Sometimes you just need someone to do what you want them to do. Making this happen depends on your powers of persuasion, especially if the course of action proposed might seem to have any advantage for them or even go against their natural inclinations. But everyone likes to help out a friend, and when you need to seem like someone’s friend, Charm Person 5e is the spell you need.
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What is Charm Person Spell 5e?
Bear in mind, Charm Person isn’t mind control or hypnotism, but if successful, it will make the target look upon you more favorably, with a more friendly demeanor. And being a friend is all about helping other friends out. Right?
Charm Person Spell Description
The Player’s Handbook tells us that Charm Person is a 4th level Enchantment spell that works as follows…
“You attempt to charm a creature you can see within range. It must make a Wisdom saving throw, and it does so with advantage if you or your companions are fighting it. If it fails the saving throw, it is charmed by you until the spell ends or until you or your companions do anything harmful to it. The charmed creature is friendly to you. When the spell ends, the creature knows it was charmed by you.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 5th level or higher, you can target one additional creature for each slot level above 4th. When you target them, the creatures must be within 30 feet of each other.”
So, if cast successfully, the target becomes friendly towards you. You can’t force it to do anything openly and obviously detrimental. Still, it will consider any requests favorably and be eager to help, and possibly take risks that it might otherwise have thought twice about.
Charm Person 5e Stats
| Level | 1 |
| Casting Time | 1 Action |
| Range/Area | 30 feet |
| Classes | Bard, Druid, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard |
| Components | Verbal, Somatic |
| Duration | 1 hour |
| School | Enchantment |
| Attack/Save | Wisdom |
| Damage/Effect | Charmed |
How does Charm Person Work?
Charm Person is a handy spell. It is why the dungeon jailer let you in to see your imprisoned friend against his better judgment. It is the reason that you managed to get an audience with the King. It is why an NPC is trying to convince the city guards not to lock you up on your behalf.
It is a great spell, with only one real downside. Once the spell wears off or is broken, the person you used it on will be aware that you have used magic to gain an advantage. So, when that happens, you need to have achieved your goals and left the vicinity, especially if you have just managed to get a local warlord to look after his treasured gold ring for safekeeping.
Also, Charm Person can only target humans and humanoid creatures. These include some of the monstrous races, such as gnolls, goblins, lizardfolk, and more. Creatures such as undead, harpies, merfolk, and animals are not affected by this spell. The equivalent for them is the spell Charm Monster, plus some of the other domination spells to be found in the DnD universe.
Is Charm Person a Good Spell?
The power to persuade is an essential skill for every adventurer who sets foot from the safety of their own home. Eventually, someone will take offense at how you and your party do things. This could be a local lord or the Captain of the Royal Guard, a bandit leader, or just an itinerant pedlar.
Still, these social roadblocks can be the difference between attaining your goal and finding yourself way off course, delayed, jailed, or even suffering from a severe case of being dead.
And whether it is the fate of the world that is at stake or you want to buy a new longsword at a discount price, the ability to turn someone who is ambivalent at best into a temporary friend is a great power to have. Playing politics takes time, combat draws too much attention, some times a simple Charm spell is the answer.
Which Classes Can Use Charm Person?
Charm Person is a good spell for characters who wish to manipulate their environment and the people around them. Bards will certainly want to take this spell as they are often smooth talkers, and this just amplifies their natural way of operating.
Warlocks and Wizards will find some use in this spell, especially if they are looking to pick up some otherworldly information or maybe enter into restricted areas. Both Druids and Sorcerers have access to this spell.
Using Charm Person on Adventures
Okay, it isn’t the most powerful of spells, but it will do until more potent ones become available at higher levels. It does offer the chance to roleplay situations rather than steam-rolling in with all the wands blazing. Any spell that promotes roleplaying has got to be good for the gaming experience, right?
Kendra has always been a hardcore fantasy nerd. Growing up in the worlds of Tolkien, Sanderson, Jordan, and Abercrombie, DnD & board games just came naturally. She and her husband, Bryan, started GameCows.com in 2018 as a fun passion project that just took over their lives. An avid board gamer since childhood and chronic DnD chronicler for more than two decades, she loves to play, write, travel, and learn dead languages. She is also a professional content writer at SlashGear.com