Lets talk about charm person

[Norfleet]

In my campaigns, Charm Person is definitely considered to be a somewhat unreliable spell to be using in a combat, precisely because the prevailing atmosphere of hostility will severely mute the effects of being considered "friendly"...briefly. It should be noted that the charmed creature does not lose his memory of recent and not-so-recent events: While the charmed victim attempts to interpret them favorably, it's very hard to interpret somebody who has been trying to kill you and your team favorably.

Therefore, Charm Person is most effective when used out of combat, or at the very beginning, since the charmed victim will not have many fresh, recent, and quite likely highly negative, experiences to attempt to interpret in a favorable, but possibly still rather negative, manner. It's also that much more effective when using it on an individual who's likely to be influenced by his friends: The Chaotic Evil assassin is likely to take whichever side is winning, either way. The Lawful Neutral mercenary is likely to stick to his contract, even if his new "bestest buddy" happens to be on the wrong side (but he'll pour a cold one on your grave after the job).

If you want something that will work with reliable, predictable results, you're going to want something higher level, like "Dominate Person". Charm Person is a lowly first level spell, and thus may not produce effects as strong as you would like them to be. Many video games greatly exaggerate the effectiveness of this spell, for instance.

 

[Stalker0]

Think of it like a person who holds a deep faith, they will rationalize an action in any way possible to make it fit their beliefs.

Charmed PC: Guys, why are you attacking the beholder he has done nothing wrong?
Gang: Dind't you just seem him trying to kill us?
PC: yes I did, but that cannot be right. Wait, perhaps the attacking beholder was an illusion designed to frame our friend!!!
Gang's mage: No illusions were cast I'm sure of it.
PC: Then perhaps some other foul magic is about, but the beholder is not to blame stop this at once.

 

[Gizzard]

It should be noted that the charmed creature does not lose his memory of recent and not-so-recent events: ....

I am not sure if this is true.

I always felt that Charm messed with the victims mind substantially, somehow managing to provide magical answers to simple questions like "Oh, so if you aren't Charmed then you can tell us where you first met your old friend the Beholder or what his name is or...." If you consider it in this light, then this tendency to justify the Charmed status is just part of the spell effect.

(Does it sound nuts that someone would start making up stories to support something that wasnt true? Has anyone seen the experiment where an "measurement electrode" is strapped to a subjects neck, then a current is secretly applied in order to stimulate the muscle and involuntarily turn the head. "Why did you turn away?" asks the experimenter. And, most often, the subject replies with an answer that they make up on the spot. Not because they are lying, but because the brain is defending itself from the inexplicable. "I must have had a reason for doing that...")

Anyway, similar to what someone else said early in the thread, we always played Charm as if the Charmer were an "bad girlfriend" turning the Charmee against the party. All too effective. ;-) This ruling also helps after the Charm wears off to understand what the reaction of the Charmee might be at that point.

 

[Eraslin]

Just to add a little perpendicular reminder into this discussion (as it's often forgotten in my own games, but can make a big difference). The charm spells grant the saving character a +5 bonus to their will save if the charmer is presently in a combat situation ("being threatened or attacked by" is the wording the spell uses, iirc) with the target.

-Eraslin

 

[Zaruthustran]

I'm surprised no one's quoted the SRD:

"This charm makes a humanoid creature regard you as its trusted friend and ally (treat the target’s attitude as friendly). If the creature is currently being threatened or attacked by you or your allies, however, it receives a +5 bonus on its saving throw.

The spell does not enable you to control the charmed person as if it were an automaton, but it perceives your words and actions in the most favorable way. You can try to give the subject orders, but you must win an opposed Charisma check to convince it to do anything it wouldn’t ordinarily do. (Retries are not allowed.) An affected creature never obeys suicidal or obviously harmful orders, but it might be convinced that something very dangerous is worth doing. Any act by you or your apparent allies that threatens the charmed person breaks the spell. You must speak the person’s language to communicate your commands, or else be good at pantomiming."

So:

1. Your fighter gets a +5 save, assuming the beholder was attacking at the time it cast the charm.
2. If the beholder orders your fighter to attack your friends (the party) then it must win an opposed Charisma check. Assuming, of course, that trying to hurt or kill his friends is something your fighter "wouldn’t ordinarily do".
3. If the beholder attacks you or includes you in a damaging area of effect then the spell ends.

I'd say that your fighter would stop attacking the beholder and do everything in his power to stop the fight (without hurting anyone). If anyone drops (including the beholder) then the fighter would rush over and try to heal that person.

It's important to note that Charm Person doesn't make the target perceive his current allies as enemies. Instead, it makes the target percieve ONE enemy as a friend.

Charms Person and Charm Monster are not really very good combat spells.

Example:
DM: You guys open the door and see a troll. It attacks!
Bob the Enchanter: I cast charm monster on the troll.
DM: Okay it failed its save.
Jim the Fighter and Dan the Cleric: Good job, Bob.
DM: The troll tears Jim apart.
Jim: Argh!
Bob: I yell "Stop, friend Troll! These are my friends!"
DM: Do you speak Giant?
Bob: Er, no.
DM: Well, the troll doesn't speak Common. It tears Dan apart.
Dan: Argh!
DM: The troll holds Dan's arm in one hand and Dan's leg in the other hand. He hefts each, then grins and generously offers you the leg.

-z

 

[Dracuwulf]

HAHA! I like Zaruthustran's interpretation best