D&D 5E Fear spell HELP!!!

[GMforPowergamers]

fear 3 level
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self- 30-foot cone
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
You project a phantam image of a creature’s worst fears. Each creature in a 30-foot cone must succeed on a Wis saving throw or drop whatever it is holding and be frightened for the duration.
While frightened by this spell, a creature must take the Dash action and move away from you by the safest available route on each of its turns, unless there is where to move. If the creature ends its turn in a location where it doesn’t have line of sight to you, the creature can make another saving throw. On a successful save, the spell ends for that creature.

ok so last night we used this spell for the first time in this edition...and we had a minor argument.

the caster belives that the duration means every round he concentrats on it everyone in the AOE has to make the save...

the DM belives if you make the save that is it, the duration is for the effect not the save.

 

[Lidgar]

The DM is correct.

Concentration is used to maintain the spell through it's full duration within the area of effect.

If a creature makes it save, the spell ends for that creature. Meaning for this casting of the spell, the creature is no longer affected by it.

 

[OB1]

On a successful save, the spell ends for that creature.

I'd say the DM is making a RAI ruling here (she's correct either way ). Once you save once the spell has no further effect on you.

 

[Raunalyn]

To add clarity:

As long as the creature can see the caster, it does not get a save (other than the original save).

 

[Gadget]

You know, just as an interesting tangent, it might be worthwhile to apply the player's interpretation to some of these save-every-round spells as an experiment; a few of them are a bit on the weak side (Ray of Enfeeblement, I'm looking at you).

 

[MarkB]

I can see the player's side of it though, assuming I'm interpreting the OP correctly. Since the spell talks about breaking line of sight to the caster, he's clearly continuing to maintain the visual effect throughout the spell's duration. If another creature enters that 30-foot cone after the initial casting, should it have to make a save to avoid becoming affected by the spell?

 

[Lidgar]

If another creature enters that 30-foot cone after the initial casting, should it have to make a save to avoid becoming affected by the spell?

I would say yes. The way I interpret the spell is:

1. If a creature fails it's initial save when the spell is cast, it remains frightened until it loses it's line of site with the caster. At that point, it can attempt another save, and if it succeeds the save, is no longer affected by that casting of the spell.

2. Since the range is self - 30-foot cone, I take this to mean it is a 30' cone that projects from the caster. Therefore, as long as the caster maintains concentration, the caster can move the cone to affect new targets, or new targets moving into the cone could be affected.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

full situation:

3 bad guys, 5 PCs, and 2 animals under PC control.

the wizard cast fear coneing without hitting a PC, but hitting all 3 NPCs. 2 failed saves, 1 made save. One of the two that failed ran away intirely, and the second one got hit and killed well running...but the one that made it, the wizard player wants to have to save again...

 

[Lidgar]

If I were DM'ing I would say no, that NPC that made the initial save does not need to save again, even if the Wizard retargeted the cone at it. The Wizard would have to cast the spell again to potentially affect it.

 

[Maxperson]

full situation:

3 bad guys, 5 PCs, and 2 animals under PC control.

the wizard cast fear coneing without hitting a PC, but hitting all 3 NPCs. 2 failed saves, 1 made save. One of the two that failed ran away intirely, and the second one got hit and killed well running...but the one that made it, the wizard player wants to have to save again...

That's a clear no. The spell has ended for that creature. It's done. Concentration doesn't recast the spell.