Enchantment • Lunar Frenzy and Bestial Rage
Moonstruck
Moonstruck forces a Humanoid into a brief bestial frenzy, turning its own rage against the creatures nearby. In Pathfinder the victim drops held weapons, becomes dazed, grows claws and fangs, and suffers the combined effects of Rage and Confusion until the last dazed round. The other three edition panels provide separate, clearly marked optional adaptations.
Moonstruck at a Glance
| 5.5e / 2024 | Optional 4th-level Enchantment; 60-foot range; one Humanoid; Wisdom negates; Concentration up to 1 minute; d4 frenzy table |
|---|---|
| 5e / 2014 | Optional 4th-level enchantment; one Humanoid; Wisdom negates; first-turn Incapacitated condition, then confusion behaviour |
| Pathfinder 1e | Official Witch 4, Druid 4, Sorcerer/Wizard 4, Rage domain 6; Enchantment (compulsion) [emotion, mind-affecting]; Will negates; 1 round/level |
| D&D 3.5e / Legacy d20 | Optional 4th-level conversion with 3.5e Dazed, Rage, Confusion, Will saves and spell resistance; not a 3.5e core spell |
Combat use: the caster cannot select the victim’s subsequent targets. The Pathfinder original and optional 3.5e conversion make the target Dazed at the start and final round. Fifth edition has no standard Dazed condition, so its conversion uses Incapacitated and an explicit d4 behaviour table instead.
Spell Rules by Edition
Moonstruck — 5.5e / 2024
Optional 2024 4th-level conversion, not an official published spell. This is a complete fifth-edition adaptation inspired by the Pathfinder original, not a claim of 2014/2024 source mechanics.
| Level / School | 4th-level Enchantment |
|---|---|
| Suggested Classes | Druid, Sorcerer, Wizard; campaign Witch with GM approval |
| Casting Time | Action |
| Range | 60 feet |
| Components | V, S, M (pinch of powdered moonstone, not consumed) |
| Target | One Humanoid you can see |
| Duration | Concentration, up to 1 minute |
| Saving Throw | Wisdom negates; repeated at end of each frenzied turn |
| Attacks | Claw 1d6 + Strength, or bite 1d8 + Strength; one attack per turn |
| Initial Condition | Incapacitated and Speed 0 through the target’s next turn |
Effect. One Humanoid you can see makes a Wisdom saving throw. On failure, it drops its held objects and grows two claws and a bite, becoming Incapacitated with Speed 0 until the end of its next turn. Fifth edition has no standard Dazed condition. Thereafter the creature cannot cast spells or take Reactions; its movements and attacks are dictated by the Frenzy table. It uses its normal attack modifier and Strength modifier for one natural attack per turn. This spell grants no Barbarian Rage class feature.
| d4 result 1 | Move toward the nearest visible creature, then make one claw attack (1d6 + Strength modifier) if in reach; otherwise Dash toward it |
|---|---|
| d4 result 2 | Move toward the nearest visible creature, then make one bite attack (1d8 + Strength modifier) if in reach; otherwise Dash toward it |
| d4 result 3 | Howl and take no Action this turn; move only if required by immediate danger |
| d4 result 4 | Make one claw attack against yourself (normal attack roll versus your AC) |
Repeat saves and ending. After the initial Incapacitated turn, the target makes a new Wisdom save at the end of each turn, ending the spell on success. Losing Concentration or dispelling the effect ends it immediately. If it persists through the full minute, the subject is again Incapacitated with Speed 0 until the end of its next turn while its form returns to normal; early termination does not cause that final daze. No damage occurs from the casting itself, and the caster cannot choose the target of the frenzy.
Moonstruck — 5e / 2014
Optional 2014 4th-level conversion, not an official published spell. This is a complete fifth-edition adaptation inspired by the Pathfinder original, not a claim of 2014/2024 source mechanics.
| Level / School | 4th-level enchantment |
|---|---|
| Suggested Classes | Druid, Sorcerer, Wizard; campaign Witch with GM approval |
| Casting Time | 1 action |
| Range | 60 feet |
| Components | V, S, M (pinch of powdered moonstone, not consumed) |
| Target | One Humanoid you can see |
| Duration | Concentration, up to 1 minute |
| Saving Throw | Wisdom negates; repeated at end of each frenzied turn |
| Attacks | Claw 1d6 + Strength, or bite 1d8 + Strength; one attack per turn |
| Initial Condition | Incapacitated and Speed 0 through the target’s next turn |
Effect. One Humanoid you can see makes a Wisdom saving throw. On failure, it drops its held objects and grows two claws and a bite, becoming Incapacitated with Speed 0 until the end of its next turn. Fifth edition has no standard Dazed condition. Thereafter the creature cannot cast spells or take Reactions; its movements and attacks are dictated by the Frenzy table. It uses its normal attack modifier and Strength modifier for one natural attack per turn. This spell grants no Barbarian Rage class feature.
| d4 result 1 | Move toward the nearest visible creature, then make one claw attack (1d6 + Strength modifier) if in reach; otherwise Dash toward it |
|---|---|
| d4 result 2 | Move toward the nearest visible creature, then make one bite attack (1d8 + Strength modifier) if in reach; otherwise Dash toward it |
| d4 result 3 | Howl and take no Action this turn; move only if required by immediate danger |
| d4 result 4 | Make one claw attack against yourself (normal attack roll versus your AC) |
Repeat saves and ending. After the initial Incapacitated turn, the target makes a new Wisdom save at the end of each turn, ending the spell on success. Losing Concentration or dispelling the effect ends it immediately. If it persists through the full minute, the subject is again Incapacitated with Speed 0 until the end of its next turn while its form returns to normal; early termination does not cause that final daze. No damage occurs from the casting itself, and the caster cannot choose the target of the frenzy.
Moonstruck — Pathfinder 1e
Official Advanced Player’s Guide spell, preserved.
| School | Enchantment (compulsion) [emotion, mind-affecting] |
|---|---|
| Level | Druid 4, Sorcerer/Wizard 4, Witch 4; Rage 6 |
| Casting Time | 1 standard action |
| Components | V, S, M (a pinch of powdered moonstone) |
| Range | Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level) |
| Target | One humanoid creature |
| Duration | 1 round/level |
| Saving Throw | Will negates |
| Spell Resistance | Yes |
On a failed save, the target is dazed for 1 round as its teeth and nails lengthen. It gains a bite and two claw attacks appropriate to its size.
For the rest of the spell, the target behaves as though affected by Rage and Confusion simultaneously, preferring its new bite and two claws. The caster does not choose the victim’s attacks. In the final round the target is dazed again as its body returns to normal.
Natural Attacks — Pathfinder Quick Reference
| Small Humanoid | Bite 1d4; claws 1d3 each |
|---|---|
| Medium Humanoid | Bite 1d6; claws 1d4 each |
| Large Humanoid | Bite 1d8; claws 1d6 each |
These are base dice, before the attacker’s normal Strength and natural-attack adjustments. The normal Confusion d% outcomes are 01–25 act normally, 26–50 babble incoherently, 51–75 hurt yourself with a held item if possible, and 76–100 attack the nearest creature. The spell directs the target to prefer its natural attacks. The two dazed rounds take priority over confused behaviour. For the full range of creature sizes, use Pathfinder’s Natural Attacks by Size.
Moonstruck — D&D 3.5e / Legacy d20
Optional D&D 3.5e conversion, not a core 3.5e spell. This uses 3.5e’s Rage, Confusion, natural-attack and Dazed rules, adapted from the Pathfinder original.
| School | Enchantment (Compulsion) [Mind-Affecting] |
|---|---|
| Level | Druid 4, Sorcerer/Wizard 4; optional Witch 4 |
| Casting Time | 1 standard action |
| Components | V, S, M (pinch of powdered moonstone) |
| Range | Medium (100 feet + 10 feet/level) |
| Target | One Humanoid |
| Duration | 1 round/level |
| Saving Throw | Will negates |
| Spell Resistance | Yes |
Effect. A Humanoid that fails its Will save drops held objects and is dazed for the first round as it gains a bite and two claws (Small: bite 1d4 and claws 1d3; Medium: bite 1d6 and claws 1d4; Large: bite 1d8 and claws 1d6). It then acts as though affected by the 3.5e Rage and Confusion spells simultaneously, preferring its natural attacks. Apply Rage’s usual Strength and Constitution bonuses, AC penalty and inability to cast spells, and roll on the edition’s Confusion table for the target’s behaviour. The final round is also spent dazed while its body reverts. The spell cannot be directly controlled by the caster.
Counterplay. Its initial Will save negates the effect; spell resistance applies. Creatures immune to Mind-Affecting effects are unaffected. Dispel Magic can end the ongoing effect. This is a playable optional conversion and must not be attributed to the official D&D 3.5e SRD.
What Changed?
- 5.5e / 2024: the optional 4th-level Enchantment targets one Humanoid with a Wisdom save. After a first Incapacitated turn, a defined d4 table drives its frenzy and it repeats the save each later turn; Concentration lasts up to 1 minute. No non-core Dazed condition is invented.
- 5e / 2014: the optional 4th-level enchantment uses the 2014 casting-action terminology and a complete separate version of the same fifth-edition frenzy procedure.
- Pathfinder 1e: the official 4th-level Witch, Druid and Sorcerer/Wizard spell has a Will save and spell resistance; dazed first and last round, size-based natural attacks, and simultaneous Rage and Confusion for intermediate rounds. Rage-domain access is at 6th-level.
- D&D 3.5e: an optional d20 conversion follows the 3.5e Dazed, Rage, Confusion, natural attack, Will save and Spell Resistance rules. It is not a published 3.5e core spell.
Moonstruck — Quick Resolution
- Check target: one Humanoid within the selected edition’s range.
- Resolve resistance: initial Wisdom save in fifth edition; initial Will save and spell resistance in legacy d20 editions.
- First turn: dropped objects and dazed/Incapacitated effects under the chosen edition.
- Middle rounds: roll on the applicable confusion or frenzy table; do not substitute the fifth-edition d4 for Pathfinder’s percentile outcomes.
- Last round: apply the special ending daze only as defined in the selected edition panel.
Worked Example: The Howling Captain
A captain advances toward the witch and her companions as the moon rises through the trees. The spell targets the captain, a Humanoid, rather than the surrounding soldiers.
5.5e / 2024 — optional conversion
A 7th-level Druid casts the optional 4th-level spell within 60 feet against a captain facing a spell save DC of 15. If the captain fails its Wisdom save, it drops its sword and is Incapacitated with Speed 0 until the end of its next turn. Each turn thereafter, the GM rolls 1d4 on the listed Frenzy table; a result of 1 makes the captain approach the nearest visible creature and make one claw attack for 1d6 + Strength modifier on a hit. The captain may repeat its Wisdom save at the end of that turn and end the effect. The spell otherwise requires Concentration for up to one minute.
5e / 2014 — optional conversion
Use the same complete optional frenzy table, initial Wisdom save, attacks, repeat saving throws and Concentration limit, with the 1-action casting terminology. This is not a published 2014 named spell and does not grant the victim a Barbarian’s Rage class feature.
Pathfinder 1e — official spell
At caster level 8 the Witch casts a 4th-level spell at 180 feet of Medium range. If the Medium Humanoid captain fails its Will save and spell resistance, it is Dazed for round 1 and drops held items. In rounds 2–7, Rage and Confusion determine its behaviour, and it prefers a 1d6 bite and two 1d4 claws (plus normal Strength adjustments). It is Dazed again in round 8 as the change ends. Roll on the percentile Confusion table during the intermediate rounds, not the separate fifth-edition d4 conversion.
D&D 3.5e — optional conversion
An 8th-level Druid using the conversion also has a 180-foot Medium range and an 8-round duration. After a failed Will save and spell resistance, the target is Dazed on the first and final round. It obeys the edition’s Rage and Confusion spell mechanics during the six rounds between, using the size-based natural attack values in its tab. The effects are optional 3.5e adaptation, not a published D&D 3.5e Moonstruck spell.
Games Master’s Rulings
Visible clue. The subject drops its possessions as its teeth and nails become predatory and it loses control of its behaviour.
Detection. In Pathfinder and the optional 3.5e conversion, suitable Spellcraft or Knowledge (arcana) checks follow the edition’s rules for identifying a spell and its effects. In fifth edition the subject’s transformation is obvious, but knowing its cause still requires appropriate evidence or magical study.
Counterplay. The initial save stops the spell, with spell resistance also applying in d20 editions. Dispel Magic can end it; fifth-edition versions additionally end on a successful repeated Wisdom save or lost Concentration.
Target selection. The caster cannot specify which creature the victim attacks while confused. Resolve the appropriate edition’s random behaviour and apply its natural-attack, reaction and movement rules exactly.
Transition rounds. The first and last Dazed rounds are expressly part of the Pathfinder spell and the optional 3.5e conversion. Fifth edition instead uses the Incapacitated condition and a separately written termination rule.
Mythical Context
Selene, the Moon herself in Greek myth, rides her chariot across the night. Later poets linked her radiance with altered states of mind and the old fear that moonlight might unsettle reason. Lyssa embodies frenzy and animal rage, a separate spirit capable of overwhelming even heroic judgement. Moonstruck brings these two themes together: moon-bound influence and the uncontrollable fury of a body turned bestial.
Selene — Moon, moonstones and the myths of lunar influence · Lyssa — personification of rage and frenzy
Historical Context
In European medical and popular traditions, lunar cycles were sometimes blamed for changes in mental state. The words lunacy and moonstruck preserve that association, but it is a historical belief rather than proof that moonlight causes violent behaviour. William Henry Allchin’s early twentieth-century discussion of medical history recorded the endurance of astrological ideas and specifically noted the language of lunar influence.
Wellcome Collection — historical discussion of the Moon and lunacy · Wellcome Collection — The Moon and Madness, historical study
Related Magic
Rules Sources and Licensing
Pathfinder 1e: Moonstruck, Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Advanced Player’s Guide (2010). Its official spell rules are available at d20PFSRD — Moonstruck, with Witch 4 also recorded in the official Advanced Player’s Guide Witch list. The Druid 4, Sorcerer/Wizard 4 and Rage subdomain 6 access is retained from the historical spell lists. The Pathfinder game mechanics are Open Game Content under the OGL v1.0a, with the licence and inherited copyright notices below.
Other editions: the 2024 and 2014 fourth-level Enchantment versions and the D&D 3.5e adaptation above are explicitly optional new conversions inspired by Pathfinder. There is no official Moonstruck spell by this name in the respective fifth-edition SRDs or the D&D 3.5e core SRD. Terminology such as Incapacitated, Wisdom saves and Concentration follows SRD 5.2.1 and SRD 5.1 (CC BY 4.0); the D&D 3.5e conversion follows the 3.5e SRD rules for Rage, Confusion, natural attacks and Dazed. Neither these adaptations nor the artwork, worked examples and historical commentary are designated here as newly copied third-party OGL content.
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