Haste 5e: The “Your Team Will Love You if You Cast It On Them” Spell

Spell Description:

Choose a willing creature that you can see within range. Until the spell ends, the target’s speed is doubled, it gains a +2 bonus to AC, it has advantage on Dexterity saving throws, and it gains an additional action on each of its turns.

That action can be used only to take the Attack (one weapon attack only), Dash, Disengage, Hide, or Use an Object action.

When the spell ends, the target can’t move or take actions until after its next turn, as a wave of lethargy sweeps over it.

What Is Haste?

Haste is a 3rd-level Transmutation spell that grants a willing target an extra +2 to their Armour Class and an extra action on their turn. This action can be used to make a weapon attack, disengage, hide, dash, or use an object only.

It cannot be used to cast spells. It requires concentration to get the entire 1-minute duration, and when the spell ends, the affected creature cannot take actions on their next turn as the magic leaves them in a state of lethargy.

Who Can Cast Haste?

Sorcerers and Wizards will be able to cast Haste starting at the 5th level, which is when they first get a 3rd-level spell slot. Artificers won’t get their 3rd-level spells until the 9th level but can begin casting it at that time.

Bards can add the spell to their lists using their Magical Secrets ability, available to all Bards by the 10th level. Eldritch Knights and Arcane Tricksters will have to wait until the 13th level to get a 3rd level spell slot to cast Haste with.

When and Where Should I Cast Haste?

Haste is a good pick-up for martial casters like Bladesingers, Battle Smiths, Sword and Bow-wielding Bards, Eldritch Knights, Arcane Tricksters, and even weapon-focused Sorcerers.

It provides them with extra defensive and offensive capabilities that they can use to protect themselves and output more significant damage.

It’s also good for casters who have no martial capabilities and can use their safe position to maintain concentration on their martial allies. By being out of close-quarters-combat, they 

Why Should I Take Haste?

Haste is pretty much good in every team composition. There are few times where you’ll not find a use for Haste as almost every party has at least one martial class, whether they’re a martial caster or simply a martial class, to begin with.

Common Questions About Haste

Can I cast an extra cantrip with Haste?

No. Cantrips use the Cast a Spell action, and Haste grants only a weapon attack.

Does Haste trigger Multiattack?

No. Haste can only grant a single extra weapon attack.

Can you upcast Haste?

Haste has no extra effects when cast with a higher-level spell slot.

Can you cast Haste multiple times?

No. Even when coming from different sources, two spells of the same name cannot grant stacking bonuses.

Alternatives to Haste

• Quickened Spell
• Action Surge
• Extra Attack

How To Use Haste

For Players

Haste is one of the best spells, even if it isn’t one of the most well-known. An extra action every turn for 10 turns is a significant damage gain, and +2 AC is nothing to sniff at either.

The additional action will allow your weapon-focused allies to deal a lot of consistent, sustained damage while also beefing up their defenses to give them a solid forward positioning.

Bladesingers War-Mages, and Sword Bards will get the most use out of casting Haste on themselves. The additional +2 AC can be wildly useful for Bladesingers and Sword Bards especially since they tend to be a little bit on the squishier side when compared to War Wizards. 

The extra action will work well with their melee weapon attack-focused skillset, granting them what is essentially the Extra Attack feature.

An especially potent pick-up on Bladesingers and Sword Bards who traded several the extra attacks from Fighter and Barbarian for the spellcasting abilities of the Wizard and Bard classes.

Both Bladesingers and Sword Bards get one Extra Attack from their class, but that is nothing compared to the 4+ attacks that Fighters and Barbarians are looking at, so the additional action to either attack or move, and in the case of Bladesingers even cast a cantrip as one of their extra attacks.

Artificers, Eldritch Knights, and Arcane Tricksters will also see a relatively high output when using the spell, but due to how late into the game they get the ability to self-cast the spell, they won’t see the same kind of immediate output that Bladesingers and other melee casters will see.

Eldritch Knights and Arcane Tricksters also get more extra attacks from their base classes, so the addition of an extra action from self-casting Haste is more of the “icing on the cake” rather than an upgrade to the cake itself.

The extra AC, however, is extremely potent for the Eldritch Knight and Arcane Trickster classes as it really gives them survivability that can’t be rivalled from many other sources. 

For War-Wizards and Sorcerers that have gone with a weapon-focused Sorcery build, you will see an even greater boost than the Bladesingers or Sword Bards because your base class doesn’t give you any Extra Attacks with your weapon.

For supportive Sorcerers, being able to concentrate on this spell safely means that your tanks don’t need to worry about losing the buffs and you can continue to sling Firebolts from the sidelines.

War Magic-Wizards are going to be right on the front lines of combat so Haste is not just a great pick up for them, it’s a massive boost that shouldn’t be overlooked.

War-Magic Wizards are going to see both higher damage output with the Extra Attack and better defenses with the +2 AC that will be significant, especially at lower levels when you first get this spell.

For Dungeon Masters

Haste is pretty quick to implement. Simply by playing a game with combat, Haste has already been implemented; pretty much any combat situation will be a good use for Haste.

For Haste-specific combat, you’ll want to look at large groups of enemies that the Hastened player can hold back for their allies. Giving them the chance to utilize those strong frontline stats while also giving the caster a chance to flex their supportive muscles with their allies.