Does calm emotions end Bbn rage, or just suppress it?

[Joshua Randall]

Does the calm emotions spell end a barbarian's rage, or merely suppress it? The text of the spell offers either interpretation.

From the 3.5 SRD, with emphasis added:

Calm Emotions
Enchantment (Compulsion) [Mind-Affecting]
Level: Brd 2, Clr 2, Law 2
Components: V, S, DF
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Area: Creatures in a 20-ft.-radius spread
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 round/level (D)
Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes

This spell calms agitated creatures. You have no control over the affected creatures, but​

​

calm emotions can stop raging creatures from fighting or joyous ones from reveling. Creatures so affected cannot take violent actions (although they can defend themselves) or do anything destructive. Any aggressive action against or damage dealt to a calmed creature immediately breaks the spell on all calmed creatures.
​

This spell automatically suppresses (but does not dispel) any morale bonuses granted by spells such as​

​

bless, good hope, and rage, as well as negating a bard’s ability to inspire courage or a barbarian’s rage ability. It also suppresses any fear effects and removes the confused condition from all targets. While the spell lasts, a suppressed spell or effect has no effect. When the calm emotions spell ends, the original spell or effect takes hold of the creature again, provided that its duration has not expired in the meantime.​

The second paragraph contains the ambiguous parts. First, we learn that the spell suppresses moral bonuses granted by spells, but negates a barbarian's rage ability. Second, we learn that while the spell lasts, a suppressed spell or effect has no effect - note that nothing is said about negated abilities. This ommission leads me to believe that negated abilities are simply cut off and do not come back into effect later. However, in the next sentence, we read that the original spell or effect (that was being suppressed?) takes hold of the creature again.​

So, a 1st level barbarian with Con 14 (+2) begins raging. His Con jumps to 18 (+4), so his rage will normally last for 7 rounds. In round 2, a 3rd level cleric casts calm emotions on the barbarian, and is able to concentrate on the spell for 3 rounds. Assuming the barbarian fails his Will save, what happens?​

(A) Bbn can't rage from rounds 2 thru 5 (nor can he take violent actions unless attacked). He then resumes raging for rounds 6 thru 7. Starting in round 8, he is fatigued (as normal) until the end of the encounter.​

or​

(B) Bbn's rage ends in round 2. He is fatigued. From rounds 2 thru 5, he can't take any violent actions unless attacked. Starting in round 6, he can act normally, but is still fatigued (because the encounter is still going on).​

 

[Darklone]

Negate means supressing... so for the duration, the barbarian would not be raging. A.

 

[Particle_Man]

Negate means to nullify. So the barbarian stops raging and doesn't start up again.

 

[Darklone]

When the calm emotions spell ends, the original spell or effect takes hold of the creature again, provided that its duration has not expired in the meantime.

I think this is sufficiently clear.

 

[Khaalis]

I would have to throw my money in with Particle_Man. Its poorly written but ...

The Spell Specifically states:

SUPRESSIONS = "While the spell lasts, a suppressed spell or effect has no effect. When the calm emotions spell ends, the original spell or effect takes hold of the creature again, provided that its duration has not expired in the meantime."
1) "This spell automatically suppresses (but does not dispel) any morale bonuses granted by spells such as bless, good hope, and rage..."
2) "It also suppresses any fear effects..."

NEGATIONS = Per the SRD Negate means ceases to function.
1) "as well as negating a bard’s ability to inspire courage or a barbarian’s rage ability..."
2) "and removes the confused condition from all targets."

"When the calm emotions spell ends, the original spell or effect takes hold of the creature again, provided that its duration has not expired in the meantime."

This sentence applies to the previous sentance.
"While the spell lasts, a suppressed spell or effect has no effect."

The "provided that its duration has not expired in the meantime" is null and mute for a power that has been "NEGATED" by the spell.

JMHO

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

The Barbarian rage is not a magical effect, therefore once it is negated it does not just resume as a spell or other magical effect would once the Calm Emotions spell ends, it is gone.

As DM, if a barbarian were to have his rage knocked out in the first round or two, I might house rule that he is not fatigued, but still cannot rage again that encounter.

 

[Belbarrus]

Here is my take on this:

1) If an ability is already in effect (e.g. a Bard is singing or a Barbarian is raging) Calm Emotions suppresses the benefits. Then, when the CE spell ends, if the ability still has remaining duration, the effect starts up again.
2) If an ability is NOT in effect already (e.g. a Bard is not singing yet or the Barbarian is not raging yet), the CE spell "negates" the ability and the Bard/Barbarian cannot even *start* the effect until the CE is over.

B

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

Here is my take on this:

1) If an ability is already in effect (e.g. a Bard is singing or a Barbarian is raging) Calm Emotions suppresses the benefits. Then, when the CE spell ends, if the ability still has remaining duration, the effect starts up again.
2) If an ability is NOT in effect already (e.g. a Bard is not singing yet or the Barbarian is not raging yet), the CE spell "negates" the ability and the Bard/Barbarian cannot even *start* the effect until the CE is over.

B

OK, I don't understand why people think this is an effect that can just start up again becasue a spell ended. Can a barbarian rage in an anti-magic field? Yes, because it is not a magical effect. The Calm Emotions spell knocks down the barbarian's rage, just like if he ended it early - it takes away the rage so he would need to build it up again to go into a frenzy. He cannot become enraged again during the same encounter.

Likewise a Bard singing to inspire courage cannot work up enough of his own emotion to put it into a song while the spell is in effect. Once the spell is down the bard can try again, but it would be a new use of the ability, not resumption of the same use. If a character that is being inspired by the bard is affected by the spell, but the bard is not, the effect is supressed. The bard is still singing with passion, but the other person is not inspired by it. As soon as the spell ends, if the bard is still singing, the effect returns on that person because the bard reinspires the person (or maybe I'd rule he has a one round delay, just like when the bard first starts singing)

 

[RigaMortus]

It says it negates Barbarian rage. Isn't that cut and dry?

 

[Caliban]

Does the calm emotions spell end a barbarian's rage, or merely suppress it? The text of the spell offers either interpretation.

It negates the barbarian rage, it does not suppress it. Suppressed effects resume when the spell ends, but the barbarian rage was not suppressed, it was negated.

The barbarian rage would not come back.