Hold Person is a 2nd-level enchantment spell for Bards, Clerics, Druids, Sorcerers, Warlocks, and Wizards. Choose a humanoid within 60 feet: it makes a Wisdom save or is paralyzed for up to 1 minute (concentration), repeating the save at the end of each of its turns. Any attack that hits a paralyzed creature from within 5 feet is a critical hit.
Hold Person is a 2nd-level enchantment spell that paralyzes one humanoid. Six classes have it on their list, so most parties have someone who can cast it from 3rd level.
A paralyzed creature can't move, speak, or take actions or reactions. It automatically fails Strength and Dexterity saves. Attacks against it have advantage, and any hit from within 5 feet is a critical hit. One failed save can hand your melee allies a round of guaranteed advantage and doubled damage dice.
The catch is the target type. It only works on humanoids: bandits, cultists, guards, knights, orcs, and most player-character races. It does nothing to beasts, undead, giants, fiends, or monstrosities. The target also gets a new save at the end of each of its turns, so the hold is often short. Use it when allies are ready to hit the target before its next turn ends.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Level | 2 |
| School | Enchantment |
| Casting Time | 1 action |
| Range | 60 feet |
| Components | V, S, M |
| Material | A small, straight piece of iron. |
| Duration | Up to 1 minute |
| Concentration | Yes |
| Ritual | No |
| Save/Attack | WIS |
| Classes | Bard, Cleric, Druid, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard |
| Metric | Assessment |
|---|---|
| Slot Efficiency | Excellent against a single humanoid with a weak Wisdom save. |
| Action Economy | One action can remove the target's turns and double your allies' damage dice. |
| Opportunity Cost | Concentration, and a single save can end it each turn. |
When worth the slot: A humanoid boss or lieutenant, with melee allies close enough to attack it.
When NOT worth the slot: Non-humanoids, high-Wisdom casters, or targets nobody can reach.
Each slot level above 2nd adds one more humanoid target. In the 2014 rules, all targets must be within 30 feet of each other. A 3rd-level slot holds two humanoids, a 4th-level slot holds three, and so on. Each target saves separately.
Why it works: The target saves again at the end of its own turn. Every ally who acts between your turn and the target's turn gets advantage and automatic crits from within 5 feet.
This avoids the mistake of: Casting it when the target acts immediately after you and can shake it off before anyone attacks.
Why it works: Martial humanoids like veterans, thugs, and guards usually have no bonus to Wisdom saves. They fail far more often than priests or mages.
This avoids the mistake of: Casting it on the enemy cleric and watching it pass.
Why it works: A critical hit doubles every damage die in the attack. That includes Divine Smite dice and Sneak Attack dice.
This avoids the mistake of: Holding a target while your biggest damage dealer is out of reach.
Why it works: At 2nd level, Hold Person targets one creature, so Twinned Spell can add a second target for 2 sorcery points in the 2014 rules.
This avoids the mistake of: Spending a 3rd-level slot just to hold two enemies.
Why it's bad: The spell says "choose a humanoid." Anything else is not a valid target.
Do this instead: Check the creature type. For other creatures, use a spell like Banishment or Hold Monster.
Why it's bad: Damage to the target does not end Hold Person. The spell only ends on a successful save, when your concentration ends, or after 1 minute.
Do this instead: Hit it as hard as you can. Protect your own concentration instead.
Why it's bad: The target saves again at the end of each of its turns. The hold usually lasts a round or two, not a full minute.
Do this instead: Plan your initiative order so allies attack before that save.
Why it's bad: The automatic crit only happens when the attacker is within 5 feet of the paralyzed creature.
Do this instead: Archers still get advantage. Move melee attackers in for the crits.
Why it's bad: Fey Ancestry gives advantage on saves against being charmed. Hold Person paralyzes; it does not charm.
Do this instead: Treat elves like any other humanoid for this spell.
The 2024 Player's Handbook keeps Hold Person as a 2nd-level enchantment spell for the same six classes. It still targets a humanoid within 60 feet, uses a Wisdom save, and lets the target repeat the save at the end of each of its turns.
Three things changed. First, upcasting no longer requires the extra humanoids to be within 30 feet of each other. Second, the 2024 Paralyzed condition includes the Incapacitated condition, which in 2024 also breaks the target's own concentration and stops bonus actions. Third, the 2024 Twinned Spell works differently. It costs 1 sorcery point and raises the spell's effective level by 1, which adds one target.
In the 2024 rules, Circle of the Land druids who choose polar land always have it prepared from druid level 3. Tieflings with the Abyssal legacy learn it at character level 5.
Hold Person forces a humanoid within 60 feet to make a Wisdom save. On a failure it is paralyzed for up to 1 minute while you concentrate. It repeats the save at the end of each of its turns and breaks free on a success.
Only on humanoids. Bandits, cultists, knights, orcs, and gnolls are humanoids. Ogres, zombies, dragons, fiends, and beasts are not. For those, you need Hold Monster or a different control spell.
Yes, if the attack hits and the attacker is within 5 feet. Paralysis turns those hits into critical hits. Attacks from farther away still have advantage but are not automatic crits.
No. Damage to the paralyzed creature does not end the spell. It ends when the creature succeeds on a save at the end of its turn, when the caster loses concentration, or after 1 minute.
One at 2nd level, plus one more for each slot level above 2nd. In the 2014 rules all the targets must be within 30 feet of each other. The 2024 version drops that requirement.
No more than anyone else. Fey Ancestry gives advantage on saves against being charmed. Hold Person paralyzes rather than charms, so the elf makes a normal Wisdom save.
Yes, against humanoids with weak Wisdom saves and with melee allies nearby. A failed save often means a round of automatic crits. It is wasted on non-humanoids and on casters with strong Wisdom saves.
No. Paralyzed includes incapacitated, so the creature can't take actions or reactions. In the 2014 rules it also can't move or speak. It still gets its end-of-turn Wisdom save.
Citations: SRD 5.1 (2014 rules), SRD 5.2.1 (2024 rules)
Includes material from the System Reference Document 5.1 and 5.2.1 by Wizards of the Coast LLC, licensed under CC BY 4.0.
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