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Suggestion

Enchantment
Level: 2nd-level
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 30 feet
Duration: Up to 8 hours
Components: V, M
Materials: A snake's tongue and either a bit of honeycomb or a drop of sweet oil.

You suggest a course of activity (limited to a sentence or two) and magically influence a creature you can see within range that can hear and understand you. Creatures that can't be charmed are immune to this effect. The suggestion must be worded in such a manner as to make the course of action sound reasonable. Asking the creature to stab itself, throw itself onto a spear, immolate itself, or do some other obviously harmful act ends the spell. The target must make a wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, it pursues the course of action you described to the best of its ability. The suggested course of action can continue for the entire duration. If the suggested activity can be completed in a shorter time, the spell ends when the subject finishes what it was asked to do. You can also specify conditions that will trigger a special activity during the duration. For example, you might suggest that a knight give her warhorse to the first beggar she meets. If the condition isn't met before the spell expires, the activity isn't performed. If you or any of your companions damage the target, the spell ends.

Concentration

Spell Details

School: Enchantment
Level: 2
Ritual: No
Concentration: Yes
Classes: Bard, Cleric, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard
A-Tier Versatile control spell that bypasses damage entirely; excellent for solving problems outside combat and disabling threats tactically.

Player Guide

Use Suggestion to remove enemies from combat without violence: convince a foe to 'lay down your weapon and step back,' redirect a caster away from your group, or make enemies waste turns on harmless actions. The beauty lies in phrasing—requests that sound reasonable to the target bypass suspicion (suggest a guard 'take a break and sit down' rather than 'abandon your post'). Save this for critical moments or roleplay scenarios where combat isn't ideal, as creatures often resist overtly self-destructive commands and the spell breaks if you or allies harm the target.

DM Tips

Remember the spell ends if you or allies harm the target, and obviously self-destructive suggestions (like 'stab yourself') allow a new save—enforce reasonable phrasing from casters. Suggestion shines in roleplay and investigation; don't let it replace tactics entirely in combat-heavy campaigns.