Charm

Charm

The charm spell creates a single tag bag that inflicts 'charm'.

Detailed Information

Charm Calls

A charm effect forces its victim to become friendly with the charm's source. The target hit by charm is overcome with a powerful feeling of friendship towards the charm's source. Charm effects last for ten minutes during which time the victim will not harm or conspire to bring harm to the charm's source.

Sometimes charm only affects certain types of creatures. When this is the case, the attack that calls for "charm" will list what types of creatures in the attack, such as "charm nature". In this example if you were not a nature creature the attack would have no effect on you.

On some unusual occasions there will be no obvious source for a charm effect. If there is no obvious source for a charm effect, the character influenced will become charmed by the first person they see.

Charm effects do not allow a character to issue commands to the charmed character or otherwise compel them to act in any other way. The charmed character will not act in a fashion that will bring harm to themselves or their party members in an attempt to protect the charm's source.

The charm ends immediately if the charm's source attacks or directs an attack on the charmed character, this includes telling others to attack the character. Simply drawing a weapon or starting to cast an offensive spell in the presence of the charmed target does not warrant the charm being broken unless the charm's source directly voices their intention to attack the charmed player.

A charmed character will not give up their possessions without good reason, though they might sell or barter them away to the source for a better price than they would under normal circumstances.

A few rare creatures (and the third rank of status) allow characters to charm others without making an attack. A charm aura is generally communicated by the character looking someone in the eyes and saying "charm" as clearly as possible. Because this effect is unlimited use it is not broken if the charmer attacks the charm victim, but the charm victim may defend themselves (aggressively if desired) they just feel somewhat bad about it. A good example for some is how some siblings might defend themselves from another sibling in a fight.

The charm call never inflicts damage.

Unless modified by another call (such as poison) charm is a compulsion spell effect. Compulsion spells do not count as compulsion spells if there is a type listed, such as dominate undead.

Tag Bags

Tag bags are used as a form of attack for spells, items, and occasionally for monster abilities. When a tag bag hits a friendly target it still has its full effect. Tag bags that miss still expend a use of whatever attack was being delivered. Only the first object hit is affected by a tag bag, so if a tag bag bounced off the ground and then hits a target, that target is not affected.

A player can only throw one tag bag at a time unless an ability allows them to throw more than one. When an ability allows a player to throw more than one tag bag, a player that is hit by multiple tag bags at the same time only takes the effect of that attack once no matter how many tag bags hit them.

A player may not carry tag bags in their hands unless they have cast a spell within the last minute that has a range of tag bag. This is meant to ensure that if you see someone holding a tag bag, it is clear they have an active spell (they are "armed" with a magical ball of eldritch energy). Tag bags created by a spell become inert after 1 minute if not thrown.

In order to deliver a spell with a range of tag bag you MUST throw the tag bag, you may not reach out and touch the person with the tag bag.

Spells with a range of tag bag can be delivered by missile weapons. Bows and crossbows may be fired instead of throwing a tag bag, replacing the normal weapon call with the call for the spell. When this happens the projectile fired follows all the rules for a tag bag making the same call.

Spells and some items use tag bags. If a tag bag makes contact with anything worn by a player it counts as hitting that player where ever that item makes contact with the player (so arm for a melee weapon, torso for a cloak). Tag bags never hit too light. Although tag bags should not be aimed at the head if they happen to hit a player's head the player should take the hit to their torso.

If a shield is struck by a tag bag what happens is based on what kind of attack struck the shield. When the tag bag represents a spell or other magical effect you take any effects the tag bag would inflict to the arm holding the shield. When a tag bag deals normal damage with no additional calls it may be fully blocked by a shield preventing that damage with no further effect. A shield may fully block any attack that makes the poison call, preventing any effect to the bearer. When a shield blocks an attack with the acid call it prevents the effect of that attack to the bearer but this has an effect on the shield, which could become destroyed.

Categories: Compulsion Spells | Spells | Level Two Spells | Charm Calls