Shaken, frightened - how long does it last?
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A niggling little annoyance my group and I have hit on lately - when one becomes shaken due to failing a Will save verses a fear effects, how long does it last? In the description of the fear effect in the DMG, and likewise in the description of the OA spell ghost light, the text does not explicitely state how long one is shaken after failing the save. Can anyone tackle this one?Thanks.
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I'm not sure how it is by the rules, we have it last until whatever caused the fear is gone unless it states specificly otherwise in spell/monster desciption.
Presumably the fear effect lasts (as all other effects of the spell) for as long as the duration of the spell, if nothing else is stated.Most of the conditions have no set duration, but are dependent on the description of the cause.
As others have already posted, the duration of an effect depends on the cause. Spells always give a duration, though not always in so many rounds or minutes. There are spells with a "permanent" duration, the magic of which lasts, well, permanently, and spells with a duration of "instantaneous", which cause a permanent effect.
In your example of the ghost light spell, this is what the rules say (OA p. 104-105):
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Duration: Concentration
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The light is imbued with unearthly power, and causes fear in creatures within 30 feet of its location.
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In other words, the shaken effect continues as long as the affected creature is within 30 feet of the light. Once the spellcaster's concentration is broken, the light disappears - and so does the shaken effect. If something else were intended, the rules would specifically say so.
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