Can you escape from hold person after failing the inital check?

Hold Person:

The subject becomes paralyzed and freezes in place. It is aware and breathes normally but cannot take any actions, even speech. Each round on its turn, the subject may attempt a new saving throw to end the effect. This is a full-round action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity. A winged creature who is paralyzed cannot flap its wings and falls. A swimmer can’t swim and may drown.

It seems that the subject of hold person can't attempt new saving throws because they can't take actions. Is this correct?

2 Answers
2

The action to break free of the spell is an exception to the general "cannot take any actions" as it is built into the spell.

Another way to look at it is that the spell prevents any actions except for the special full round action to break free.

It directly states in the text, "Each round on its turn, the subject may attempt a new saving throw to end the effect." Though they cannot perform actions, a new save is allowed EVERY turn to end the effect.

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