Suggestion

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• Level: 2
• School: Enchantment
• Class: Bard, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard
• Casting Time: Action
• Range: 30 feet
• Components: V, M (a drop of honey)
• Duration: Concentration, up to 8 hours

You suggest a course of activity-described in no more than 25 words-to one creature you can see within range that can hear and understand you. The suggestion must sound achievable and not involve anything that would obviously deal damage to the target or its allies. For example, you could say, "Fetch the key to the cult's treasure vault, and give the key to me." Or you could say, "Stop fighting, leave this library peacefully, and don't return."

The target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or have the Charmed condition for the duration or until you or your allies deal damage to the target. The Charmed target pursues the suggestion to the best of its ability. The suggested activity can continue for the entire duration, but if the suggested activity can be completed in a shorter time, the spell ends for the target upon completing it.

Tactical Usage

Social Manipulation Tool. Suggestion provides subtle behavioral influence that appears natural to targets, making it ideal for non-combat problem solving.

Combat Redirection Strategy. The spell can remove enemies from combat by suggesting they leave, retreat, or engage in non-threatening activities.

Investigation Enhancement. Suggestion enables gathering information by encouraging targets to reveal secrets or provide access to restricted areas.

Spell Combinations

Charm Enhancement. Combining with Charm Person creates favorable conditions for delivering more effective suggestions to receptive targets.

Stealth Support. Using alongside invisibility or stealth magic enables covert casting without revealing the magical source of behavioral changes.

Memory Modification. Pairing with Modify Memory creates comprehensive behavioral control that includes both suggestion and memory alteration.

Material Component Details

Honey Symbolism. The drop of honey represents sweetness and temptation, symbolically connecting to the spell's persuasive manipulation.

Natural Sweetener Component. Honey serves as a material focus for making suggestions appear appealing and irresistible to targets.

Component Accessibility. Honey is readily available and easily preserved, making the spell consistently accessible for enchantment magic.

Creator Notes

Behavioral Control Magic. Suggestion provides excellent mechanics for social encounters requiring subtle influence without obvious magical coercion.

Word Limit Balance. The 25-word restriction prevents abuse while encouraging creative and precise suggestion crafting.

Achievability Requirement. The spell's limitation to reasonable suggestions maintains balance while providing substantial utility.

Environmental Interactions

Language Dependency. The spell requires shared language between caster and target, limiting effectiveness in cross-cultural encounters.

Hearing Requirements. Acoustic conditions affect spell delivery, though magical speech typically overcomes normal environmental obstacles.

Social Context Influence. Cultural norms and expectations affect how suggestions are interpreted and whether they seem reasonable.

Common Rulings & Clarifications

Achievability Standards. Suggestions must sound reasonable and possible within the target's capabilities and circumstances.

Damage Prohibition. The spell cannot suggest actions that would obviously harm the target or their allies.

Word Limit Enforcement. The 25-word restriction applies strictly to the suggestion itself, requiring careful phrasing.

Activity Duration. The spell ends when the suggested activity is completed or the duration expires.

Alternative Applications

Information Gathering. Suggesting targets reveal passwords, locations, or other secrets for intelligence purposes.

Access Acquisition. Encouraging guards or officials to provide entry to restricted areas or resources.

Conflict Resolution. Suggesting peaceful solutions to disputes or encouraging de-escalation of hostile situations.

Related Spells

Enchantment School Progression. Suggestion represents mid-level enchantment magic between Charm Person and more powerful control spells.

Mass Application Comparison. Mass Suggestion affects multiple targets while Suggestion focuses on individual behavioral modification.

Control Magic Alternatives. Various spells provide behavioral influence through different mechanisms and power levels.

Scaling Analysis

Duration Enhancement. Higher-level casting extends duration significantly, from 8 hours to potentially permanent effects.

Consistent Core Value. The fundamental utility remains valuable throughout character progression as social challenges persist.

Creative Application Growth. The spell's value increases with player creativity and social encounter complexity.

Narrative Flavor

Subtle Persuasion. The suggestion should appear as natural inspiration or brilliant realization rather than obvious magical compulsion.

Honey-Sweet Delivery. The casting should emphasize pleasant, appealing delivery that makes suggestions seem attractive.

Mental Integration. The target should experience the suggestion as their own idea, feeling genuine enthusiasm for the proposed activity.