Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Tashiro Nov 08, 2014 10:30:23	So, looking at spells and abilities which specify 'friendly' targets, and I'm trying to decide - can these target individuals who are hostile if you want them to?  How does the spell or ability define friendly?   For example: If you're in a party and cast a buff spell that targets 'friendly' individuals - will it target the party member who is plotting betrayal? - While your character doesn't know it, this person is not 'friendly'. If you're fighting an enemy group and cast a buff spell that targets 'friendly' individuals - will it target the opponent who is secretly working on your side and is an ally - even if you don't know it? - While your character doesn't know it, this person is 'friendly'. If you're watching two enemy groups battle it out, can you target one group with a buff spell that targets 'friendly' individuals, to give one of the two groups an edge? - Neither side is 'friendly'.
#2 MechaPilot Nov 08, 2014 10:37:29	I think you're reading into the specifics of the word "friendly" too much.   In the context of the game rules, I take it to mean someone who is not attacking or casting spells against you or your allies at the moment.
#3 Novacat Nov 08, 2014 11:07:13	I've always ruled that both parties must agree that they are friendly in order for a spell to count someone as friendly, but if either character is hostile toward the other, spells will treat them as enemies.
#4 OoftaMeg Nov 08, 2014 11:08:39	I've always ruled the caster decides who is friendly.
#5 cowleymen Nov 08, 2014 12:38:16	Caster decides makes the most sense to me. Its also the easiest way to figure out who to include or not, also makes it easier to have a mole on one side of the other with out magic effecting them
#6 Tashiro Nov 08, 2014 14:56:28	If the caster can decide, then that means the caster could, in theory, target an enemy with an 'friendly only' spell, correct?
(Reply to #6) OoftaMeg	Tashiro wrote:
#8 Saelorn Nov 08, 2014 19:42:22	Tashiro wrote:
#9 Uchawi Nov 09, 2014 5:48:18	I treat friendly as willing, so an evil character can recieve the same benefits as a good as long as they are willing, or vice versa.
(Reply to #9) danyc	Uchawi wrote:
#11 paulstrait Nov 09, 2014 15:57:39	What spells are we talking about here?  Just 'circle of power' and 'crusader's mantle'?  For circle of power, I would say the caster can define who counts as 'friendly,' and moreover that the spell conditionally no longer would apply to a target if during its duration that target changed from being friendly to being an enemy, since 'friendly' in its description isn't a targetting restriction but rather a statement of the circle's ongoing effect (which throughout the spell may turn on and off for certain creatures simply by moving around).    For crusader's mantle, 'friendly' is used as flavor text, as the true limiting word is 'non-hostile,' but pragmatically I see no difference.  It seems like it should also be judged from the point-of-view of the caster, or perhaps the caster's deity, if there ever was ambiguious situation.  I can't think of a reason why a paladin would choose to let his/her opponent in combat dish out extra radiant damage to the paladin or the paladin's allies.    Are there some other spells I missed in my cursory look at the phb?