Puts the target under your influence.
Original D&D[]
Charm Person[]
Debuted in Men & Magic, for the magic-user.
- Spell Level 1
- Range 12"
If successful, the target comes completely under the influence of the magic-user until it is dispelled. A "person" includes bipedal, generally mammalian creatures of approximately human size, excluding undead. For example, sprites, pixies, nixies, kobolds, goblins, orcs, hobgoblins, and gnolls.
Supplement 1: Greyhawk[]
This supplement introduced a saving throw made periodically by creatures with high Intelligence to break free (see below). It is also noted that undead cannot be affected by this spell.
- Intelligence up to 6: save once per month
- Intelligence 7-9: save once every 3 weeks
- Intelligence 10-11: save once every 2 weeks
- Intelligence 12-15: save once every week
- Intelligence 16-17: save once every 2 days
- Intelligence 18+: save daily
Snake Charm[]
The spell is introduced in Supplement I: Greyhawk as a cleric spell. Anti-clerics can also use it.
- Spell Level 2
- Duration 1d6+6 melee turns
- Range 6"
Charms one HD of snakes per caster level.
Hold Person[]
The spell first appeared in Men & Magic, for the magic-user. In this edition, hold person was more of an upgrade to charm person than the paralysis spell it later became. Clerics and anti-clerics could employ this spell as well.
- Spell Level 2 (cleric) or 3 (magic-user)
- Duration 9 turns (cleric) or 6 turns + 1 turn/level (magic-user)
- Range 18" (cleric) or 12" (magic-user)
If successful, the 1d4 targets come completely under the influence of the magic-user. It may be targeted at a single person, whose saving throw then has a -2 penalty. A "person" includes bipedal, generally mammalian creatures of approximately human size, excluding undead. For example, sprites, pixies, nixies, kobolds, goblins, orcs, hobgoblins, and gnolls.
Hold Animal[]
The spell first appeared in Supplement III: Eldritch Wizardry, for the druid. In this edition, hold monster was more of an upgrade to charm monster than the paralysis spell it later became.
- Spell Level 3
- Duration 1 turn + 1 turn/level
- Range 6"
If successful, an number of animals come completely under the influence of the druid. The spell can affect up to about 200 lbs of body weight per druid level (halve the weight of non-mammals), affecting mammals, birds, reptiles, and fish.
Charm Monster[]
The spell first appeared in Men & Magic, for the magic-user.
- Spell Level 4
- Range 12"
If successful, the target comes completely under the influence of the magic-user until it is dispelled. This can affect any creature. If the creatures are animals, or have less than four hit dice, the caster may affect up to 3d6 of them.
Supplement 1: Greyhawk[]
Presumably, the same changes implemented to Charm Person apply here as well. This supplement introduced a saving throw made periodically by creatures with high Intelligence to break free (see below). It is also noted that undead cannot be affected by this spell.
- Intelligence up to 6: save once per month
- Intelligence 7-9: save once every 3 weeks
- Intelligence 10-11: save once every 2 weeks
- Intelligence 12-15: save once every week
- Intelligence 16-17: save once every 2 days
- Intelligence 18+: save daily
In addition, monsters with higher Hit Dice have a higher chance of breaking the spell:
- < 2: 5% chance
- 2-4: 10% chance
- 5-7: 20% chance
- 8-10: 40% chance
- 11+: 80% chance
Hold Monster[]
The spell first appeared in Men & Magic, for the magic-user. In this edition, hold monster was more of an upgrade to charm monster than the paralysis spell it later became.
- Spell Level 5
- Duration 6 turns + 1 turn/level
- Range 12"
If successful, 1d4 monsters come completely under the influence of the magic-user. It may be targeted at a single monster, whose saving throw then has a -2 penalty. This can affect any creature.
Hold Plant[]
Debuted in Supplement 3: Eldritch Wizardry, as a druid spell. In this edition, hold monster was more of an upgrade to charm monster than the paralysis spell it later became.
- Spell Level 5
- Duration 6 turns + 1 turn/level
- Range 3" + 1"/level
If successful, 1d4 plants come completely under the influence of the magic-user. It may be targeted at a single plant, whose saving throw then has a -2 penalty. This can affect any ambulatory plant creatures (such as treants), stop enchanged plants (such as those affected by plant growth), and fungoid life forms.
Charm Plants[]
The spell first appeared in Supplement I: Greyhawk, for the magic-user.
- Spell Level 7
- Duration until dispelled
- Range 12"
The spell charms 1 large oak, 6 medium-sized bushes, 12 small shrubs, or 24 little plants. The caster can demand that the charmed plants do anything within their power to do, and they will comply.
Mass Charm[]
The spell first appeared in Supplement I: Greyhawk, for the magic-user.
- Spell Level 8
- Duration until dispelled
- Range 12"
The spell charms up to 30 levels of creatures. The creatures may make a saving throw, but do so at -2. Presumably, the same changes implemented to Charm Person and Charm Monster apply here as well. That is, (a) the creature gets a saving throw periodically,
- Intelligence up to 6: save once per month
- Intelligence 7-9: save once every 3 weeks
- Intelligence 10-11: save once every 2 weeks
- Intelligence 12-15: save once every week
- Intelligence 16-17: save once every 2 days
- Intelligence 18+: save daily
and (b) higher HD creatures migh tbreak the spell.
- < 2: 5% chance
- 2-4: 10% chance
- 5-7: 20% chance
- 8-10: 40% chance
- 11+: 80% chance
AD&D[]
Charm Person[]
Debuted in the Player's Handbook as a magic-user spell.
| School: Enchantment/Charm | |
| Level: 1 | Components: V, S |
| Range: 12" | Casting Time: 1 Segment |
| Duration: Special | Saving Throw: Negates |
| Target: One person within range | |
The target of this spell must be a "person," including brownies, dwarves, elves, gnolls, gnomes, goblins, half-elves, halflings, half-orcs, hobgoblins, humans, kobolds, lizard men, nixies, orcs, pixies, sprites, and troglodytes. The target regards the caster as a trusted friend and ally to be headed and protected, viewing any word from the caster in a favorable light. Thus the creature would not kill itself for no reason, but might be persuaded to risk its life to save the life of the caster. The spell doesn't allow the caster to automatically communicate with the target.
A creature makes a periodic saving throw against the spell as determined by their Intelligence score, as shown below:
| Intelligence | Period |
|---|---|
| < 4 | 3 months |
| 4-6 | 2 months |
| 7-9 | 1 month |
| 10-12 | 3 weeks |
| 13-14 | 2 weeks |
| 15-16 | 1 week |
| 17 | 3 days |
| 18 | 2 days |
| 19+ | 1 day |
DM's Advice: A creature under the effect of this spell who is attacked by the spellcaster's party makes its save with a +1 bonus per point of damage sustained.
Charm Person or Animal[]
Debuted in the Player's Handbook as a druid spell.
| Level: 2 | School: Enchantment/Charm |
| Components: V, S | |
| Range: 8" | Casting Time: 4 segments |
| Duration: special | Saving Throw: Negates |
| Target: one person or mammal | |
The spell can affect one mammalian animal or one bipedal humanoid creature of Medium size or less. If it fails its save, the target regards the caster as a trusted friend and ally to be obeyed and protected, viewing any word from the caster in a favorable light. Thus the creature would not kill itself for no reason, but might be persuaded to risk its life to save the life of the caster. The spell doesn't allow the caster to automatically communicate with the target.
A creature makes a periodic saving throw against the spell as determined by their Intelligence score, as shown below:
| Intelligence | Period |
|---|---|
| < 4 | 3 months |
| 4-6 | 2 months |
| 7-9 | 1 month |
| 10-12 | 3 weeks |
| 13-14 | 2 weeks |
| 15-16 | 1 week |
| 17 | 3 days |
| 18 | 2 days |
| 19+ | 1 day |
DM's Advice: A creature under the effect of this spell who is attacked by the spellcaster's party makes its save with a +1 bonus per point of damage sustained. Note that the creature's attitude is changed, but its personality and alignment are not. The spell does not enslave the subject. A great sacrifice or danger or harming their former allies might allow an immediate save to throw off the spell. Likewise, a charmed target doesn't necessarily share all of their secrets -- they are free to withhold information, though they won't withhold information that will harm the caster. The charmed target isn't necessarily friendly to the rest of the party, and isn't inclined to help them out or put up with abuse from them.
Charm Monster[]
Debuted in the Player's Handbook as a magic-user spell.
| Level: 4 | School: Enchantment/Charm |
| Components: V, S | |
| Range: 6" | Casting Time: 4 segments |
| Duration: Special | Saving Throw: Negates |
| Target: Monsters within range | |
The target of this spell can be any living creautre. It affects 2d4 1st-level creatures, 1d4 2nd-level creatures, 1d2 3rd-level creatures, or 1 creature of 4th level or higher. The target regards the caster as a trusted friend and ally to be headed and protected, viewing any word from the caster in a favorable light. Thus the creature would not kill itself for no reason, but might be persuaded to risk its life to save the life of the caster. The spell doesn't allow the caster to automatically communicate with the target, but the caster can offer reasonable suggestions to the target that the target then follows.
Overtly hostile acts by the caster will break the spell immediately or allow a new save even if they don't break the spell. A creature will break out of the spell eventually, with a % chance for the spell to end each week, as shown on the table below
| Levels/Hit Dice | % chance/week |
|---|---|
| 1st / up to 2 | 5% |
| 2nd / up to 3+2 | 10% |
| 3rd / up to 4+4 | 15% |
| 4th / up to 6 | 25% |
| 6th / up to 8+4 | 45% |
| 7th / up to 10 | 60% |
| 8th / up to 12 | 75% |
| 9th / over 12 | 90% |
DM's Advice: Keep the language barrier in mind on this spell. A caster unable to convey instructions to the charmed creature cannot give it commands, and the creature will simply refrain from harming the caster (others in the area are still subject to its attentions). A creature under the effect of this spell who is attacked by the spellcaster's party makes its save with a +1 bonus per point of damage sustained.