A History of Magic: Enchantment Subschools and Selected Spells (D&D)

Contents

Previously: The History of Enchantment

Enchantment Subschools: Charm, Compulsion.

                Charm: A charm spell is a subtle manipulation, changes how the subject views you or others, typically making it see you as a good friend.

Compulsion: A compulsion spell forces the subject to act in some manner or changes the way her mind works. Some compulsion spells determine the subject’s actions or the effects on the subject, some compulsion spells allow you to determine the subject’s actions when you cast the spell, and others give you ongoing control over the subject.

Selected Spells:

Fundamental Compulsion

Enchantment cantrip (compulsion)

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: touch

Components: V, S, M (a chip of moonstone)

Duration: Instantaneous

You violently forge a psychic link with your target. Your target makes a Wisdom saving throw. If they fail you they take up to 1d4 psychic damage. You may choose to deal less than the damage rolled, to a minimum of 0.

Further, during your next turn you may target the same individual with this cantrip and either using a range of 120 feet or dealing double damage on a failed save. If you use either of these benefits and the target succeeds at their save you suffer 2d4 psychic damage.

This spell's damage increases by 1d4 when you reach 5th level (2d4), 11th level (3d4), and 17th level (4d4).

Soothing Touch

enchantment cantrip (charm)

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Touch

Components: V, S, M (a small piece of fur or sprig of mint)

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 round
You attempt to suppress strong emotions in a humanoid. Your target must make a Charisma saving throw; a creature can choose to fail this saving throw if it wishes. If a creature fails its saving throw, choose one of the following two effects.
You can suppress any one effect causing a target to be charmed or frightened. When this spell ends any suppressed effect resumes, provided that its duration has not expired in the mean time.
Alternatively, you can choose to make a target indifferent about creatures of your choice that it is hostile toward. This indifference ends if the target is attacked or harmed by a spell or if it witnesses any of its friends being harmed. When the spell ends the creature becomes hostile again, unless the DM rules otherwise.
In either case after the spell ends, during their turn, the creature realizes that you used magic to influence its mood and may become hostile towards you.

Next: The History of Illusion

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More of those evolutionary cantrips. I very much like these and can see a clear place for them in broader play, though. I have a fondness for the idea that a wizard who wants to deeply specialize should be able to shape those always-used abilities around that speciality. I've also leaned in a little on giving rules teeth to some of the things I discussed in the history section.