Antipathy/Sympathy: Should I Stay or Should I Go?
Spell Level: 8
School: Enchantment
Casting Time: 1 hour
Range: 60 feet
Duration: 10 days
Components: V, S, M (either a lump of alum soaked in vinegar for the Antipathy effect or a drop of honey for the Sympathy effect)
This spell attracts or repels creatures of your choice. You target something within range, either a Huge or smaller object or creature or an area that is no larger than a 200-foot cube. Then specify a kind of intelligent creature, such as red dragons, goblins, or vampires. You invest the target with an aura that either attracts or repels the specified creatures for the duration. Choose antipathy or sympathy as the aura’s effect.
Antipathy. The enchantment causes creatures of the kind you designated to feel an intense urge to leave the area and avoid the target. When such a creature can see the target or comes within 60 feet of it, the creature must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or become frightened. The creature remains frightened while it can see the target or is within 60 feet of it. While frightened by the target, the creature must use its movement to move to the nearest safe spot from which it can’t see the target. If the creature moves more than 60 feet from the target and can’t see it, the creature is no longer frightened, but the creature becomes frightened again if it regains sight of the target or moves within 60 feet of it.
Sympathy. The enchantment causes the specified creatures to feel an intense urge to approach the target while within 60 feet of it or able to see it. When such a creature can see the target or comes within 60 feet of it, the creature must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or use its movement on each of its turns to enter the area or move within reach of the target. When the creature has done so, it can’t willingly move away from the target. If the target damages or otherwise harms an affected creature, the affected creature can make a Wisdom saving throw to end the effect, as described below.
Ending the Effect. If an affected creature ends its turn while not within 60 feet of the target or able to see it, the creature makes a Wisdom saving throw. On a successful save, the creature is no longer affected by the target and recognizes the feeling of repugnance or attraction as magical. In addition, a creature affected by the spell is allowed another Wisdom saving throw every 24 hours while the spell persists.
A creature that successfully saves against this effect is immune to it for 1 minute, after which time it can be affected again.
Review by Sam West, Twitter: @CrierKobold
We all have been or knew that one kid in school who just seemed to repel friends. Likewise, we all knew the popular kids surrounded by hordes of people, seemingly magnetizing everyone in the vicinity towards them. It felt impossible not to like them. If you’re looking to have the power to turn anyone or thing into one of those two people, Antipathy/Sympathy has your back… for an 8th level spell.
Fundamentally this spell is offering you a fear effect akin to a dragon’s frightful presence or a compulsion to move towards an object for up to ten days. I can’t conceive of ways in the majority of games I’ve run or played in where I would want to spend an hour and my 8th level slot doing this kind of thing. Because it lasts ten days, though, I have a hard time just writing it off because often this will be just something you cast in the week prior to the adventure, basically for free. In that instance, it can be just a passive bonus for having 8th level slots.
Having it affect a specific monster as opposed to monster type majorly detracts from the power here. Upper tier fights normally aren’t going to be centered around a swarm of a single entity. You’re going to see suites of monsters supporting each other with diverse abilities. Dungeons tend to field diverse threats room to room, making it so most of the time this 8th level option is affecting just one or two fights per adventure, and only when you have some semblance of an idea as to what monsters you will be facing. As a druid who can prepare this without worrying about any cost at all, that really doesn’t matter. As a wizard with gold costs and limited spells in your spellbook, is this minimal effect worth that cost? I’m inclined to say no, it's not.
All things considered, a free fear or compulsion if you have some downtime for an adventure is perfectly fine. This isn’t something you should ever be spending your 8th level slot on mid adventure, as the effects are pitiful compared to other 6th-8th level effects. For its duration, if you’re a druid, this ends up feeling like a pretty decent downtime buff you can stick on your barbarians and paladins without much worry. As a wizard, this is a bit more of an ask to take, but if you’re in a game with ample downtime and want to cast this a few times before your quest begins, it’ll cost you so little it can feel worth it.
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