Hold Person

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• Level: 2
• School: Enchantment
• Class: Bard, Cleric, Druid, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard
• Casting Time: Action
• Range: 60 feet
• Components: V, S, M (a straight piece of iron)
• Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

Choose a Humanoid that you can see within range. The target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or have the Paralyzed condition for the duration. At the end of each of its turns, the target repeats the save, ending the spell on itself on a success.

Using a Higher-Level Spell Slot. You can target one additional Humanoid for each spell slot level above 2.

Tactical Usage

Humanoid Priority Control: Hold Person provides cost-effective paralysis against humanoid threats, making it excellent for controlling bandits, guards, enemy spellcasters, or intelligent opponents. The 2nd-level slot cost makes it much more accessible than Hold Monster.

Critical Hit Setup: Paralyzed targets automatically take critical hits from melee attacks within 5 feet. Coordinate with rogues, paladins, or high-damage dealers to maximize burst damage during the paralysis window.

Spellcaster Shutdown: Paralyzed creatures cannot cast spells with somatic or verbal components, making Hold Person particularly effective against enemy spellcasters who rely on magic rather than physical attacks.

Spell Combinations

Melee Coordination: Combine with high-damage melee attackers for devastating critical hit combinations. Paladins with Divine Smite, rogues with Sneak Attack, or fighters with Action Surge can exploit the automatic critical hits.

Hold Monster Comparison: Hold Person costs fewer spell slots but only affects humanoids. Use Hold Person when facing humanoid threats and save higher-level slots for Hold Monster against non-humanoid creatures.

Suggestion Synergy: Follow up successful Hold Person with Suggestion or other mental effects while the target is helpless. The paralysis creates opportunities for psychological manipulation or information gathering.

Material Component Details

Iron Symbolism: The straight piece of iron connects to traditional magical practices involving binding and constraint. Iron's association with strength and inflexibility symbolically represents the magical paralysis imposed.

Component Practicality: Iron pieces are easily obtained and maintained - nails, wire, or small rods work perfectly. The straightness requirement emphasizes the rigid nature of the magical constraint being applied.

Focus Alternatives: Spellcasting focuses can replace the material component, but maintaining actual iron reinforces the spell's thematic connection to binding and supernatural restraint of humanoid targets.

Creator Notes

Encounter Design: Hold Person can significantly impact encounters with primarily humanoid enemies. Consider mixed creature types, legendary resistance, or environmental factors to maintain challenge when this spell is available.

Social Implications: Using Hold Person in civilized areas has serious legal and social consequences. The spell is essentially magical assault, and witnesses will likely report such usage to authorities.

NPC Usage: Enemy spellcasters with Hold Person create serious threats for player parties. The spell's accessibility makes it available to mid-level NPCs, providing meaningful control challenges.

Environmental Interactions

Paralysis Physics: Paralyzed creatures cannot maintain balance or muscle tension, potentially falling if not properly supported. Consider gravity effects, unstable surfaces, or environmental hazards that might affect helpless targets.

Social Dynamics: Paralyzing someone in public creates dramatic social consequences. Witnesses, guards, or bystanders will likely react strongly to such obvious magical assault, regardless of justification.

Duration Management: The 1-minute duration creates time pressure for achieving objectives. Whether capturing, questioning, or eliminating the target, coordinate party actions to maximize the paralysis window.

Common Rulings & Clarifications

Humanoid Targeting: Only affects creatures of the humanoid type, excluding beasts, monstrosities, fiends, and other creature types even if they appear humanoid. Verify creature types when targeting uncertain opponents.

Automatic Criticals: All melee attacks against paralyzed creatures within 5 feet automatically hit and become critical hits. This applies to weapon attacks, unarmed strikes, and melee spell attacks.

Save Timing: Wisdom saves occur at the end of the target's turn, meaning they remain paralyzed throughout their turn and only potentially break free afterward. Plan actions accordingly for maximum exploitation.

Alternative Applications

Non-lethal Capture: Hold Person provides perfect restraint for capturing humanoid targets alive. The paralysis prevents escape while keeping them conscious for questioning or negotiation.

Theft and Infiltration: Paralyzing guards or witnesses creates opportunities for theft, infiltration, or other covert activities. However, consider the ethical and legal implications of such usage.

Interrogation Setup: Paralyzed targets cannot resist questioning or flee, though they also cannot speak. Combine with other spells or wait for the effect to end while maintaining control of the situation.

Related Spells

Hold Monster: Higher-level version affecting any creature type rather than just humanoids. Use Hold Person for efficiency against humanoid targets and Hold Monster when broader creature targeting is needed.

Command: Lower-level alternative that provides limited control over humanoid actions rather than complete paralysis. Command offers more flexibility but less complete control than Hold Person.

Suggestion: Similar level mental control that provides behavioral modification rather than paralysis. Choose based on whether you need complete incapacitation or specific behavioral compliance.

Scaling Analysis

Early Levels (3-6): Hold Person provides excellent value when 2nd-level spell slots are significant resources. Many encounters feature primarily humanoid opponents, making the spell highly applicable.

Mid Levels (7-12): Remains valuable as upcast versions affect multiple targets simultaneously. The ability to paralyze multiple humanoids makes it efficient for controlling groups of enemies.

High Levels (13+): While still useful, many high-level threats aren't humanoids or have legendary resistance. Consider it primarily for controlling multiple weaker humanoid threats rather than major boss encounters.

Narrative Flavor

Binding Rigidity: Invisible magical force locks the target's muscles in place, creating a living statue that can see and hear but cannot move or speak. Their eyes remain alert but their body becomes completely unresponsive.

Iron Constraint: Spectral chains forged from the iron component wrap around the target's limbs and torso, holding them in rigid paralysis. The magical bonds gleam with metallic energy that pulses with each failed attempt to move.

Conscious Helplessness: The target remains fully aware of their paralyzed state, able to observe everything around them while being completely unable to react or respond. This creates a particularly distressing experience for intelligent humanoids.