Enchantment • Mental Disruption
Daze
Daze steals one round of action from a weak humanoid. Pathfinder 1e makes it a Witch cantrip; D&D 3.5e gives the same core spell to Bards and Sorcerer/Wizards. Fifth edition has no official spell by this name.
Daze at a Glance
| 5.5e / 2024 | No spell named Daze in SRD 5.2.1 |
|---|---|
| 5e / 2014 | No core spell named Daze |
| Pathfinder 1e | Witch 0; one humanoid of 4 HD or fewer; Will negates; 1 round |
| D&D 3.5e | Bard 0, Sorcerer/Wizard 0; one humanoid of 4 HD or fewer |
Spell Rules by Edition
Daze — 5.5e / 2024
Status: Daze is not a named spell in SRD 5.2.1. No homebrew conversion is supplied here. Use official 5.5e spells and Witch features for action denial.
Daze — 5e / 2014
Status: there is no core 2014 spell named Daze. Do not import the Pathfinder or 3.5e Hit-Dice ceiling as though it were a fifth-edition rule.
Daze — Pathfinder 1e
| School | Enchantment (compulsion) [mind-affecting] |
|---|---|
| Witch level | 0 |
| Casting Time | 1 standard action |
| Components | V, S, M (a pinch of wool or similar substance) |
| Range | Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) |
| Target | One humanoid creature of 4 HD or fewer |
| Duration | 1 round |
| Saving Throw | Will negates |
| Spell Resistance | Yes |
On a failed save the target can take no actions for 1 round. It is dazed, not stunned, so attackers receive no special advantage against it. A creature successfully affected by Daze becomes immune to this spell for 1 minute.
Daze — D&D 3.5e
| School | Enchantment (Compulsion) [Mind-Affecting] |
|---|---|
| Level | Bard 0, Sorcerer/Wizard 0 |
| Components | V, S, M |
| Casting Time | 1 standard action |
| Range | Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) |
| Target | One humanoid creature of 4 HD or fewer |
| Duration | 1 round |
| Saving Throw | Will negates |
| Spell Resistance | Yes |
On a failed Will save the target can take no actions for 1 round. Humanoids with 5 or more Hit Dice are unaffected. Unlike Pathfinder 1e, the 3.5e spell does not grant one-minute immunity after a successful daze.
What Changed?
- 5.5e / 2024 and 5e / 2014: no official Daze spell by this name.
- Pathfinder 1e: Daze is on the Witch cantrip list and adds one minute of immunity after a successful effect.
- D&D 3.5e: the same 4-HD humanoid ceiling remains without the Pathfinder immunity rider.
Best Uses
- Stop an eligible sentry before an alarm is raised.
- Steal the next action from a weak specialist whose turn matters more than its Hit Points.
- Buy one round for an ally to disengage or reach cover.
Counterplay and GM Rulings
- Creature type: PF1e and 3.5e target humanoids only. A weak non-humanoid is still ineligible.
- Hit Dice: 5 HD or more makes a humanoid immune to this particular spell before a save is rolled.
- Spell Resistance: applies normally in PF1e and 3.5e.
- Dispel Magic: because the duration is only 1 round, dispelling is possible in principle but rarely efficient; countering the spell before resolution is usually more useful.
- Dazed is not stunned: the target receives no automatic AC or defence penalty from Daze itself.
In Play
Daze is a timing spell, not a damage spell. A village hedge-Witch may use it to stop a panicked guard from sounding a bell; an adventuring Witch uses the same magic to erase one dangerous turn from an otherwise fragile enemy.
Related Spells
FAQ
Can Daze affect a 5-HD humanoid?
No. The PF1e and 3.5e spell stops at 4 HD.
Does Pathfinder Daze work repeatedly on the same target?
Not immediately. After the spell successfully dazes a creature, that creature is immune to Daze for 1 minute.
Is the target helpless?
No. Dazed prevents actions but does not make the target helpless or stunned.
Using Daze in Play
Daze is a tempo spell rather than a damage spell. Use it to deny a weak opponent a crucial action, interrupt a pursuit, or create one round of breathing room while the party changes position. Its creature and Hit-Dice limits differ by legacy edition, so use only the selected rules panel.
Sources and Licensing
- Archives of Nethys — Pathfinder Witch spell list
- Pathfinder Reference Document — Daze
- D&D 3.5 SRD — Daze
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