You touch a willing creature and put it into a cataleptic state that is indistinguishable from death.
For the spell’s duration, or until you use an action to touch the target and dismiss the spell, the target appears dead to all outward inspection and to spells used to determine the target’s status. The target is blinded and incapacitated, and its speed drops to 0. The target has resistance to all damage except psychic damage. If the target is diseased or poisoned when you cast the spell, or becomes diseased or poisoned while under the spell’s effect, the disease and poison have no effect until the spell ends.
* - (a pinch of graveyard dirt)
...I find this spell so very amusing.
At first I thought: "Eh, this seems like it would be a poor choice; especially when comparing it to other spells"...or, "Good luck finding a willing participant."
In this case, I was going over the Bard spell list; and I knew I would be limited by the number of spell known...but then I remembered: It's about having FUN.
And as the gear started turning, I realized that a Bard could get up to crazy amounts of mischief with this spell...in that they could technically cast it on THEMSELVES.
At a royal party and need a distraction?
Sample the cuisine, and ritually cast this spell as you're eating...enjoy the pandemonium that follows as all the guests scream in terror because they thought the food was poisoned.
Fake a mortal injury with a disguise kit or some other means, then cast the "Feign Death" spell...suddenly, you are just another corpse among (presumably) other corpses.
Fake jumping off a rooftop, scream, cast "Feather Fall"...and then "Feign Death" when you hit the ground. Congratulations: You've faked your own death.
Perhaps the most controversial use, keep your squishy bard out of the worst of combat by using "Feign Death" to avoid being targeted by hostiles...hey, you get resistance to (most) damage...though this might irk the party for your lack of contributions, so maybe only do this if the situation requires.
The fact that this spell is a ritual spell means it can be used frequently & with impunity...you could build a whole character around this concept, where the character "fakes" their own death in a long string of cons or scams...I'm thinking "Charlatan" background.
I totally glossed over this spell...what are some scenarios where you have seen this spell in action?
It can also be used as a DM tool. Onetime, I had a group of wizards being introduced to the campaign, and when almost all of the wizards were killed, one of them managed to cast this spell on himself and his apprentice. The characters came in, killed the new residents of the dungeon, and helped the wizards.
Also useful in a play, if you have a high/wide magic world. Eberron actors could cast Feign Death on a character that is meant to be dead, and Dispel Magic the spell when the character needs to wake up.
It's the ultimate heart-attack/stroke faking spell, as well.
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Casting the spell on yourself was the first thing I thought of to discourage enemies from attacking you until you actually die. Apparently you never played a WoW Hunter.
It could be used to bring in a sympathetic bounty to the hunters, show them the "body" collect the reward, then the person can leave with a disguise self or an illusion spell because everything thinks they are dead.
You are not deaf and you can keep up concentration while feigning death... might be a really good disguise, but extremely situational.
If you are cataleptic, I don't think you can do anything if you take the wording to be an accurate description of your true state. You just have to wait out the duration if you cast it on yourself, pretty hard to use an action and dispel it if you are incapacitated.
You are not deaf and you can keep up concentration while feigning death... might be a really good disguise, but extremely situational.
If you are cataleptic, I don't think you can do anything if you take the wording to be an accurate description of your true state. You just have to wait out the duration if you cast it on yourself, pretty hard to use an action and dispel it if you are incapacitated.
Ok, just reread... missed the point that incapacitated condition automatically ends concentration. However, I do think, that hearing works while you are in the feign death state. You cannot end the spell, because you cannot take actions.
My first thought on reading this spell's description was using it like a "Trojan horse." People take the dead body into somewhere, and then when the duration ends, you're in the morgue or what have you, and you are now inside the enemy base/camp/stronghold/etc.
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WOTC lies. We know that WOTC lies. WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. We know that WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. And still they lie.
Because of the above (a paraphrase from Orwell) I no longer post to the forums -- PM me if you need help or anything.
My first thought on reading this spell's description was using it like a "Trojan horse." People take the dead body into somewhere, and then when the duration ends, you're in the morgue or what have you, and you are now inside the enemy base/camp/stronghold/etc.
walk upto someone cast Charm or Dominate Person to make them you best buddy pal then ask them if they would let you try out a spell, cast Feign Death on them then do whatever you need to with them as you conscience/morals/alignment dictates.
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* Need a character idea? Search for "Rob76's Unused" in the Story and Lore section.
My first thought on reading this spell's description was using it like a "Trojan horse." People take the dead body into somewhere, and then when the duration ends, you're in the morgue or what have you, and you are now inside the enemy base/camp/stronghold/etc.
walk upto someone cast Charm or Dominate Person to make them you best buddy pal then ask them if they would let you try out a spell, cast Feign Death on them then do whatever you need to with them as you conscience/morals/alignment dictates.
First off...WELL DONE.
You've opened my mind to the possibilities of charm spells with "Feign Death".
I could see this as a useful way for the party to extract a target without "killing" them...
...and opens the way for hilarious repercussions as the town guard thinks our party committed murder, carrying around a seemingly "dead" body...
My first thought on reading this spell's description was using it like a "Trojan horse." People take the dead body into somewhere, and then when the duration ends, you're in the morgue or what have you, and you are now inside the enemy base/camp/stronghold/etc.
My first thought on reading this spell's description was using it like a "Trojan horse." People take the dead body into somewhere, and then when the duration ends, you're in the morgue or what have you, and you are now inside the enemy base/camp/stronghold/etc.
Or they throw you on a pyre and set you on fire.
Part of the fun!
At least you have resistance to fire while feigning death.
My first thought on reading this spell's description was using it like a "Trojan horse." People take the dead body into somewhere, and then when the duration ends, you're in the morgue or what have you, and you are now inside the enemy base/camp/stronghold/etc.
Or they throw you on a pyre and set you on fire.
Or in the cookpot... or into the worg pen... or bury you in a mass grave.
I mean I'm not sure how many enemies take the dead of their enemies and bring them into a morgue. This spell definitely has 'heist' vibes but it's not going to work on your typical evil-enemy stronghold and trying it just kind of puts your DM into an awkward position where the three choices are 1) have it do nothing 2) kill you or 3) greatly strain the credibility of the situation by making it work just how you want despite the nature of your enemy.
In other words, it's fun and has some cool uses but I would not build a character around it. It's not going to work in the majority of combat situations (beasts just looking for a meal comes to mind) and if you just want to be "safe" from the enemies and not contribute to the fight it's more effective to run away while still retaining all your "I'm a coward" flavor.
If you plan to cast on yourself, consider a Contingency - Dispel Magic if you want to wake up before the house is spent.
For insomniacs this might be a great way to get an hour's nap.
Changelings will want this to fake the death of one of their personas. Even better if D&D had life insurance.
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Click ✨ HERE ✨ For My Youtube Videos featuring Guides, Tips & Tricks for using D&D Beyond. Need help with Homebrew? Check out ✨ thisFAQ/Guide thread ✨ by IamSposta.
Changelings will want this to fake the death of one of their personas. Even better if D&D had life insurance.
Oh, that is amazing. I have a changeling character that this would definitely work for. Charlatan Background, trying to scam the whole planet into joining a massive empire, etc.
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Please check out my homebrew, I would appreciate feedback:
a combo idea for building a cult of followers for mastermind charlatan shennigans which I may or may not have used for an NPC in my campaign.....
Step 1:Cast Nystuls Magical Aura on yourself every day for 30 days to give you a perm undead aura
Step 2: charm/beguile/persuade (either skill or magic) people into believing you are a vampire creating a cult and you want them to join up because they are just the type of person you are looking to join the ranks of the undead.
Step 3: part of the ritual rquired to become undead involves your new devotee's participating in a 31 day long series of magical rites. Every day of the ritual the devotee has to drink the blood of a sentient creature and stay out of the sunlight, failure to do so will cause them great pain as the magic needs this to turn them into a vampire. Day 1 is a geas spell + Nystuls magical aura, next 29 days just Nystuls Magical Aura, day 31 is a Feign Death ritual. The geas spell at the beginning provides the "pain of the magic" for those not drinking the blood/staying out of the sunlight, the feign death ritual awakens them as undead and the nystuls aura will be perm until dispelled by then.
Step 4: lord over you cult of "Vampires", just rememberto tell them that turning into bats/wolves/gaseous forms is just a myth or requires years of practice, which you can help them with (by training them into whatever spell casting class you are).
Step 2: Reverse "Sleight of Hand" (Expertise recommended).
Step 3: "Feign Death" on yourself.
Step 4: The party enters the room where your now convincingly-dead body resides.
Step 5: "If you are hearing this, then (Insert Party Member Name Here) has successfully managed to kill me and rob my corpse. Stop him before he kills again."
You touch a willing creature and put it into a cataleptic state that is indistinguishable from death.
* - (a pinch of graveyard dirt)For the spell’s duration, or until you use an action to touch the target and dismiss the spell, the target appears dead to all outward inspection and to spells used to determine the target’s status. The target is blinded and incapacitated, and its speed drops to 0. The target has resistance to all damage except psychic damage. If the target is diseased or poisoned when you cast the spell, or becomes diseased or poisoned while under the spell’s effect, the disease and poison have no effect until the spell ends.
It can also be used as a DM tool. Onetime, I had a group of wizards being introduced to the campaign, and when almost all of the wizards were killed, one of them managed to cast this spell on himself and his apprentice. The characters came in, killed the new residents of the dungeon, and helped the wizards.
Also useful in a play, if you have a high/wide magic world. Eberron actors could cast Feign Death on a character that is meant to be dead, and Dispel Magic the spell when the character needs to wake up.
It's the ultimate heart-attack/stroke faking spell, as well.
Please check out my homebrew, I would appreciate feedback:
Spells, Monsters, Subclasses, Races, Arcknight Class, Occultist Class, World, Enigmatic Esoterica forms
Casting the spell on yourself was the first thing I thought of to discourage enemies from attacking you until you actually die. Apparently you never played a WoW Hunter.
You are not deaf and you can keep up concentration while feigning death... might be a really good disguise, but extremely situational.
It could be used to bring in a sympathetic bounty to the hunters, show them the "body" collect the reward, then the person can leave with a disguise self or an illusion spell because everything thinks they are dead.
Or I can smuggle myself out of prison.
If you are cataleptic, I don't think you can do anything if you take the wording to be an accurate description of your true state. You just have to wait out the duration if you cast it on yourself, pretty hard to use an action and dispel it if you are incapacitated.
Ok, just reread... missed the point that incapacitated condition automatically ends concentration. However, I do think, that hearing works while you are in the feign death state. You cannot end the spell, because you cannot take actions.
My first thought on reading this spell's description was using it like a "Trojan horse." People take the dead body into somewhere, and then when the duration ends, you're in the morgue or what have you, and you are now inside the enemy base/camp/stronghold/etc.
WOTC lies. We know that WOTC lies. WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. We know that WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. And still they lie.
Because of the above (a paraphrase from Orwell) I no longer post to the forums -- PM me if you need help or anything.
Nice.
A more nefarious use?
walk upto someone cast Charm or Dominate Person to make them you best buddy pal then ask them if they would let you try out a spell, cast Feign Death on them then do whatever you need to with them as you conscience/morals/alignment dictates.
Or they throw you on a pyre and set you on fire.
First off...WELL DONE.
You've opened my mind to the possibilities of charm spells with "Feign Death".
I could see this as a useful way for the party to extract a target without "killing" them...
...and opens the way for hilarious repercussions as the town guard thinks our party committed murder, carrying around a seemingly "dead" body...
Part of the fun!
At least you have resistance to fire while feigning death.
More Interesting Lock Picking Rules
Or in the cookpot... or into the worg pen... or bury you in a mass grave.
I mean I'm not sure how many enemies take the dead of their enemies and bring them into a morgue. This spell definitely has 'heist' vibes but it's not going to work on your typical evil-enemy stronghold and trying it just kind of puts your DM into an awkward position where the three choices are 1) have it do nothing 2) kill you or 3) greatly strain the credibility of the situation by making it work just how you want despite the nature of your enemy.
In other words, it's fun and has some cool uses but I would not build a character around it. It's not going to work in the majority of combat situations (beasts just looking for a meal comes to mind) and if you just want to be "safe" from the enemies and not contribute to the fight it's more effective to run away while still retaining all your "I'm a coward" flavor.
My homebrew subclasses (full list here)
(Artificer) Swordmage | Glasswright | (Barbarian) Path of the Savage Embrace
(Bard) College of Dance | (Fighter) Warlord | Cannoneer
(Monk) Way of the Elements | (Ranger) Blade Dancer
(Rogue) DaggerMaster | Inquisitor | (Sorcerer) Riftwalker | Spellfist
(Warlock) The Swarm
If you plan to cast on yourself, consider a Contingency - Dispel Magic if you want to wake up before the house is spent.
For insomniacs this might be a great way to get an hour's nap.
Changelings will want this to fake the death of one of their personas. Even better if D&D had life insurance.
Click ✨ HERE ✨ For My Youtube Videos featuring Guides, Tips & Tricks for using D&D Beyond.
Need help with Homebrew? Check out ✨ this FAQ/Guide thread ✨ by IamSposta.
Oh, that is amazing. I have a changeling character that this would definitely work for. Charlatan Background, trying to scam the whole planet into joining a massive empire, etc.
Please check out my homebrew, I would appreciate feedback:
Spells, Monsters, Subclasses, Races, Arcknight Class, Occultist Class, World, Enigmatic Esoterica forms
a combo idea for building a cult of followers for mastermind charlatan shennigans which I may or may not have used for an NPC in my campaign.....
Step 1:Cast Nystuls Magical Aura on yourself every day for 30 days to give you a perm undead aura
Step 2: charm/beguile/persuade (either skill or magic) people into believing you are a vampire creating a cult and you want them to join up because they are just the type of person you are looking to join the ranks of the undead.
Step 3: part of the ritual rquired to become undead involves your new devotee's participating in a 31 day long series of magical rites. Every day of the ritual the devotee has to drink the blood of a sentient creature and stay out of the sunlight, failure to do so will cause them great pain as the magic needs this to turn them into a vampire. Day 1 is a geas spell + Nystuls magical aura, next 29 days just Nystuls Magical Aura, day 31 is a Feign Death ritual. The geas spell at the beginning provides the "pain of the magic" for those not drinking the blood/staying out of the sunlight, the feign death ritual awakens them as undead and the nystuls aura will be perm until dispelled by then.
Step 4: lord over you cult of "Vampires", just rememberto tell them that turning into bats/wolves/gaseous forms is just a myth or requires years of practice, which you can help them with (by training them into whatever spell casting class you are).
Step 1: Cast "Magic Mouth".
Step 2: Reverse "Sleight of Hand" (Expertise recommended).
Step 3: "Feign Death" on yourself.
Step 4: The party enters the room where your now convincingly-dead body resides.
Step 5: "If you are hearing this, then (Insert Party Member Name Here) has successfully managed to kill me and rob my corpse. Stop him before he kills again."