Charisma in Combat

by VaranSL

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Charisma in Combat

Combat is all about attacking, defending, and trying to get the drop on your enemy. Those with a strong personality can easily bring it into a fight, allowing them to trick and fool their opponents, forcing them to create openings or simply distracting them while your allies go in for the kill.

Fascinating Display

You put on a performance to distract and confuse a creature, using your Action to perform. The target of this effect must be able to see you and your performance.

Putting on a performance, you attempt to hold the attention of a creature you can see that is within 30 feet. You roll a Charisma (Performance) check contested by the target's Wisdom saving throw. If you succeed, the creature is enthralled by your performance until the end of your next turn, a creature takes a hostile action towards them, or they can no longer see your performance. While a creature is distracted in this way, your allies can attempt to Hide while in bright light and with no cover from that creature or even attempt something sneaky around them.

You have disadvantage on this check if you or your allies have made aggressive moves against the target, such as yelling insults or threatening violence, and a creature is immune to this effect if you or your party have taken hostile actions against them, like attacking or casting a spell. You can continue this performance on your turn without having to make a new check so long as you do nothing else with your Action but continue to perform.

Feint

When you want to distract a creature for an attack, you can use your Bonus Action to make a feint. The target of your feint must be within melee range and can clearly see you.

Using at least one hand to distract the creature from your weapon, you try to draw their attention away. You roll a Charisma (Deception or Performance) check, your choice, contested by the target's Wisdom (Insight) check. If you succeed, you gain advantage on your next attack roll this turn against the creature.

Intimidating Presence

You attempt to scare a creature who is within 30 feet of you and who can see you, using your Bonus Action to frighten them. The target of this effect must be able to see you or hear you.

You below with anger or make a disturbing sign at a creature. You roll a Charisma (Intimidation) check contested by the target's Wisdom saving throw. If you succeed, the creature is scared of you and has disadvantage on their next ability check or attack roll, whichever comes first. This ends early if they can no longer see you or hear you. Once a creature is shaken in this way, they are temporarily immune to this effect for 1 minute from you.

You can instead use your Action to truly frighten your target. Attempt the same check, but instead of disadvantage, you impose a 1d4 penalty on all ability checks and attack rolls until the end of their next turn.

Misdirection

You are attempting to distract a creature so you can flee, you can use your Bonus Action to attempt to misled them. The target of your misdirection must be able to hear and see you. If the target doesn't speak the same language as you, you have disadvantage on this attempt.

Shouting a warning or announcing something surprising, you try to make the target briefly look away. You roll a Charisma (Deception) check contested by the target's Wisdom saving throw. If you succeed, you can immediately move five feet away from the creature without incurring an Opportunity Attack, this uses a portion of your Speed.

Over Here

You try to grab a creature's attention at the last moment, briefly breaking their focus.

When a creature you can see, and is within 30 feet of you, is about to make a check to Hide, you can use your Reaction to suddenly scream, perform, or attract another creature's attention to you. The target must be able to see you or hear you. You attempt a Charisma (Deception or Performance) check contested by a creature's Wisdom (Perception) check. On a success, you impose a -5 penalty on the target creature's passive Perception for the Hide check.

Truce

You attempt to calm down a creature within 30 feet of you or try to get them to surrender. You can use your Action to attempt to end hostilities. The target must be able to hear you. If the target doesn't speak the same language as you, you have disadvantage on this attempt.

Holding your hands up and making calls for peace, you try to make the target creature follow you. You roll a Charisma (Persuasion) check contested by the target's Wisdom (Insight) check. On a success, they think you are attempting to end hostilities without any tricks. The GM decides what actions might be appropriate, but a creature quickly changes its mind if any enemies move closer to it, begin casting spells, or try any sudden movements, like attacking. Some creatures may still react with hostility towards you even if you succeed.

In addition, the target gets a special reaction they can take, if it becomes their turn and they choose to wait and see how you and your party act. They briefly ready their entire turn, including Bonus Action, Action, and Movement, and wait to see what happens. They can then use their reaction to immediately take their entire turn if they are treated with hostilities or duplicity on you or your team's part. Once you break this truce by hostile action, the target creature is immune to such attempts in the future from you.

If you are attempting to calm down a beast or monstrosity with an Intelligence score of 5 or less, you can instead attempt a Wisdom (Animal Handling) check.

Variant Rule

Multiple Targets with Proficiency

These checks assume you can only target a single creature with these special actions. With this rule, you can target a number of creatures equal to half your Proficiency Bonus.