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Message: <blockquote data-quote="iserith" data-source="post: 6645156" data-attributes="member: 97077">Let's look at the Social Interaction guidelines in the DMG (pages 244-245).An Indifferent creature will offer no help but does no harm. After some roleplaying and a DC 10 check (presuming the DM thinks there is uncertainty as to the outcome), the creature does as asked as long as no risks or sacrifices are involved. With a DC 20 check, the creature accepts a minor risk or sacrifice to do as asked.A Friendly creature does as asked without taking risks or making sacrifices. After some roleplaying and a DC 10 check (presuming the DM thinks there is uncertainty as to the outcome), the creature accepts a minor risk or sacrifice to do as asked. With a DC 20 check, the creature accepts a significant risk or sacrifice to do as asked.So as you can see, getting a creature to a Friendly attitude can have some significant benefits in that he, she, or it will be willing to accept a significant risk or sacrifice for you. Charm person can make this happen. An Indifferent creature won't do this no matter how high you roll. Unlike charm person, friends is a spell you cast on yourself and it does not change a creature's attitude. It simply gives you advantage on your Charisma checks (if you need to make any). It's helpful for getting someone to do a thing for you within the limits of their current (Indifferent or Friendly) attitude. Charm person works on a Hostile creature, improves its attitude to Friendly, and gives you advantage on ability checks when interacting socially with that creature. And for an hour to boot.The short duration and the drawback of turning an Indifferent or Friendly creature Hostile is the rub when it comes friends. But Hostile doesn't necessarily mean violent. At a minimum, the creature opposes the adventurers' actions and might take risks to do so. After some roleplaying and a DC 10 Charisma check  (presuming the DM thinks there is uncertainty as to the outcome), the creature offers no help but does no harm. With a DC 20 check, the creature does as asked as long as no risk or sacrifices are involved.So the smart play when it comes to casting friends in my view is to do it when you don't care if the NPC turns Hostile - because they have no real ability to affect you or because you can make amends later or because you are in disguise. It is still possible in some cases to get a hostile creature to do things for you and it's often possible to get them to improve their attitude. So while you may have to work harder to win them over later, if the exigencies of your goals outweigh what you'll have to pay later to rectify the situation, then it's a fair enough trade.</blockquote>

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