This spell holds 1 to 4 humans, demihumans, or humanoid creatures rigidly immobile and in place. All targets must be within a 20 ft cube.
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. Thus, a powerful fighter could be held, while an ogre could not.
The effect is centered on a point selected by the caster, and it affects persons selected by the caster within a 20 foot circle. If the spell is cast at three or four persons, each gets a normal saving throw; if only two persons are being targeted, each rolls his saving throw with a -5 penalty; if the spell is cast at only one person, the saving throw die roll suffers a -10 penalty. Those who succeed on their saving throws are totally unaffected by the spell. Undead creatures cannot be held.
Held creatures 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 priest casting the hold person spell can end the spell with a single utterance at any time; otherwise, the duration is six rounds at rank 3, eight rounds at rank 4, etc.
The spellcaster needs a small, straight piece of iron as the material component of this spell.
| Save | Effect |
| Failed | As indicated in the description. |
| Save Succeeds | Slowed somewhat. -1 to SC and DEF per rank of caster for 1d4 rounds, half TMR. |
| Saves Succeeds by Half | No effect. |
| Critical Success on Save | No effect. |
| Grievous Success on Save | No effect. |
Any spell or effect that counters or removes paralysis type effects will remove the effects of this spell on the targeted creature. |