A Deep Dive into AD&D 2e Spells: Friends

1st Level Spells, Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, Old School, Spell Deep Dive, Wizard Spells
  • Level: 1
  • Range: 0
  • Components: V, S, M
  • Duration: 1d4 rounds + 1 round/level
  • Casting Time: 1
  • Area of Effect: 60-foot radius
  • Saving Throw: Special

If Charm Person is a scalpel used for long-term psychological manipulation, Friends is a social flashbang. This Enchantment/Charm spell doesn’t create a lasting bond; it creates a sudden, overwhelming aura of magnetism that temporarily shifts the attitude of everyone in the room. However, it is notorious among veteran players for its incredibly short duration and its guaranteed, often violent, social backlash. It is a panic button for the charismatic wizard, designed to defuse an immediate threat just long enough to escape.

Functional Overview

Upon casting, the wizard’s personal presence is magnified to supernatural levels, temporarily granting a boost of 2d4 points of Charisma.

  • The Reaction Check: Every intelligent creature within a massive 60-foot radius must immediately roll a reaction check based on the wizard’s newly inflated Charisma score.
  • The “Special” Saving Throw: The spell doesn’t force a standard Save vs. Spell. Instead, the “save” is the 2d10 reaction roll itself, modified by the wizard’s temporarily god-like Charisma.
  • The Shifted Attitude: Favorable reactions cause creatures to become instantly helpful. Bureaucrats waive paperwork, guards gossip, and hostile monsters might decide to take the wizard alive rather than killing them on the spot.
  • The Makeup Requirement: The material component is highly specific: the caster must apply chalk, soot, and vermilion (red pigment) to their face before casting.
  • The Hangover: When the spell expires (a mere 1d4 + level rounds later), all affected creatures immediately realize they were magically influenced, and their reactions revert—often shifting to extreme hostility.

Tactical Insights & Exploits

When examining the gritty mechanics of AD&D 2e, Friends requires careful timing and an understanding of the game’s core social tables to use effectively:

1. The “Table 6” Synergy Hack

In AD&D 2e, Charisma dictates the Reaction Adjustment (PHB Table 6). A wizard with a base Charisma of 12 who rolls an 8 on their 2d4 boost suddenly has a Charisma of 20. This grants a massive +7 to reaction rolls. Because the standard encounter reaction is rolled on 2d10, a +7 modifier fundamentally breaks the math in the wizard’s favor, turning almost any hostile roll into a cautious or friendly one.

2. The “War Paint” Problem

The material component is the spell’s greatest tactical hurdle. You cannot cast Friends subtly in the middle of a tense negotiation. You must smear white chalk, black soot, and red paste on your face. Because this takes physical preparation, a wizard must either apply the “makeup” before kicking down a dungeon door, or look like a lunatic frantically painting their face while city guards draw their swords.

3. The Area of Effect Advantage

While Charm Person targets a single humanoid, Friends hits a 60-foot radius. This makes it the premier spell for dealing with angry mobs, large goblin patrols, or an entire room of hostile tavern patrons. It is an unparalleled crowd-control tool for non-combat encounters.

4. The Inevitable Backlash

The text is explicit: When the spell wears off, the creatures realize that they have been influenced. If a 1st-level wizard casts this to get past a city gate guard, the spell will last an average of 3 or 4 rounds (roughly 3-4 minutes). The moment the wizard is down the street, the spell breaks, the guard realizes they were magically manipulated, and the alarm is sounded. This is a spell designed for hit-and-run diplomacy, not permanent alliances.

Research & Acquisition

Friends requires the wizard to study the magical manipulation of pheromones and psychological magnetism.

  • Research Time: 1d10 + 1 weeks.
  • Financial Investment: 100–1,000 gp.
  • Material Components: Chalk (or white flour), lampblack (soot), and vermilion.

Theoretical Variants

Enchanters often focus their research on mitigating the spell’s severe social drawbacks:

  • Subtle Visage (Level 2 Research): This variant removes the bizarre “face paint” material component, substituting it with a sweet-smelling perfume or crushed rose petals. This allows the wizard to cast the spell discreetly during high-society negotiations.
  • Lingering Affection (Level 2 Research): Addresses the “hangover” effect. When the spell expires, the targets do not immediately realize they were magically influenced. Instead, they simply believe the wizard was incredibly persuasive, though they may still regret their actions later based on normal logic.
  • Aura of Command (Level 3 Research): Instead of making the targets friendly, this variant utilizes the temporary Charisma boost to inflict terror and awe. The reaction checks are forced to determine morale and surrender, rather than friendliness, making it a potent combat-ender against low-level humanoids.

The Verdict

Friends is a highly potent, highly dangerous social weapon. It is capable of turning a lethal ambush into a peaceful parley with a single action, thanks to its massive AoE and manipulation of the Charisma tables. However, its strange material components and guaranteed hostile backlash mean it should only be cast by a wizard who already has an exit strategy prepared.