Level
2nd
Casting Time
1 Action
Range/Area
60 ft
Components
V, S
Duration
1 Minute
School
Enchantment
Attack/Save
WIS Save
Damage/Effect
Control
You weave a distracting string of words, causing creatures of your choice that you can see within range and that can hear you to make a Wisdom saving throw. Any creature that can't be charmed succeeds on this saving throw automatically, and if you or your companions are fighting a creature, it has advantage on the save. On a failed save, the target has disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks made to perceive any creature other than you until the spell ends or until the target can no longer hear you. The spell ends if you are incapacitated or can no longer speak.
Question: Would a foe have to share a language with the caster in order for this to be effective?
How do you calculate the DC for this?
My guess is “No.” If you think about it, the words don’t have to make any sense, including no shared language, in order to distract. If anything, nonsensical words are MORE distracting than a string of intelligent, comprehensive ideas. Case and point: Trump’s tweets.
This says "creatures". Does it affect more than one?
Like any DC you take 8+proficiency+ spellcasting modifier (charisma for bard and warlock, and charisma for the new Tiefling racial ability that casts this too)
I can see how this could be useful as a "taunt" for a paladin to pull agro, but why would a Warlock ever use this? Hideous Laughter is lower level (doesn't matter to a Warlock but still), is free from the charm limitation, and actually incapacitates them.
Am I missing something? How do you use this in a way that's worth a Warlock spell slot?
Since this isn't a concentration spell and only requires the target creatures to be able to hear the caster, could a Bard cast this and then become Invisible while maintaining both spells? Continuously speaking to maintain this spell would obviously give away the caster's position but the targets still have disadvantage on attacking the caster anyway so that seems like a really useful tactic.
I don't believe this spell was intended for use as a combat spell but rather as a problem solving one since it does not impart the charmed condition (or any others) and RAW has no mechanical effect other than on Wisdom (Perception) checks. This spell doesn't actually limit an affected creature from targeting other people with attacks, ability checks, spells, etc. A warlock would want to cast this to provide a distraction while his buddy picks people's pockets, searches the room for the MacGuffin, or is trying to sneak an innocent man past an angry mob. A generous DM might allow it to act as a taunt but the duration of 1 minute with no concentration for every creature within 60ft that persists even when your friends take hostile actions against them would make this one of the most powerful spells in the game especially considering it would stack with something that does impart the charmed condition or inhibits attacks against the caster like the sanctuary spell.
Just noticed that this spell doesn't require concentration. Which seriously ups its uses. This isn't a combat spell, this is for stealth and distraction. Good examples already given include the picking pockets, etc. But this is best on your Bard or a enchantment-based Warlock; You are the face of the party. You give a speech, or a distracting rant, and your Rogue can get into position to pull off an assassination, or your party members sneak past a guard. Remember, only the initial words spoken have any chance of being identified as casting a spell (and honestly, with a Bard, I'd rule that they could do it as part of a performance to avoid suspicion); any words spoken afterwards can be simple conversation.
Also, I'm pretty sure in phb or Xanathar's it mentions disadvantage on a passive check imposes a -5 penalty, since dice aren't rolled. So as long as you keep speaking, guards have a -5 to passive perception to spot anyone but you, which is nothing to sniff at on a stealth op.
It doesn't have a specification for that so I don't think so. The whole point of this spell is " these people are really captivated by what you're doing and can't pay attention to anything else", and you can absolutely be captivated by someone even if you don't share the language of their performance/oration.
yes. You can see that language bolstered by the use of the words "Any creature" in the next line, instead of "The creature".
This spell is good for drawing aggro in combat, and even better helping support sneaky goings-on out of combat, so it needs to be a broadcast spell.
This is an awesome spell. My paladin/warlock cast this and walked into a cultist camp while the party surrounded it. Talked with them while they surrounded the camp, and an easy surprise round with the tank right on top of them (with sentinel and shield master feats).
If I'm reading this right, the targets don't become aware of the spell if they pass the save, or when it ends. That's pretty cool.
Distract a creature, so an Assassin Rogue can get a jump on the target, possibly getting a critical hit AND a Sneak Attack. Or distract a guard while your companions sneak past it or attempt to make an escape.
I can't think of a single use for this spell. If you were trying to distract some creatures while your friends snuck past, you could just do it without a spell slot, right? I feel like just talking to a bunch of creatures would have the same effect, nonmagically.
Depends on the DM and narrative. Without the spell, you could have your charismatic PC go up to a bunch of guards and distract them, hoping the DM will give circumstantial advantage to some Stealth, Sleight of hand, or other roll. But DM might decide only two of the four guards are distracted (they're guards after all), while others keep their normal passive Perception. The spell assures that every chosen targets get the -5 PP.
what if my warlock has no tongue? could he use the spell Tongues to use this spell first?
My brother in Christ what lunacy are you attempting. They need to be able to speak due to the Verbal component part of the spell, hence the V, S or Verbal and Somatic components. Also I’m not certain the Tongues spell does what you think it does.
its your bard or warlcocks spell save dc
If you have a Warlock with Devil's Sight, Darkness, and Misty Step. I'd use Enthrall while in Darkness being able to see through it with Devil's Sight to lure a group of enemies into a hidden trap before Misty Stepping away to safety without anyone ever knowing I was there.