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Inspired by this question.

The spell Friends specifically states that an affected creature is aware that it was magicked:

When the spell ends, the creature realizes that you used magic to influence its mood...

Charm Person has a similar clause.

However, other spells (such as Suggestion) do not. Does a creature affected by Suggestion (or another enchantment without an awareness clause) ever become aware that it was magicked into giving away that warhorse?

Related: Is a character (player or otherwise) aware that it made a saving throw against a non-obvious threat? If Wegris the Barbarian Dexterity-saves against a fireball, he knows it. Can he tell someone tried to scan his mind with Detect Thoughts? Does it make a difference if the save is successful or not?

Nobody the Hobgoblin
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Izzy
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1 Answers1

5

You do not know

This is explicitly covered by the spellcasting rules on page 201 PHB:

Unless a spell has a perceptible effect, a creature might not know it was targeted by a spell at all. An effect like crackling lightning is obvious, but a more subtle effect, such as an attempt to read a creature’s thoughts, typically goes unnoticed, unless a spell says otherwise.

So for spells like suggestion, which do not have an outwardly visible effect, and which -- in contrast to charm person -- do not state the target will realise they have been enchanted, there is no automatic realization to detect that you have been enchanted.

Unusual behaviour you exhibit is however also a perceptible effect, and it might clue you in that you have been influenced by magic. But there is no "tingle" you would feel if someone cast a spell on you.

The casting of a spell itself is also perceptible, and a creature may realise you are enchanting it, or at least are casting a spell on it, unless you manage to do so stealthily, or perceptible components are suppressed (for example with the Subtle Spell metamagic feature, or by using psionics to cast the spell).

See also: Does a creature know that the Suggestion spell was cast on it?

Jack
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Nobody the Hobgoblin
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