Hypnotic Pattern 5e
Level 3 Illusion
Hypnotic Pattern is a level 3 illusion spell in D&D 5e. Casting time: 1 action, range: 120 feet, duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute. Available to Bard, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard.
Casting Time
1 action
Range
120 feet
Duration
Concentration, up to 1 minute
Components
S, M (a glowing stick of incense or a crystal vial filled with phosphorescent material)
You create a twisting pattern of colors that weaves through the air inside a 30-foot cube within range. The pattern appears for a moment and vanishes. Each creature in the area who sees the pattern must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature becomes charmed for the duration. While charmed by this spell, the creature is incapacitated and has a speed of 0.
The spell ends for an affected creature if it takes any damage or if someone else uses an action to shake the creature out of its stupor.
DM Notes
Encounter Hooks & Tactics
- A fey trickster casts Hypnotic Pattern on a crowded market square, then pickpockets the mesmerized townsfolk. The party arrives mid-heist — do they break the spell (alerting the fey) or try to catch the thief without waking the crowd?
- The party enters a trapped corridor where Hypnotic Pattern triggers via Glyph of Warding. Those who fail the save stand entranced while the dungeon's real threat — a slow-moving ooze or crusher trap — closes in on them.
- An enemy spellcaster opens combat with Hypnotic Pattern to disable half the party, then focuses fire on whoever passed the save. The classic "action economy theft" — your players will respect (and fear) this spell after being on the receiving end.
Combat Tactics
Hypnotic Pattern is one of the strongest 3rd-level spells in 5e because it removes multiple enemies from a fight with no concentration save — only the initial WIS save matters. As a DM, use it against the party sparingly; losing your turn entirely feels bad. When players use it, remember that any damage breaks the effect on that creature, so use AoE-heavy monsters or minions that accidentally wake their allies. The 30-foot cube is enormous — position it to catch backline enemies while the frontline fights.
Works Well With
Hypnotic Pattern handles groups; Hold Person handles the boss. A caster who prepares both can lock down an entire battlefield. Hold Person also enables auto-crit melee attacks, which Hypnotic Pattern doesn't.
The biggest counter to Hypnotic Pattern is Counterspell. If the enemy has a caster, they'll try to counter it. Have your own Counterspell ready to protect the cast — the "counter-counter" game is peak D&D spellcaster combat.
Slow is the backup plan when Hypnotic Pattern fails or you need ongoing debuff. Slow halves speed, removes reactions, and limits actions — it doesn't incapacitate but is much harder to shake off since it requires a save each turn.
Use Hypnotic Pattern in your campaign
Lorekeeper lets you add Hypnotic Pattern to your characters, reference it during sessions, and track spell slots across encounters — all free.