This spell affects any single person or mammal it is cast upon. The creature then regards the caster as a trusted friend and ally to be heeded and protected. The term person includes 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. Thus, a 10th-level fighter is included, while an ogre is not.
The spell does not enable the caster to control the charmed creature as if it were an automaton, but any word or action of the caster is viewed in the most favorable way. Thus, a charmed creature would not obey a suicide command, but might believe the caster if assured that the only chance to save the caster's life is for the creature to hold back an onrushing red dragon for "just a minute or two" and if the charmed creature's view of the situation suggests that this course of action still allows a reasonable chance of survival.
The subject's attitudes and priorities are changed with respect to the caster, but basic personality and alignment are not. A request that a victim make itself defenseless, give up a valued item, or even use a charge from a valued item (especially against former associates or allies) might allow an immediate saving throw to see if the charm is thrown off. Likewise, a charmed creature does not necessarily reveal everything it knows or draw maps of entire areas. Any request may be refused, if such refusal is in character and does not directly harm the caster. The victim's regard for the caster does not necessarily extend to the caster's friends or allies. The victim does not react well to the charmer's allies making suggestions such as, "Ask him this question. . .," nor does the charmed creature put up with verbal or physical abuse from the charmer's associates, if this is out of character.
Note also that the spell does not empower the caster with linguistic capabilities beyond those he normally has. The duration of the spell is a function of the charmed creature's Intelligence, and it is tied to the saving throw. A successful saving throw breaks the spell. This saving throw is checked on a periodic basis according to the creature's Intelligence, even if the caster has not overly strained the relationship.
Intelligence Score Period Between Checks
3 or less 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
19-21 1 day
22-23 1d4 hours
24-25 2d6 minutes
26-27 1d8 rounds
28-30 1 round
If the caster harms, or attempts to harm, the charmed creature by some overt action, or if a dispel magic spell is successfully cast upon the charmed creature, the charm is broken automatically.
If the subject of the charm person/charm mammal spell successfully rolls its saving throw vs. the spell, the effect is negated.
This spell, if used in conjunction with the animal friendship spell, can keep the animal near the caster's home base, if the caster must leave for an extended period. |