What does Sanctuary look like?

[ebbisis]

Hello,

I was wondering what players generally imagine the sanctuary spell to look like (If anything)
I have 2 interpretations in my mind. The first is that a invisible shield deflects the incoming attack. The second is the attacker suddenly looses the ability to comprehend the targets location, kind of like looking in to an impossible puzzle.

Looking forward to reading other interpretations.

Kind Regards,
Ben

[Vaz]

What do you want it to look like? There is your answer.

Edit; I mean, even as a player. You might have an Enchantment focused character, who simply casts the spell, and whenever anyone tries to attack them, they end up not being attacked as they are willed not to attack. You might have another who uses Abjuration a lot, which creates a small dome, which redirects the force of the attack, and an illusion based character who has their outlines blurred enough to not attack.

[Zanthy1]

You can have it any way you want (or your DM wants).

Personally I always rule it as a slightly visible aura that makes it so that everyone knows its there.

[ebbisis]

Great interpretations! I like the variation, not all sanctuaries are the same!

[Unoriginal]

Well, it can really be flavored as anything, but since it's not described as a force field or as an illusion making you harder to hit (while others spell do this), and that you have to beat a Wis save to resist it, not Int or Dex, I prefer to imagine it as having no visual effect except maybe a faint light and a circle on the ground, but anyone who tries to attack someone in the zone find themselves unable to direct their limbs to move or to start their power to do that, unless they force themselves.

[ebbisis]

Well, it can really be flavored as anything, but since it's not described as a force field or as an illusion making you harder to hit (while others spell do this), and that you have to beat a Wis save to resist it, not Int or Dex, I prefer to imagine it as having no visual effect except maybe a faint light and a circle on the ground, but anyone who tries to attack someone in the zone find themselves unable to direct their limbs to move or to start their power to do that, unless they force themselves.
Bonus fluff for it fitting well. It also relates to many a (possibly bad ass) trope that is always fun in a game!

[xroads]

Well, it can really be flavored as anything, but since it's not described as a force field or as an illusion making you harder to hit (while others spell do this), and that you have to beat a Wis save to resist it, not Int or Dex, I prefer to imagine it as having no visual effect except maybe a faint light and a circle on the ground, but anyone who tries to attack someone in the zone find themselves unable to direct their limbs to move or to start their power to do that, unless they force themselves.

I agree with Unoriginal. A force field doesn't seem like it really fits the description.

However, an illusion could work. Perhaps the attacker sees his lover for just a brief second. So chooses to attack someone else until he figures out what is going on. This would work especially well for a cleric with either the trickery or arcana domain.

[AureusFulgens]

I played a Light cleric once who used Sanctuary. When he cast it, I found myself imagining a faint glowing column of light around the affected creature emanating from a circle on the ground, all in warm colors of pink and orange and gold. Plus I couldn't help but see my character sitting in the middle cross-legged and meditating. Seemed appropriate somehow.

There's generally a big instinctual component of how I imagine my spells, especially the colors that an effect generates - I never sat down and thought about it, it just popped into my head. (For example, I have no idea why I think sanctuary is warm-colored. A cool blue shield makes just as much sense, but I find that just doesn't fit to me.)

EDIT: If I think about it, I can kind of agree with Unoriginal, though. It seems like it should be a subtler effect. At the very least, I feel like I can imagine my faint column of light only flashing into view when it's hit; otherwise, it might just manifest as a powerful sense of peace when attacking the affected creature, or something.

[BobZan]

I think it as a tranquility radiant force field you conjure in the heat of battle. Like a shelter, a peaceful sanctuary-like 'place' you can invoke to protect self or others. And to do harm from it, you have to brake safety.

[Unoriginal]

Warm colors often evoke a sense of comfort, home, protection and, as the name indicates, warmth. It's kind of logical to associate then with a spell that's a "safe haven"

I imagined it has having a golden glow, but them I thought about it and realized it shouldn't be visible in darkness.

[ebbisis]

All these are great, I seemed to think that the spell had to be the same , but nothing says it has to.
The descriptive elements of the replies here are great. Also the detail is surprising and much welcome.

[AureusFulgens]

Warm colors often evoke a sense of comfort, home, protection and, as the name indicates, warmth. It's kind of logical to associate then with a spell that's a "safe haven"

I imagined it has having a golden glow, but them I thought about it and realized it shouldn't be visible in darkness.

Fascinating. That might very well be it.

I wonder if the fact that I was playing a Light cleric at the time was a factor as well - I associate gold and orange with them. Would I have thought about it as blue if I were playing a Knowledge cleric when I first cast it? Or green if I were playing a Nature cleric? These are the questions that keep me up at night. *not really*

[KorvinStarmast]

When I was playing a Tempest Cleric, my DM one time described me as being surrounded by a "bluish-white aura that crackles and sparkles with little bitty lightning bolts." I liked it.