Charmed
Charmed
• A charmed creature can’t attack the charmer or target the charmer with harmful abilities or magical effects.
• The charmer has advantage on any ability check to interact socially with the creature.
— Basic Rules
Because the Charmed condition makes a creature friendly to the charmer, the effect lacks a certain potency in combat for a number of reasons. First, most spells that apply the Charmed condition will give the targeted creature advantage on the saving throw if the charmer is actively hostile towards it. Second, the Charmed condition is usually negated when you or any of your companions do anything harmful to the creature. Lastly, the charmed creature is only limited to targeting the charmer with attacks or harmful abilities, it doesn’t say anything about the charmer’s companion. Outside of combat, the Charmed condition can be much more useful because it grants the charmer advantage on social checks against the charmed creature. This can be especially convenient for getting into a restricted area without making a scene. Keep in mind that most low-level charm spells, such as Charm Person and Charm Monster, will result in the target knowing it was charmed by you when the effect wears off. Exceptions Another thing to note about the Charmed condition is that it is usually used as a “baseline” effect, with other ability-specific effects being stacked on top of it. Take for example the effect of the Hypnotic Pattern spell: You create a twisting pattern of colors that weaves through the air inside a 30-foot cube within range. The pattern appears for a moment and vanishes. Each creature in the area who sees the pattern must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature becomes charmed for the duration. While charmed by this spell, the creature is incapacitated and has a speed of 0. This spell applies the typical Charmed effects listed at the beginning of this section but also stops the affected creature from being able to attack or move. The Hypnotic Pattern spell is an example of a potent combat effect being derived from a less than amazing combat condition. Methods Some examples of things that can apply the Charmed condition are: • Charm Person (spell) • Charm Monster (spell) • Crown of Madness (spell) • Harpy’s Luring Song (monster ability) • Incubus’ Charm (monster ability) Philter of Love (item)
Because the Charmed condition makes a creature friendly to the charmer, the effect lacks a certain potency in combat for a number of reasons. First, most spells that apply the Charmed condition will give the targeted creature advantage on the saving throw if the charmer is actively hostile towards it. Second, the Charmed condition is usually negated when you or any of your companions do anything harmful to the creature. Lastly, the charmed creature is only limited to targeting the charmer with attacks or harmful abilities, it doesn’t say anything about the charmer’s companion. Outside of combat, the Charmed condition can be much more useful because it grants the charmer advantage on social checks against the charmed creature. This can be especially convenient for getting into a restricted area without making a scene. Keep in mind that most low-level charm spells, such as Charm Person and Charm Monster, will result in the target knowing it was charmed by you when the effect wears off. Exceptions Another thing to note about the Charmed condition is that it is usually used as a “baseline” effect, with other ability-specific effects being stacked on top of it. Take for example the effect of the Hypnotic Pattern spell: You create a twisting pattern of colors that weaves through the air inside a 30-foot cube within range. The pattern appears for a moment and vanishes. Each creature in the area who sees the pattern must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature becomes charmed for the duration. While charmed by this spell, the creature is incapacitated and has a speed of 0. This spell applies the typical Charmed effects listed at the beginning of this section but also stops the affected creature from being able to attack or move. The Hypnotic Pattern spell is an example of a potent combat effect being derived from a less than amazing combat condition. Methods Some examples of things that can apply the Charmed condition are: • Charm Person (spell) • Charm Monster (spell) • Crown of Madness (spell) • Harpy’s Luring Song (monster ability) • Incubus’ Charm (monster ability) Philter of Love (item)