Hold Person in D&D 5e is a 2nd-level enchantment spell that paralyzes one humanoid you can see within 60 feet if it fails a Wisdom saving throw. It needs concentration for up to 1 minute, the target repeats the save at the end of each of its turns, and while it stays paralyzed every melee hit from within 5 feet is an automatic critical hit. That combination makes it one of the strongest single-target control spells a low-level caster can take, as long as you are fighting humanoids.
Below is the full breakdown: the spell’s stats, what paralysis actually does, which classes get it, how upcasting works, when to use it and how it compares with similar spells.
Hold Person 5e spell stats
| Level | 2nd |
| School | Enchantment |
| Casting time | 1 action |
| Range | 60 feet |
| Target | One humanoid you can see |
| Components | V, S, M (a small, straight piece of iron) |
| Duration | Concentration, up to 1 minute |
| Saving throw | Wisdom, repeated at the end of each of the target’s turns |
| Upcasting | One extra humanoid per slot level above 2nd |
A few points from the old version of this page need correcting, because they are common misunderstandings. Hold Person does not last “1 minute per level”, there is no ray or attack roll, it is not an area-of-effect spell, and the save is Wisdom, not Constitution. The spell also has a somatic component, so the caster needs a free hand (or a spellcasting focus or the War Caster feat, depending on your setup).
How Hold Person works, step by step
- On your turn, use your action to cast the spell on a humanoid you can see within 60 feet.
- The target makes a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC (8 + your proficiency bonus + your spellcasting ability modifier).
- On a failure, it is paralyzed. On a success, nothing happens and your slot is spent.
- At the end of each of the target’s turns, it rolls the Wisdom save again. A success ends the spell on that target.
- The spell also ends if you lose concentration, for example by failing a Constitution save after taking damage, casting another concentration spell, or being incapacitated.
What the paralyzed condition does
The real power of Hold Person comes from the paralyzed condition. A paralyzed creature:
- is incapacitated, so it cannot take actions or reactions;
- cannot move or speak, which also stops it casting spells with verbal components;
- automatically fails Strength and Dexterity saving throws;
- is attacked with advantage;
- suffers a critical hit from any attack that hits it if the attacker is within 5 feet.
That last line is why the spell is so feared. A paladin’s Divine Smite, a rogue’s Sneak Attack or a fighter’s multiple attacks all double their damage dice on a crit. In many parties, one failed save means the target does not survive the next round.
Which classes can cast Hold Person?
Hold Person is on the spell lists of the bard, cleric, druid, sorcerer, warlock and wizard. Several subclasses also grant it as a bonus spell. Oath of Vengeance paladins, for example, get it through their oath spells, which pairs perfectly with their smites. Anyone can also pick it up through feats or features that grant spells from another class list, subject to your table’s rules.
If you are playing with the revised 2024 core rulebooks, the spell keeps the same core function. Minor wording, class lists and upcasting details can differ between editions and printings, so check the version your Dungeon Master is using.
Upcasting Hold Person
When cast with a slot of 3rd level or higher, you can target one additional humanoid for each slot level above 2nd. Under the 2014 rules, the targets must be within 30 feet of each other. Each target saves separately and can shake off the effect separately, but all of them depend on your single concentration.
Upcasting is often worth it against groups of bandits, cultists or guards, where holding two or three enemies can end a fight. It is less attractive when a single fireball-style spell would deal with the same group, so weigh control against raw damage.
Best ways to use Hold Person
- Target low-Wisdom humanoids. Brutes, soldiers and thugs tend to have poor Wisdom saves. Enemy clerics and druids usually have strong ones.
- Cast it before your melee allies act. Coordinate initiative so the fighter or paladin can reach the target while it is still paralyzed.
- Protect your concentration. Stay out of melee, use cover and consider the Resilient (Constitution) or War Caster feats.
- Shut down enemy casters. A paralyzed mage cannot speak, so it cannot cast most of its spells.
- Use it outside combat. Holding a fleeing messenger or a guard about to raise the alarm can solve a social or stealth problem.
Limits and counters
The biggest limit is the target type. Hold Person only works on humanoids, so it does nothing against undead, fiends, beasts, monstrosities and many other creature types. Some creatures are immune to being paralyzed or charmed, and bosses with Legendary Resistance can simply choose to succeed on the save. Because the target saves every turn, even a failed first save may only buy a single round. Finally, concentration means a single lucky hit on the caster can end it early.
Hold Person compared with similar spells
| Spell | Level | Targets | Save | Main effect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hold Person | 2nd | Humanoids only | Wisdom | Paralyzed |
| Hold Monster | 5th | Any creature (not undead) | Wisdom | Paralyzed |
| Tasha’s Hideous Laughter | 1st | One creature | Wisdom | Prone and incapacitated |
| Command | 1st | One creature | Wisdom | One-word order for a turn |
| Web | 2nd | Area | Dexterity | Restrained |
Hold Person is the best of these for burst damage against a single humanoid, because of the automatic crits. Web is better against groups, and Hold Monster is the natural upgrade once you face non-humanoid threats at higher levels.
A quick example in play
Imagine a 5th-level party ambushed by a bandit captain and four bandits. The wizard wins initiative and casts Hold Person on the captain, who fails the Wisdom save. The paladin, next in initiative, walks up and attacks with advantage. Both swings hit, both are automatic crits, and a smite on one of them doubles the extra radiant dice too. The captain drops before taking a single turn, and the bandits are left leaderless. Had the captain passed the save, the wizard would have spent a 2nd-level slot for nothing, which is the gamble every save-or-suck spell carries.
The same fight also shows the timing rule: the spell is at its best when the ally who benefits acts right after the caster, before the target gets its first chance to repeat the save.
Should you prepare Hold Person?
It depends on your campaign. In city intrigue, pirate or war campaigns full of human, elf, dwarf and orc enemies, Hold Person is close to a must-have 2nd-level pick. In dungeon crawls against undead, aberrations and beasts, it may sit unused for whole sessions, and a spell such as Web, Misty Step or Shatter will earn its slot more often. Prepared casters such as clerics, druids and wizards can swap it in when the adventure calls for it, while known-spell casters such as bards, sorcerers and warlocks should think harder before locking it in.
Enjoy tactical games? Our Slay the Spire Switch review covers a deckbuilder with the same kind of turn-by-turn planning, and our Gauss Warframe guide breaks down another ability kit in detail.
Frequently asked questions
How long does Hold Person last in 5e?
Up to 1 minute (10 rounds) with concentration. In practice it usually ends sooner, because the target repeats its Wisdom save at the end of each of its turns.
What saving throw does Hold Person use?
A Wisdom saving throw against the caster’s spell save DC, made when the spell is cast and again at the end of each of the target’s turns.
Are attacks against a held creature critical hits?
Yes. Any attack that hits a paralyzed creature is a critical hit if the attacker is within 5 feet, and all attacks against it have advantage.
Does Hold Person work on monsters?
Only on humanoids. For other creature types you need Hold Monster, a 5th-level spell.
Can you upcast Hold Person?
Yes. Each slot level above 2nd lets you target one more humanoid, and under the 2014 rules the targets must be within 30 feet of each other.
