Does a victim of a charm spell get the +5 bonus if it knows it is a charm being cast?

[frankthedm]

Does a victim of a charm spell get the +5 bonus if it knows it is a charm being cast? Like through use of spellcraft?

Spellcraft DC 15 + spell level = Identify a spell being cast. (You must see or hear the spell’s verbal or somatic components.) No action required. No retry.

Charm Person

Enchantment (Charm) [Mind-Affecting]
Level: Brd 1, Sor/Wiz 1 Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) Target: One humanoid creature Duration: 1 hour/level Saving Throw: Will negates Spell Resistance: Yes

This charm makes a humanoid creature regard you as its trusted friend and ally (treat the target’s attitude as friendly). If the creature is currently being threatened or attacked by you or your allies, however, it receives a +5 bonus on its saving throw.

The spell does not enable you to control the charmed person as if it were an automaton, but it perceives your words and actions in the most favorable way. You can try to give the subject orders, but you must win an opposed Charisma check to convince it to do anything it wouldn’t ordinarily do. (Retries are not allowed.) An affected creature never obeys suicidal or obviously harmful orders, but it might be convinced that something very dangerous is worth doing. Any act by you or your apparent allies that threatens the charmed person breaks the spell. You must speak the person’s language to communicate your commands, or else be good at pantomiming.

Charm Animal

Enchantment (Charm) [Mind-Affecting]
Level: Drd 1, Rgr 1 Target: One animal

This spell functions like charm person, except that it affects a creature of the animal type.

Charm Monster

Enchantment (Charm) [Mind-Affecting]
Level: Brd 3, Sor/Wiz 4 Target: One living creature Duration: One day/level

This spell functions like charm person, except that the effect is not restricted by creature type or size.

Charm Monster, Mass

Enchantment (Charm) [Mind-Affecting]
Level: Brd 6, Sor/Wiz 8 Components: V Targets: One or more creatures, no two of which can be more than 30 ft. apart Duration: One day/level

This spell functions like charm monster, except that mass charm monster affects a number of creatures whose combined HD do not exceed twice your level, or at least one creature regardless of HD. If there are more potential targets than you can affect, you choose them one at a time until you choose a creature with too many HD.

 

[Ogrork the Mighty]

I'd say no. You might know that a charm spell is being cast, but you don't know on who (until it's too late).

Also, this would significantly nerf the spell against spellcasters...

 

[Rkhet]

I'd say yes. If you reasonably suspect that someone is trying to charm you, then that definitely counts as a threat/attack.

Charm is pretty much useless against casters anyway. It doesn't really matter there.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Charm is pretty much useless against casters anyway. It doesn't really matter there.

Heh. We just had two characters charmed by a naga. Both were 10th level casters

-Hyp.

 

[Rkhet]

Bah. Anecdotal evidence is teh suck.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Bah. Anecdotal evidence is teh suck.

It was quite amusing.

"Hey - you've been charmed!"
"That's entirely possible, but even if it's true, doesn't it just provide more evidence for my point? She's only using non-violent means to defend herself! If you'd just stop attacking her for a moment...!"

-Hyp.

 

[amethal]

It was quite amusing.

"Hey - you've been charmed!"
"That's entirely possible, but even if it's true, doesn't it just provide more evidence for my point? She's only using non-violent means to defend herself! If you'd just stop attacking her for a moment...!"

-Hyp.

I like it!

One of my players jumped at the opportunity to have his charmed character attack another character

(the players are friends, but have great fun having the characters dislike each other)

on the grounds that it was simply in defence of "my friend the mind flayer". Not a phrase you see used very often!

 

[William_2]

I think that a character/player who is smart enough to identify a spell that someone is (first of all) blatantly casting at them should definitely receive the bonus. Frankly, I’m not sure they shouldn’t get it even if the check fails – you are casting something at me, and I regard it as threatening…the rules don’t say I have to know the spell to get the bonus. I suppose that is not the intent, however.