Contingency and Modify Memory

[Grixis]

Say I use Contingency to cast Modify Memory when I'm affected by the frightened condition. Could I use it to convince myself to forget the last round, effectively erasing my memory of being frightened and thus removing the condition?

Are there other potential uses of these two spells together?

[Daishain]

Could I use it to convince myself to forget the last round, effectively erasing my memory of being frightened and thus removing the condition?That's going to be up to your DM, as RAW doesn't cover that scenario. A particularly conservative DM and/or one bound by AL rules will likely just say no.

As for my judgment if you want a point of reference, it depends on the Source of the fear. If it is an ongoing external effect (a dragon's fear aura for instance), I'll let it remove the fear, but you immediately have to make your save again. If it is an external effect that is already over, then the answer is yes. If the source of the fear is however magical in nature, then the answer is no, as it doesn't depend on your memories.

I have to say, there are much better uses for a contingency spell than removing a single non immediately life threatening debuff. Otiluke's Resilient Sphere, Dimension Door, Revivify, Death Ward, Polymorph, to name just a few.

If you do find fear to be so worrisome, depending on what you're going up against you could try using Protection from Evil and Good instead of modify memory. Makes you immune to charm, fear, and possession from most of the creatures capable of producing those effects.

As for Modify Memory, that one is... not great for a contingency spell. In order for it to work effectively, the altered memories much match the situation at hand. Since you would have to define the new memories when you case contingency, you had better be good at predicting what memories are needed.

[smcmike]

Fun idea! I don't think it would work.

Modify memory doesn't appear to work on the caster. Also, the effect of the spell is to incapacitate the target. That seems bad. Also, I don't think it would remove the frightened condition, even if your removed the scary memory.

Still, it's a fun idea to play around with if you rewrite the spells to make it work. Rewriting your own memories on purpose is a fun idea in its own right, and rewriting them based upon some future contingency, even better.

The only actual purposes I can think of are basically torture-proofing some information you have,or some variation of that idea. Defending your current intentions from your future self's temptations.

[Shaofoo]

Contingency says that the spell has to target you and Modify Memory says that it can only target another creature so it is an illegal choice for Contingency. Besides you need to be incapacitated for a full minute and not only that but since you lose concentration as soon as you are incapacitated you are unable to affect yourself since you lose concentration on the spell as soon as it takes effect.

[Slipperychicken]

Even if it did work, making yourself forget a whole round of combat, during that same combat, sounds like a horrible idea.