Jump in RAW doesn't seem like it's worth a 1st level spell. Seems more like a cantrip. A 1st level jump spell should be like a Luke Skywalker/Wuxia Master kind of jump IMO. Add 20' to standing vertical per level of slot used, something like that.

Agree, disagree?

If you cast it on someone who has a 15 Strength, they could go from moving 30 feet to moving 60 feet (15 feet normal movement, jump 45 feet) - and that's assuming that they have to reserve the normal 15 feet of movement that the jump would take; otherwise 75 feet. (If they had to reserve all 48 feet from their movement and their speed didn't increase, the spell would do almost nothing so I don't think that could be a correct interpretation.) With a Dash action, 120 feet. With Cunning Action or Expeditious Retreat, 180 feet. Great for running someone down or getting away, besides uses to get across or up to things when you don't have any kind of flying. And it could bypass some difficult terrain. I'd probably prefer a fixed increase rather than multiplier, since you need a target with a decent strength in the first place to make it worthwhile, and you get fractions of 5 feet for strengths that aren't a multiple of 5.

I'll concede that it's not that strong as first level spells go; I don't think increasing it by substantial distances jumped would really help that, though. Players will still like the damage spells better.

Comparing Longstrider, which only adds 10 feet of movement but lasts longer, and Expeditious Retreat, which only affects the caster and requires concentration and uses up your bonus action each round but potentially lasts longer, it doesn't seem too far out of line. As a cantrip, even lasting only one round, it would still allow easy defeat of chasms and other obstacles that could be jumped across; mostly cantrips don't solve obstacles that easily.

Unless they changed it in the errata, it doesn't have increased effect for higher spell slot use. Multiple targets affected would be my more likely choice if I added that.

Off the top of my head, I cannot recall any wizard PC ever memorizing Jump in any edition of DnD.  On that basis, yeah the spell could probably use some beefing up.  On the other hand, it probably also indicates something about my particular style of running a game that discounts the spell's utility.

I wouldn't choose it for a character class that can't swap out prepared spells, but I just noticed it's a Druid spell. My Moon Druid can now turn into an Allosaurus: 19 Strength, 60 feet of movement. So, without the spell, he could run 11 feet and jump 19 feet, and then do it again, in one move. With the spell, he could add 76 feet of movement and still have an action and bonus action. I am so preparing that spell the next time I get the chance.

"Nerfed" to me implies an unfavorable comparison to a previous version. Which version do you think was better, and how does it compare?

Indeed, we're looking at a 5e spell that is never used, compared to a spell in earlier editions that was never used. At best, it was a scroll thing, but overall, the spell doesn't make much sense.

A low level mage simply can't spare a 1st level slot to memorize this...way too narrow and limited, and it's tough to pick this over all other options---the "wizards always get to pick the bestest of everything" paradigm of later editions mean this spell has to be on a scroll or something to even have a chance of seeing play at low level.

At higher levels, a 5th level mage (not exactly high level) has vastly superior choices than jump, and so once again has no chance whatsoever of using this.

Nerfed? Maybe, but not much of an impact on the game.

Stop deprotagonizing my bouncy allosaurus! :mad:

My Warlock has it and one of my AD&D Magic Users had it.

AD&D Jump: 30ft horizontal, or 10 backwards or up. +1 more leap every 3 levels. 2 leaps at level 4, 3 at level 7 and so on. All the jumps must be done within 1 turn of casting. Needs 1 grasshopper leg per leap. So 3 at level 7.

5e Jump: For 10 rounds the targets jump distance is trippled. Requires 1 grasshopper leg.

In 5e you can jump a number of feet up to your STR if you have at least a 10ft running start, or 1/2 that if a standing jump. You can high jump 3ft + your STR mod with a running start, 1/2 that standing.

So my Warlock with 16 STR can running jump 16ft, 8ft standing. With the Jump spell that boosts to 48ft. 24 for a standing jump. And I can high jump 12ft running or 6 standing. And I can make up to 10 of those. (Though probably not the high jumps)

So NO. The Jump spell has not been nerfed. The AD&D spell does not catch up to it in power untill the caster is level 28 to get 10 leaps. Instead the thing is the two spells act very differently now.

The AD&D one is better for use on weak characters as it allows a standing jump of 30 regardless of STR. But has fewer uses and gets those slowly. The 5e version has more potential leaps right out the gate. But performs less on a weak subject and less without a running start. And it does not improve any.

Hope that helps.

Back in my AD&D days, I let a particularly clever player use Shocking Grasp, passed through a spear as a conduit, in coordination with Jump. Since her F/M/T had a high Dexterity, I'd allow spear damage, Shocking Grasp damage and damage from leaping downwards 10ft (+1d6). It was a bit out of left field, but I allowed it because I felt it was creative.

I guess my problem with it is what it does for characters with an average STR; not much. You'd think even a caster with average STR could get a nice Skywalker type vertical with a first level spell.

Maybe make it a cantrip and self only? Or a different version.

Even with a 9 STR (lowest for a non-option human using point buy or array) that is still a running jump of 27ft and standing of 13. Only 3 short of the original running and little less than 1/2 standing. High jump is 6 running and 3 standing.

And you can do that potentially TEN TIMES right out the gate. 270/130ft total if you can pull off all 10 jumps.

The AD&D version gives you 30/10. Once at level 1. Twice at level 4 and so on.

If you want it as effectively a cantrip then go Warlock. Level 9 you can pick it up as an at will.

I do not think it should be a cantrip just because someone with a low STR doesnt get much potential from it. Its still 3x more distance than you can jump normally.

I do though think that it should be a bonus action or even reaction spell rather than a full action spell.

Quote from: Omega;875352I do though think that it should be a bonus action or even reaction spell rather than a full action spell.

I can see bonus action; a wizard casts it, leaps across some obstacle and lays a Shocking Grasp onto an opponent who did not expect that; or more likely augmenting running away with a Dash action, like Expeditious Retreat, but with leaps across obstacles and so on.

But what would it be a reaction to?

Quote from: rawma;875429I can see bonus action; a wizard casts it, leaps across some obstacle and lays a Shocking Grasp onto an opponent who did not expect that; or more likely augmenting running away with a Dash action, like Expeditious Retreat, but with leaps across obstacles and so on.

But what would it be a reaction to?

I'm sure he's already created a character that's made it to third level, using Jump as a reaction cast whenever an enemy moves within 5'.

One of the big things that limits 5e Jump is this clause in both Long Jump and High Jump, affecting both 10' running start and standing:

"Either way, each foot you clear on the jump costs a foot of movement."
(D&D 5e Basic .pdf, August 2014. p. 64.)

Which is funny because it caps any gained distance greater than STR 6 for a Running Long Jump, assuming 30' Spd average. (10' run start + (not-mod STR value)*3).

Thus STR=6 is 28', including the running start. Yet then STR=7 is 31' with included running start, but that last foot is somehow lost? Even with Mobility feat (+10' Spd) anything greater than STR 10 is lost distance for Running Long Jump.

It's kinda comical and the above clause likely could be houseruled out. But then maybe there were combat balance considerations involved. Perhaps there was quite a bit 3e tricks of moving full movement and then jumping to explode movement and whatever. :rolleyes:

Anyway, the competition is pretty stiff. And the structure of gaining beginning spells is mostly in player hands. I don't think there's much to salvage.
There's better spells to run away (since you're capped by the above clause).
There's better spells to buff the fighter (though casting it on another isn't completely useless).
There's better spells to explore (Mage Hand, later Fly, etc).

Throw it on a scroll for the lulz? :idunno:

Quote from: Doom;875467I'm sure he's already created a character that's made it to third level, using Jump as a reaction cast whenever an enemy moves within 5'.

Nah, was more thinking like when pits open up under you, or to close in real fast. O r to counter someone else using jump. I prefer charger for that though but can see it useful for those times when you need to move ASAP. Bonus action seems enough though.

And Warlocks dont get Jump as a at will till at least level 9.

Though here is a question that someone else asked at a session and still undecided on.

The question was could a character use jump to scale a wall or cliff?

My opinion was not unless there were ledges you could land on each round since you get only one jump each round. In a 6 second round you can fall as much as 574ft. Or say 144ft in half a round assuming you spent 1/2 ascending in the jump.