What does Feign Death do 5e?
Feign Death in dnd 5e is a necromancy spell that permits any creature touched by the caster to fall into a state indistinguishable from Death briefly. Feign Death is a possibility when the hunter is under a negative pull, as long as nobody else has created a threat to the mob. Feign Death can be useful to remove the hunter from combat and allow for things such as eating, climbing, or any other activity that is not feasible during combat.
Can you use Feign Death on yourself to get rid of yourself in DND 5e?
It’s just a matter of waiting for the time you decide to cast it upon yourself. It’s pretty difficult to use an action and get rid of it if you are disabled. It is not deaf and can maintain focus while pretending to die. It could be a fantastic way to cover up. However, it is extremely precarious.
The versatility that it offers Feign Death be increased by mixing the two Lesser Restoration or Freedom of Movement
The interpretation of RAW is accurate. The interaction is triggered by less restoration. Suppose you cast less restoration on a person affected by feigning. Sight is gone. Death RAW results will be identical to using it for a target afflicted by blindness/deafness contagious, sunbeam, and any other magic spells that impose blindness. It’s odd, however, since with feigning Death, the person being targeted is in the state of blindness and immobile catalepsy. It is nearing Death since they chose to participate in the program, not because they were hurt. I’m guessing that the creators didn’t think about the possibility of performing a less effective restoration on the same subject (or did not even think about it). The RAW causes story dissonance.
The interaction between the freedom of movement
When you cast freedom of movement to the target affected by feigning Death, there’s no chance that the condition will end. Instead, freedom of movement halts some of the consequences of feigning Death.
Here’s the pertinent text from Freedom of Movement:
For the duration, spells or other effects of magic cannot be reduced in the rate of speed.
and from pretending to be dead:
The spell’s duration, the speed of the targets] decreases to the level of 0.
In this situation, we must consult the rules that govern overlaid spell effects. It is to determine the best way to be interacted (see Mixing Effects Magical from the Spellcasting section in the Fundamental Rules):
The effects of various spells are combined, and the duration of the spells overlap.
The RAW results are that these effects are added together. What do you mean by “add the effects of” two effects that are directly contradictory? Because they’re mutually exclusive. One of the spells must supersede the other. Or they’ll cancel each other out, thus imposing no movements on the person who is being targeted that is similar to freedom of movement’s benefits anyway). Which spell should the DM decide? The whole purpose of the freedom of movement is to prevent effects such as this!
Again, thanks to RAW, it is the result of an effect that feigning Death must be overruled. The RAW also leads to a narrative dissonance which I’m sure wasn’t meant to be; therefore, let’s discuss it immediately.
How can you resolve the dissonance?
There’s no evidence to suggest for the claim that this RAW result isn’t a deliberate one. But, you’re asking the question because, just like me, it feels as if it shouldn’t happen in this manner. In your query, “this doesn’t quite seem as if it’s the purpose behind your spell.” Let’s go with the assumption that there’s some dissonance that needs to be worked through.
In my game, feigning Death is more powerful than other spells because my instincts tell me that if you choose to use it, you can’t enjoy your cake and have it all. When you’re at your table, you are free to play the RAW if you feel it can be helpful to create more engaging gameplay or story (magical spying) actions: “huh? What’s that? It’s just a body”) Or, you’re allowed to express your instincts and declare that the feigning of Death overrides. In any event, it’s the responsibility of the DM to manage games logically for their table and them and table, so it’s your responsibility to follow that.
My suggestion is to go towards the most consistent rule for the world of your game and the overall tone of the story you’re trying to create. A cataleptic creature that is indistinguishable from the dead can move and see. Which is more appropriate for you?
In DND, is the victim of Feign Death move, speak, or dodge an incoming fireball?
The victim of Feign Death can not move, speak, or dodge an incoming fireball. They are blinded and incapacitated. So, they cannot take action until the spell ends within 1 hour or until something causes it to end prematurely. The creature affected is unable to do anything. Still, the spell is powerful enough to withstand any physical damage (except psychic injury) and stop disease progression and poison on the affected person. It’s that simple. Feign Death is likely to be the most useful spell for situations in D&D.
The rules as they are written do not specifically state this. Still, I’d stipulate in my game that those affected by this spell are not able to make saving throws and will fail any save that hits an area they are in. Remember that this spell grants protection against all damage as per the words in the spell and is an efficient saving throw in most situations regardless.
For a purely psychological/spiritual/mental assault, I may grant them a save. Still, it would depend on the context and the situation.
The target of this spell suffers from cataleptic, which means that they are in place, stiff and inactive (moving their legs could hurt their body. It is resistant to movement.) As far as anyone who is not their mind is in question, they aren’t accessible. The mind may be at the same place that is frozen for the duration. Catatonic could mean they’ve fallen to the ground and can be moved about as dead weight. That may be splitting hairs, but since words carry significance, I’m assuming that the game’s designers consciously decided to use cataleptic over catatonic.
If they were the victim of a Telepathic Bond spell, I believe they would fall out of it after the occurrence of the spell. They may be pulled into the Astral plane because of the formation that is your Astral body. The connection made by their silver cord could remove the spell’s effects on the body. However, they cannot interact on the Ethereal plane since even the boundary Ethereal is typically an actual physical presence that is somewhat out of phase on the boundary between both the physical and Ethereal planes, and not the mental projection of one to the other. Suppose the cosmology of the D&D universe contained a plane of Dreams and Dreams. In that case, they could be interacted with by using its Dream power or the psionic force with similar effects.
Summary
Source: Player’s Handbook
- Level: 3rd
- School: Necromancy (ritual)
- Time to Cast: 1 action
- Range: Touch
- Components: V, S, Components: V, S, (a small amount from graveyard soil)
- Duration 1 hour
If you touch a willing creature, it goes into a cataleptic mode, which is unassailable from Death.
For the duration of the spell or until you act to contact the target and then end the spell, the target will appear dead to any outside inspection and spells used to identify the condition of the target. The target is incapacitated and blinded, and its speed decreases to zero. The target is immune to all physical damage, but not psychic damage. Suppose the target becomes sick or poisoned after casting this spell or is ill or poisoned during the spell’s effects. In that case, the disease or poison is ineffective until the spell is over.
Spell Lists. Bard, Cleric, Druid, Wizard
What does Feign Death do 5e?
Feign Death in dnd 5e is a necromancy spell that permits any creature touched by the caster to fall into a state indistinguishable from Death briefly. Feign Death is a possibility when the hunter is under a negative pull, as long as nobody else has created a threat to the mob. Feign Death can be useful to remove the hunter from combat and allow for things such as eating, climbing, or any other activity that is not feasible during combat.
Can you use Feign Death on yourself to get rid of yourself in DND 5e?
It’s just a matter of waiting for the time you decide to cast it upon yourself. It’s pretty difficult to use an action and get rid of it if you are disabled. It is not deaf and can maintain focus while pretending to die. It could be a fantastic way to cover up. However, it is extremely precarious.
The versatility that it offers Feign Death be increased by mixing the two Lesser Restoration or Freedom of Movement
The interpretation of RAW is accurate. The interaction is triggered by less restoration. Suppose you cast less restoration on a person affected by feigning. Sight is gone. Death RAW results will be identical to using it for a target afflicted by blindness/deafness contagious, sunbeam, and any other magic spells that impose blindness. It’s odd, however, since with feigning Death, the person being targeted is in the state of blindness and immobile catalepsy. It is nearing Death since they chose to participate in the program, not because they were hurt. I’m guessing that the creators didn’t think about the possibility of performing a less effective restoration on the same subject (or did not even think about it). The RAW causes story dissonance.
The interaction between the freedom of movement
When you cast freedom of movement to the target affected by feigning Death, there’s no chance that the condition will end. Instead, freedom of movement halts some of the consequences of feigning Death.
Here’s the pertinent text from Freedom of Movement:
For the duration, spells or other effects of magic cannot be reduced in the rate of speed.
and from pretending to be dead:
The spell’s duration, the speed of the targets] decreases to the level of 0.
In this situation, we must consult the rules that govern overlaid spell effects. It is to determine the best way to be interacted (see Mixing Effects Magical from the Spellcasting section in the Fundamental Rules):
The effects of various spells are combined, and the duration of the spells overlap.
The RAW results are that these effects are added together. What do you mean by “add the effects of” two effects that are directly contradictory? Because they’re mutually exclusive. One of the spells must supersede the other. Or they’ll cancel each other out, thus imposing no movements on the person who is being targeted that is similar to freedom of movement’s benefits anyway). Which spell should the DM decide? The whole purpose of the freedom of movement is to prevent effects such as this!
Again, thanks to RAW, it is the result of an effect that feigning Death must be overruled. The RAW also leads to a narrative dissonance which I’m sure wasn’t meant to be; therefore, let’s discuss it immediately.
How can you resolve the dissonance?
There’s no evidence to suggest for the claim that this RAW result isn’t a deliberate one. But, you’re asking the question because, just like me, it feels as if it shouldn’t happen in this manner. In your query, “this doesn’t quite seem as if it’s the purpose behind your spell.” Let’s go with the assumption that there’s some dissonance that needs to be worked through.
In my game, feigning Death is more powerful than other spells because my instincts tell me that if you choose to use it, you can’t enjoy your cake and have it all. When you’re at your table, you are free to play the RAW if you feel it can be helpful to create more engaging gameplay or story (magical spying) actions: “huh? What’s that? It’s just a body”) Or, you’re allowed to express your instincts and declare that the feigning of Death overrides. In any event, it’s the responsibility of the DM to manage games logically for their table and them and table, so it’s your responsibility to follow that.
My suggestion is to go towards the most consistent rule for the world of your game and the overall tone of the story you’re trying to create. A cataleptic creature that is indistinguishable from the dead can move and see. Which is more appropriate for you?
In DND, is the victim of Feign Death move, speak, or dodge an incoming fireball?
The victim of Feign Death can not move, speak, or dodge an incoming fireball. They are blinded and incapacitated. So, they cannot take action until the spell ends within 1 hour or until something causes it to end prematurely. The creature affected is unable to do anything. Still, the spell is powerful enough to withstand any physical damage (except psychic injury) and stop disease progression and poison on the affected person. It’s that simple. Feign Death is likely to be the most useful spell for situations in D&D.
The rules as they are written do not specifically state this. Still, I’d stipulate in my game that those affected by this spell are not able to make saving throws and will fail any save that hits an area they are in. Remember that this spell grants protection against all damage as per the words in the spell and is an efficient saving throw in most situations regardless.
For a purely psychological/spiritual/mental assault, I may grant them a save. Still, it would depend on the context and the situation.
The target of this spell suffers from cataleptic, which means that they are in place, stiff and inactive (moving their legs could hurt their body. It is resistant to movement.) As far as anyone who is not their mind is in question, they aren’t accessible. The mind may be at the same place that is frozen for the duration. Catatonic could mean they’ve fallen to the ground and can be moved about as dead weight. That may be splitting hairs, but since words carry significance, I’m assuming that the game’s designers consciously decided to use cataleptic over catatonic.
If they were the victim of a Telepathic Bond spell, I believe they would fall out of it after the occurrence of the spell. They may be pulled into the Astral plane because of the formation that is your Astral body. The connection made by their silver cord could remove the spell’s effects on the body. However, they cannot interact on the Ethereal plane since even the boundary Ethereal is typically an actual physical presence that is somewhat out of phase on the boundary between both the physical and Ethereal planes, and not the mental projection of one to the other. Suppose the cosmology of the D&D universe contained a plane of Dreams and Dreams. In that case, they could be interacted with by using its Dream power or the psionic force with similar effects.
Summary
Source: Player’s Handbook
- Level: 3rd
- School: Necromancy (ritual)
- Time to Cast: 1 action
- Range: Touch
- Components: V, S, Components: V, S, (a small amount from graveyard soil)
- Duration 1 hour
If you touch a willing creature, it goes into a cataleptic mode, which is unassailable from Death.
For the duration of the spell or until you act to contact the target and then end the spell, the target will appear dead to any outside inspection and spells used to identify the condition of the target. The target is incapacitated and blinded, and its speed decreases to zero. The target is immune to all physical damage, but not psychic damage. Suppose the target becomes sick or poisoned after casting this spell or is ill or poisoned during the spell’s effects. In that case, the disease or poison is ineffective until the spell is over.