- See also Hold Person (Priest Spell).
Errata[]
| Sage Advice in Dragon 223: |
|---|
| Q. How many people are affected by a hold person spell? The earlier part of the spell description says that 1d4 people are affected, which suggest that there is a random die roll. Later, however, the spell description says that the caster chooses which creatures in the area of effect are affected. Which is correct? |
| A. The spell affects 1 to 4 creatures at the caster's option. The references to 1d4 creatures are errors. |
Spell Description[]
This spell holds from one to four humans, demihumans, or humanoid creatures rigidly immobile for five or more rounds.
The hold person spell affects any bipedal human, demihuman or humanoid of man size or smaller, including brownies, dryads, dwarves, elves, gnolls, gnomes, goblins, half-elves, halflings, half-orcs, hobgoblins, humans, kobolds, lizard men, nixies, orcs, pixies, sprites, troglodytes, and others.
The spell is centered on a point selected by the caster; it affects persons selected by the caster within the area of effect. If the spell is cast at three or four people, each gets an unmodified saving throw. If only two people are being enspelled, each makes his saving throw with a -1 penalty. If the spell is cast at only one person, the saving throw suffers a -3 penalty. Saving throws are adjusted for Wisdom. Those succeeding on their saving throws are unaffected by the spell. Undead creatures cannot be held.
Held beings cannot move or speak, but they remain aware of events around them and can use abilities not requiring motion or speech. Being held does not prevent the worsening of the subjects' condition due to wounds, disease, or poison. The caster can end the spell with a single utterance at any time; otherwise, the duration is 10 rounds at 5th level, 12 rounds at 6th level, 14 rounds at 7th level, etc.
The spellcaster needs a small, straight piece of iron as the material component of this spell.
Notes: Common spell (PHB).