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Animal Friendship

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Animal Friendship
  • Level: 1
  • School: Enchantment
  • Class: Bard, Druid, Ranger
  • Casting Time: Action
  • Range: 30 feet
  • Components: V, S, M (a morsel of food)
  • Duration: 24 hours

Target a Beast that you can see within range. The target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or have the Charmed condition for the duration. If you or one of your allies deals damage to the target, the spells ends.

Using a Higher-Level Spell Slot. You can target one additional Beast for each spell slot level above 1.

Tactical Usage​

When to Choose Animal Friendship:

  • Essential for navigating wilderness areas with dangerous beasts
  • Excellent for gathering information from animals
  • Strong choice for avoiding combat with natural creatures
  • Valuable for recruiting temporary allies or mounts

Positioning Considerations:

  • 30-foot range allows safe casting from moderate distance
  • Requires line of sight to target beast
  • 24-hour duration covers extended interactions
  • Consider escape routes if charm fails

Target Prioritization:

  • Focus on beasts with useful abilities (flight, tracking, strength)
  • Prioritize creatures that pose immediate threats
  • Consider animals with social structures (pack leaders)
  • Avoid targets with high Wisdom saves when possible

Spell Combinations​

Synergistic Spells:

  • Speak with Animals: Communicate with charmed beasts
  • Suggestion: Guide charmed animals with specific instructions
  • Animal Messenger: Use befriended animals for communication
  • Pass Without Trace: Enhanced stealth with animal allies

Multi-Round Strategies:

  • Cast early to avoid hostile encounters
  • Combine with persuasion and animal handling skills
  • Use charmed animals for reconnaissance
  • Stack multiple castings for group control

Material Component Details​

Morsel of Food:

  • Availability: Any small portion of food appropriate to the target
  • Cost: Minimal (few copper pieces for quality treats)
  • Alternatives: Berries, meat scraps, bread, appropriate animal treats
  • Strategy: Use target's preferred food for better roleplay

Roleplay Opportunities:

  • Describe offering food as a gesture of friendship
  • Reference the animal's natural diet and preferences
  • Use feeding ritual to build rapport before casting
  • Emphasize the peaceful, nurturing aspect of the magic

Creator Notes​

Adjudication Guidance:

  • Charmed condition doesn't make animals obedient, just friendly
  • Animals retain their natural intelligence and instincts
  • Damage from any source immediately breaks the charm
  • Area effects or environmental damage can end the spell

Encounter Design Considerations:

  • Excellent tool for wilderness exploration scenarios
  • NPCs can demonstrate this spell to show druidic connections
  • Creates opportunities for creative problem-solving
  • Consider how charmed animals interact with their natural groups

Balancing Notes:

  • 24-hour duration provides excellent value for 1st-level slot
  • Charm condition balanced by damage limitation
  • Scaling allows control of multiple creatures
  • Beast restriction prevents abuse with humanoids

Environmental Interactions​

Natural Behavior:

  • Charmed animals maintain basic survival instincts
  • Won't perform obviously suicidal actions
  • May flee if severely threatened despite charm
  • Social animals might influence their group dynamics

Wilderness Applications:

  • Useful for safe passage through animal territories
  • Can provide warnings about environmental dangers
  • Helpful for finding food, water, or shelter
  • Assists with tracking and navigation

Social Dynamics:

  • Charmed animals may conflict with territorial rivals
  • Pack leaders can influence entire groups
  • Domesticated animals might have conflicting loyalties
  • Wild animals may be naturally suspicious of humanoids

Common Rulings & Clarifications​

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q: Can I command a charmed animal to attack? A: Charmed animals are friendly, not controlled. They might defend you but won't necessarily attack on command.

Q: Does the spell work on magical beasts or monstrosities? A: No, only creatures with the Beast type are affected.

Q: What happens if I accidentally damage the charmed animal? A: The spell immediately ends, and the animal's reaction depends on the circumstances.

Q: Can charmed animals use special abilities? A: Yes, they retain all their natural abilities while charmed.

Alternative Applications​

Non-Combat Uses:

  • Wilderness Guide: Use local animals for navigation assistance
  • Information Gathering: Learn about recent events from animal witnesses
  • Labor Assistance: Convince strong animals to help with heavy lifting
  • Social Interactions: Impress NPCs with apparent animal mastery

Creative Problem-Solving:

  • Recruit flying animals for aerial reconnaissance
  • Use burrowing creatures to create escape tunnels
  • Convince aquatic animals to assist with water crossings
  • Employ tracking animals for investigation purposes

Similar Enchantment Magic:

  • Charm Person: Humanoid equivalent enchantment
  • Dominate Beast: Higher-level, more controlling version
  • Beast Bond: Enhanced communication with animal companion
  • Conjure Animals: Summon cooperative beasts

Beast-Related Spells:

  • Speak with Animals: Communication without charm
  • Animal Messenger: Use animals for message delivery
  • Locate Animals or Plants: Find specific beast types
  • Beast Sense: See through animal's senses

1st-Level Alternatives:

  • Charm Person: Social enchantment for humanoids
  • Faerie Fire: Utility spell with different applications
  • Entangle: Area control using plants
  • Hunter's Mark: Combat-focused beast interaction

Scaling Analysis​

Level Progression:

  • Early Game (Levels 1-6): Excellent wilderness utility
  • Mid Game (Levels 7-12): Situational but still useful for specific encounters
  • Late Game (Levels 13+): Niche applications but valuable for roleplay

Scaling Efficiency:

  • 1st Level: Single beast for 24 hours
  • 2nd Level: 2 beasts - excellent for pack animals
  • 3rd Level: 3 beasts - small group control
  • Higher Levels: Diminishing returns but allows mass diplomacy

Long-Term Viability:

  • Always useful in wilderness-heavy campaigns
  • Ritual casting would make this extremely valuable (not available)
  • Social applications remain relevant regardless of level
  • Useful for characters with nature-focused backgrounds

Narrative Flavor​

Extended Description: You extend your hand, offering a small morsel of food while speaking in gentle, soothing tones that seem to transcend the barrier between species. As the magic takes hold, the animal's eyes lose their wariness, replaced by curiosity and a growing sense of trust. The beast approaches cautiously at first, then with increasing confidence, recognizing you not as a threat but as a potential friend and ally.

Sensory Details:

  • Visual: Animal's posture relaxing, ears perking up with interest
  • Auditory: Soft sounds of approach, satisfied eating if food is accepted
  • Behavioral: Transformation from wariness to friendly curiosity
  • Emotional: Sense of connection and mutual understanding

Cultural Context: This magic represents the harmony between civilization and nature that druids and rangers strive to maintain. Different cultures may view animal charming as either a sacred gift or an unnatural manipulation, influencing how NPCs react to its use. The spell embodies the principle that understanding and respect can achieve more than force or domination.