D&D 5E Does the "Friends" cantrip need a fix?

[NotAYakk]

10 minutes, and make it "the next time they see you" they realize and become hostile.

 

[Stormonu]

This spell is garbage, mainly because of the Hostile bit at the spell's end. That needs to be removed. To keep it from being overpowered, it needs to have a kicker like "if you fail any of the Charisma checks with this spell, the spell instantly ends and you cannot affect the same target for 24 hours". That should be sufficient. Not auto hostile, but can't magically influence the target with this spell for a day.

You could go further and give it a 10 minute duration, but the above restriction AND you can't use it on a target more than once per long rest, success or failure. Or perhaps, the target gets an initial save against the spell (Wisdom?).

 

[Irlo]

I lean toward eliminating the hostility but imposing disadvantage on subsequent Charisma checks toward the same creature after the spell ends, but I'm not sure how I'd handle subsequent castings of the cantrip.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Sorry, but they shot you when you started casting.

Also, it's only advantage, not mind control, so it doesn't change their perception.

Oh and it wore off when you were half a block away bringing the entire garrison looking for a jedi. Mission failed

So, yeah, I only wish it were that cool.

Yeah, there's no reason to believe those stormtroopers suddenly became hostile to Obi-Wan less than a minute after he left. I expect Friends was supposed to evoke that idea, but game balance makes it suck for that purpose.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Well not to nitpick but Obi Wan •did• use a somatic component, kind of at least, with his little hand wavy thing that he does so mysteriously while he does his mind trick - Qui Gon in Episode 1 does the same somatic component with the blue flying dude and gets called out on it if I recall.

But I agree about the components. I'd at least drop the material component no doubt for the spell.

He got called out because it didn't work.

 

[Gadget]

I think it is clear now that the cantrip, much like true strike, was intended to be a cool little boost, but the design was overly restricted to avoid 'overpowering' it. I would either extend the duration, or remove the automatic hostile condition. Perhaps make it so they only become hostile if you fail a check. That gives a downside to overuse.