Enchantment • Legacy Witch Spell

Dance Macabre

Dance Macabre holds creatures transfixed while the caster continues an eerie dance. The spell is preserved as a legacy d20 Witch and Bard enchantment rather than imported into modern editions.

Dance Macabre at a Glance

5.5e / 2024	No direct conversion published here
5e / 2014	No direct conversion published here
Pathfinder 1e	Not a Pathfinder Witch spell by default
D&D 3.x Legacy	Witch 3, Bard 3

Spell Rules by Edition

5.5e / 20245e / 2014Pathfinder 1eD&D 3.5e

Dance Macabre — 5.5e / 2024

Edition status: No direct official version of this legacy spell is provided. Do not treat the old d20 mechanics as 2024 rules.

Dance Macabre — 5e / 2014

Edition status: No official 2014 conversion is presented here.

Dance Macabre — Pathfinder 1e

Edition status: This legacy Witch spell is not established here as a Pathfinder Witch spell. Any conversion needs Games Master approval.

Dance Macabre — D&D 3.5e (legacy Witch rules)

School	Enchantment
Level	Witch 3, Bard 3
Components	S
Casting Time	1 action
Range	Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Targets	One humanoid per caster level
Duration	See text
Saving Throw	Will negates; see text
Spell Resistance	Yes

Humanoids that look at the dancing caster can be held as though affected by Hold Person. An affected target receives another saving throw every other round.

The caster must continue dancing to maintain the effect. If the dance ends, the spell ends.

Using Dance Macabre in Play

The spell is area control rather than damage. Its limitation is obvious and useful: maintaining the dance occupies the caster and makes the effect highly visible.

Edition Boundary

The repeated-save timing and legacy Hold Person reference belong to older d20 rules. Modern editions should use their own concentration, incapacitation and charm mechanics.