating partly for defense, debuffing enemies while at it and sometimes doing a few extra damage if anyone chased me.

It was the strongest character, but it was working very decently.
5e is missing a lot of these stuff that would make such teleportation tactics really good. I mean, comparing to the above, we are missing the marking (and I had two of them) and the temp hp part (which was the best part of these tactics ime). But the most important difference, is that we are now using a fullcaster to get far step, so it's competing with the concentration options of a fullcaster, while my 4e build was just a hybrid and it's ''far step'' (can't remember the name of the power) was just a 1st level daily power. And we need to be 9 levels in warlock to get far step, or 10th(?) level bard.

[flat_footed]

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