Are you a Dungeon Master looking to level up every aspect of your game? Then let’s dig into the Friends cantrip in D&D 5e. This potent spell can add depth and complexity to your roleplaying sessions, plus it’s a great way to give your players an edge in social interactions. But first, let’s look at what this spell does, how it works, and some of its special rules.
Friends is a charming spell that is targeted at the spellcaster casting it. When activated, the caster gains advantage on all Charisma checks focused on one creature that isn’t already hostile towards the caster. After the spell ends, the targeted creature knows the caster used magic to influence the social encounter and becomes hostile toward the caster. Violent creatures will likely attack the caster. Less violent creatures will be resentful and seek revenge in other ways, depending on their nature. This makes it a handy tool for roleplaying and social interactions as it allows players to get out of tricky situations or gain trust from NPCs quickly.
The Friends cantrip is an excellent spell for social interactions because it can make any social encounters easier while providing real consequences. As a dungeon master, getting your players to loosen up and actually roleplay can be challenging. With Friends, you can help your shy player by playing the part of an NPC that is much more amicable to them and possibly even making the encounter much more silly. Once they start laughing, they’ll loosen up and enjoy the encounter that much more.
When using friends on an NPC, keep in mind that its effects are temporary—the duration is only one minute, so use it wisely! Additionally, remember that the results are not foolproof; if the NPC has strong feelings against the caster or their party members, they may still refuse them despite being under its influence. However, this charm can work wonders when convincing or negotiating with NPCs! Finally, remember that once the spell is finished, the NPC will know you charmed them and react negatively towards you.
This is where things get tricky. The PHB says you can direct the spell at “one creature of your choice that isn’t hostile toward you.” The word “hostile” is the operant word there, so the answer to this question depends on your DM’s definition of hostile. For the most part, casting friends at an enemy will generally not work. You’d be better off using it towards someone who is, at worst neutral towards you. On the flip side, if you’re a DM and one of your players does this, you could allow it while letting the post-spell consequences be much worse.
There are plenty of ways for players to combine friends with other spells and abilities for a more significant impact. For example, combining this cantrip with charm person gives casters an even stronger hold over their targets while ensuring their safety at all times! Another great use of the spell would be to use Disguise Self and then Friends so that the person assumes they are friends with someone else, thus directing the consequences at a different person.
While this enchanting spell has many benefits, some drawbacks must be considered before casting it. Firstly, if misused or abused, PCs could build an untrustworthy reputation. Secondly, the natural reaction of someone charmed with a Friends spell is an aversion to the caster. If done enough, the person might go from neutrally treating the party to seeking their demise. Therefore, I recommend only using this spell with NPCs you intend to avoid seeing again.
Because the Friends cantrip is just that, a cantrip, there are obviously other spells you can use to impact social interactions. Let’s talk about additional cantrips because higher-level spells will always have more of an impact.
Though not necessarily a Charming cantrip, Prestidigitation could be used to display tricks to NPCs, gaining favor in their eyes. Guidance can be used to give yourself a small buff before going into a social interaction. Minor Illusion can help convince an NPC of a lie you’ve told, and Thaumaturgy can aid in any intimidation checks. The only limitations are your limitations.
Though it’s a cantrip, never underestimate the power of Friends. This article discussed what ‘Friends’ entails, how best to use it while avoiding risks like metagaming & abuse, and alternatives available should you decide not to go ahead with ‘Friends’ during your next encounter/campaign session. So go ahead—explore all possibilities & let us know below how ‘Friends’ worked out for you during your next campaign session!
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