Summary
Zone Of Truth is a wonderful roleplay spell inDungeons & Dragons. Whether you think someone has slighted you or you are interrogating a villain, if you want to get to the bottom of something, this spell can be an excellent tool in your arsenal. That is unless it is used against you.
Having an NPC or even a player character cast Zone Of Truth against you can put your character into a bind. Especially if, you know, you planned on not being truthful. There are ways around this spell, though. Here is a list of some of the creative ways you can deal with this pesky spell.
1Don’t Answer Anything
The Right To Remain Silent
Naturally, the easiest and most direct way to handle Zone Of Truth when you know there is a lie afoot is to not answer anything. The most effective way is to be consistent. If you answer some questions but not others, then naturally, the person you’re talking to is going to believe you’re avoiding the question because you’d rather lie.
Now, you can use it to your advantage to answer some questions and not others. If it would benefit you to make the castor think there is a lie, maybe their paranoia would have a better outcome than them feeling secure. There’s no reason you can’t decide to be tactically deceitful with silence.
2Bolster Your Rolls
Add Three, Then Carry The One
Sometimes, you know that you will be facing a Zone Of Truth. Maybe you and your D&D chuckleducks got yourself arrested and arefacing an interrogation or trial. If you have some prep time, you can do everything in your power to bolster your rolls.
This could be anything that gives you a higher Charisma stat or lets you add bonuses to your rolls. If one of your party members is a bard, they could always use one of their Inspiration dice to help whoever has the lowest Charisma score.Bless and Guidance are other spellsthat give a little extra oomph to your rolled total.
3Modify Memory
It May Not Be True, But It’s Your Truth
Is it a lie if you don’t know it’s a lie? That’s what something like Modify Memory can help you with. Either a party member changes your memory or if you need to help an ally, NPC, or otherwise, Modify Memory will make it so that you’re telling your truth, whatever version of the truth it is that you are made to believe.
This might not be the easiest thing to pull off. Either you don’t have the prep time to cast it before Zone Of Truth is cast. Or you might have to roll something like a Sleight Of Hand check to see if you can Modify Memory without anyone noticing or detecting it. Either way, it’s something to keep in the back pocket in case of a rainy day.
4Dispel Magic
Zone Of Truth: Canceled
If you aren’t happy with this spell being cast on you or otherwise, you can always cast Dispel Magic in response. And, to make it more effective, you can gaslight, gatekeep, girlboss whoever wanted to use Zone Of Truth against you.
“What, did you think I would lie to you?” or “You don’t trust me?” responses can really mess with an NPC who originally used the spell. Though, please keep these tendencies within D&D. No one needs a gaslighter in the real world. In the fantasy world, however, that’s a whole different story if someone is getting a little too nosy.
When both spells are cast using their original spell slots, Dispel Magic will always end Zone Of Truth.
5Counterspell
Can’t Be In Zone Of Truth If It Never Existed
Ah, the good ‘ol Counterspell quick draw. As soon as someone goes to cast Zone Of Truth, you yell out this safe word and poof. Zone Of Truth, who? Again, this can make a character assume that the reason you are avoiding the spell is because you need to be deceitful.
But who cares, it’s gone now, right? Cue the gaslighting once again and let a verbal battle ensue. Or, you can use the opportunity to understand why someone thought you would lie. Maybe there’s something deeper going on. Regardless, this third-level spell will always beat out a second-level casting of Zone Of Truth.
6Politically Speaking
You Could Ask Where I Was, But Have You Asked What You Could Be Doing?
Ah, politicians. They are the experts at half-truths. And if you can pull it off roleplay-wise, you can go a long way in this business, kid. Redirect the question with your response. If someone asks you what you were doing outside the lord’s manor, your response can ramble on about some greater purpose that, while true, doesn’t answer their question.
This will, most likely, take some extra thought, and you’ll have to measure your words, but it’s a way to get around a Zone Of Truth casting without magic or anything else that will give you away.
7Step Outside The Circle
That’s A Nope For Me Actually
Zone Of Truth is a radius, and your character will know when the spell has been cast. So. Just step outside the circle. Again, this is an obviously evasive way of dealing with Zone Of Truth that will most likely make an NPC or whoever is suspicious of you or your intentions. But it sure is effective if that outweighs feeling trapped by the spell.
Now, your character may not know exactly the boundaries of the spell or exactly how it works, so you have to be aware of meta-gaming so you can avoid it. But if your character knows about the spell, why wouldn’t they just step a couple dozen feet away? Given that you’re able to, of course.
Meta-gaming, in D&D, is when you use knowledge that you know, but your character would have no way of knowing or understanding.
8Withhold Critical Information
Yes, I Was Outside. At Night. In The Material Plane.
Where were you last night? I was outside going for a walk. The castor of Zone Of Truth doesn’t need to know that the walk was to that same lord’s manor or that your outside walk ended with you breaking into the manor. Saying the first half of what actually happened is still the truth.
Welcome to lying by omission. Similar to speaking like a politician, you still have to weigh your responses to be sure you are withholding the incriminating details, but it doesn’t require the same mental gymnastics that redirecting each question might.
9Just Start Fighting
You Gotta Hit Em With That Ka-POW
Look, if you know that you are caught in a lie and none of the other options are viable to you, your situation, or your character, then just throw a punch in the middle of the castor asking you questions. After all, if they drop concentration on the spell because you punchedthe holy Nine Hellsout of them, it is getting out of Zone Of Truth.
If you are trying to salvage a situation, of course, this isn’t your first option. But this can be your fifth, sixth, or twentieth option. Or, maybeyou’re playing a barbarianwho is just looking for an excuse to rage and doesn’t want to do words with people. All arrivals to this option are valid.
