Hello magic casters of all shapes and sizes! Welcome to my spellbook and thank you so much for checking out the 73rd episode of our second level spell series. Today we are looking at a very interesting spell in the way that it really lends itself to a very particular play style. To be honest i have bone of contention with the mechanics behind it but i’ll get into that in a little bit here.
Today we’re gonna be taking a look at dnd 5e suggestion spell. This spell is usable by the bard, sorcerer, warlock and the wizard and it is found in the good old players handbook. Now without further ado let’s take a quick look at its mechanics so you can kind of better understand how the spell works.
Mechanics
The effect at a glance is as followed: Suggest a reasonable, and harmless course of action to a creature. On a failed save, creatures that can be charmed pursue the course of action. That is to say creatures who are immune to charming are also subsequently immune to this so just bear that in mind.
- Casting Time: 1 Action
- Range: 30ft
- Duration: 8 Hours (Concentration)
- Save: Wis (Success = No effect)
- Components: Verbal and Material
- School: Enchantment
The cast time is one action, the range is 30ft, the duration is 8 hours and it is a concentration. The save is wisdom and on a success there’s no effect, the components are verbal and material, if you’re curious about that material component it is a snakes tongue and either a bit of honeycomb or a drop of sweet oil which is kind of cool you know a snake tongue salesman and what happened.
In any case the school is enchantment as well which makes logical sense. So if you can’t tell the problem i have is that it’s a concentration spell i really don’t think it needs to be one i think i’d be fine with saying something to the effect of when you cast this spell again it cancels the original but whatever that’s just me. Now let’s take a quick look at the full description and better explaining exactly how the spell works.
Description
Being a Suggestion 5E spell you do suggest a course of activity (limited to a sentence or two) and even magically influence a creature that you can see within a range which can able to hear you and also understand you. So, the creature which can not be charmed are else immune to this effect.
Basically, the 5e Suggestion should be worded in such a manner like to make the course of an action sound reasonable. By asking the creature to stab itself, through itself onto the spear, immolate itself, or else do some of the other obvious harmful act ends the spell.
Anyhow, the target should make the wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, it normally purses the course of an action which you described to the best of its capability. Basically, the suggested course of an action can continue for the entire duration. Suppose, if the suggested activity can be completed within a shorter time, then the spell ends when the subject finishes what it was asked to do.
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Of course, as per this dnd 5e Suggestion spell you can even specify the conditions which will trigger a special activity during the specific duration. For an example, you may suggest that a knight would give her warhorse to the first beggar who she meets. If the condition wasn’t met before the spell would expire, then the activity is not performed. But if you or else any of your companions do damage the target, then the spell ends.
Oh my goodness this is such a headache for me personally so the long and short of it of why i think this is bad there’s two main things. The first is that it has to sound reasonable and that means all a DM needs to do in order to make it so it doesn’t happen to just say the target doesn’t think that’s reasonable the spell fails.
The second thing is that it can take a potential 8 hours worth of concentration and there’s no real way to end the spell prematurely. I suppose you could always just stop concentrating on it but as it worded it doesn’t say anything like dismiss it as an action or what have you.
So i just think it’s a little bit annoying like maybe i’m just upset at the way it’s written more than the actual spell itself but that’s just me personally. Overall though i do think it is very cool it just lends itself to a very particular kind of playstyle and without further ado let’s take a quick look at some alternative uses here and get those creative juices flowing.
Alternative Uses
So, the first and most obvious created use is using this to influence a very high political figure or at least someone with a decent amount of sway. For example they hit a king up with this and be like listen mr.king. You feel so hopeless that you are willing to accept the help adventures and you’re willing to pay any price. He was like why yes mmm yes! that’s how i would use it at least.
Another great way to use this is for balancing reasons. For example you could walk up to the knights guard captain and be like you’re going to be you’re gonna feel so sick tomorrow that you’re going to take the day off. It was like yes sir! So you won’t have to worry about him during the big fight.
Another great way to use this is through reconnaissance for example walk up to one of the guards. Like tell me everything you know with the knights captain like yes sir! I think those are probably the best ways of using this.
I suppose you could get a little bit more creative like walk up to the guard and be like you are so jealous and you feel so taken advantage of that you are going to attempt to kill the guard captain and asleep tomorrow, something like that. That’d be pretty cool.
I always rise this spell with an emotional reason first that you feel blank so you’re going to do blank. I feel like it just helps make it sound a lot more reasonable so take that advice if you want it or not doesn’t really matter but that’s how i’ve always used it.
Attributes Of DnD Suggestion
| Casting Time | 1 action |
| Classes | Bard, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard |
| Components | V M |
| Concentration | Yes |
| Duration | Up to 8 hours |
| Level | 2 |
| Material | A snake's tongue and either a bit of honeycomb or a drop of sweet oil |
| Name | Suggestion |
| Range | 30 feet |
| School | Enchantment |
| Target | A creature you can see within range that can hear and understand you |
Conclusion
In any case, if you’ve any alternative uses, ideas, thoughts, questions, comments, concerns or stories please put it down beneath in the comment section i really do appreciate it. Thank you so much everyone i really do appreciate it and i hope you have a great and as always happy casting.