Calm emotions, how good is this spell?

[djreynolds]

Calm emotions, it looks like it should be on every bards list.

Heroism seems good also, if you don't mind using it in a higher slot for coverage.

[Harrumphreys]

Calm Emotions reads as great, but I don't think it's so effective in practice.

Let's say that you cast it on a group of charging enemies - all it takes is for one or two members of the group to pass their saving throw and you've still got a hostile encounter on your hands.

Also, it depends on how generous of an interpretation your DM has on the 'indifferent' condition.

For me, there are three simple relationships that characters can have with each other (with a spectrum for more complicated social encounters): Friendly, Indifferent, and Hostile.

Your tavern buddy who you meet every Friday night? Friendly. The town guard who reprimands you for knocking over a trader's stall? Indifferent. Orc warband wanting all your stuff? Hostile.

However, I'm pretty certain that Indifferent Orcs would still really really want to take all my belongings and probably see me dead in a ditch. They just won't do it hatefully, and I may get a chance to talk to them before I get an axe in my belly.

I'm pretty sure the lion is indifferent to the gazelle that it is eating.

[Biggstick]

The spells real strength is removing fear and charm effects on your allies.

Dragon's Frightful Presence? No problem!

[JellyPooga]

Calm Emotions is a great spell that is unfortunately down-powered by many GMs, I think.

As Biggstick says, its most reliable use is in removing enemy effects on your allies, which is also a highly situational effect outside of certain games (it's great in Fey themed games, for example).

Used "offensively", on the other hand, it can turn a combat encounter into a social one...if you can get it to stick. Not so reliable against even a small group, but vs. a single target or pair, it can allow your Bard to really leverage his/her high Charisma and other social spells like Charm Person and Suggestion.

[djreynolds]

It seems really cool, well if you can cast and you are not also afraid

I ask this because in the past we had a big thread on berserker barbarians and I'm starting to realize just how good mindless rage is potentially.

We did a one shot at 20th versus Grazz't and aside from the DM allowing him a banishment BS ability, he just used his fear crap and my 20th level Barbearian, did almost nothing and I had resilient wisdom and a 14 in wisdom, +8 to my save. Rolling a 15 is not easy to beat DC23

But in there calm emotions and heroism were discussed... these are good spells

[Tanarii]

It's a fantastic non-combat, or better yet pre-combat, spell that players seem to love to try and insist on using against against enemies that are already attacking ... and then claim is useless for its 'intended' purpose when that fails. :smallconfused:

Seriously, its kind of baffling. Otoh once you get them into the proper mindset that avoiding combat is better than risking death, and that encounter creature doesn't mean automatically fight creature, they usually finally understand its use pdq.

In other words, it's one of those spells that people trained to think of D&D as combat-as-sport don't get until you de-program their brain a bit.

Edit: I think the disconnect is many CaS players think hostile means attacking. Whereas anyone that has played old school D&D (or even just read the DMG) understands this is a starting attitude that is part of social interaction ... which can include the prelimaries to, and attempts to stop, the outbreak of attacking. In other words encounters don't always, or even often, start with both sides charging in like blood thirsty maniacs. Obviously YMMV depending on the adventure & campaign.

[djreynolds]

Calm emotions is a good spell, it just got us out of a jam, we willingly failed our save... fear, frighten, and charm can ruin a party's day