[jsalsb]

Sometimes healers are better fast, sometimes slow. I like having a fast and a slow one (usually my valkerie has better speed than my priest or bishop). The fast one can be used in the rounds when immediate action is needed, and the slow one in the rounds when the party is fine at the start of round, but I'm anticipating some heavy damage to come. And actions like purify air (very important once you get to monsters that cast death cloud) might as well be cast at the end of round.

As for it not mattering if haste is cast early or late in the round... I disagree, early is better. Especially against spell casters that cast magic and missile screen spells, you want to get haste up early so that your casters and archers can do their dammage before the enemy's screens go up.

The only thing that really bugs me about haste, is it making my archers use up all their powerful missiles (mystic arrows, lightning bolts...) on weak monsters when I'd just as soon wade in and have them slash with their short range weapons. For these combats, I don't use haste.

Get the Ivory blade from Ferro... great source of limitless haste spells (and quite a nice weapon too).