Hold Person

Level 2 Enchantment spell available to Bards, Clerics, Druids, Sorcerers, Warlocks, and Wizards. One Wisdom save and a humanoid is Paralysed for ten turns: it cannot move, act, or react, and every melee hit against it is an automatic critical. This is the best control spell at Level 2 and it might be the best spell in the tier.

Spell description: Paralyse a humanoid creature, making it unable to move or act. At the end of each turn, the creature can try to free itself.

Spell properties

• Range: 18m (60ft)
• Duration: 10 turns
• Concentration spell
• Save: WIS save
• Conditions applied: Held. The creature cannot move, act, or react. Attacks made from within 3m are always Critical Hits.
• Cost: Action + Spell Slot
• Recharge: Per action

Spell upcasting

Affects an additional target for each spell slot level above the 2nd.

How to obtain Hold Person

• Bard, Cleric, Druid, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard at Class level 3

Source items: Band of the Mystic Scoundrel, Stillmaker, Scroll of Hold Person

When to cast Hold Person

A Held creature is a punching bag. Every attack from within 3m is a guaranteed critical hit, so your Rogue’s Sneak Attack doubles, your Paladin’s Smite doubles, and your Fighter’s three swings all crit. A single failed save usually means the target dies before it gets to roll again.

It only works on humanoids, which sounds like a limit and mostly is not. Cultists, bandits, drow, gith, goblins, most of the named villains: humanoid. Beasts, undead, and constructs are immune, so keep something else ready in the Underdark.

Upcast it and it holds an extra target per slot level. A Level 4 Hold Person that lands on three enemies is a fight that is already over. It is Concentration, so keep your caster somewhere safe and let the melee characters do the rest.

The target repeats its save every turn, so it will not stay Held forever. Go straight for the kill the turn it fails. Do not spend the free crits on a Bless.