EOM : Compel - Overpowered?

[scholz]

Granted Compel (Creature) has some limitations greater than comparable CORE spells, but it seems quite the Utility belt spell.

It encompasses-
Suggestion
Sleep
Hold
Repulsion/Sympathy
to name a few.

I am inclined to think those ought all to be separate spell-lists.
One for sleep effects (maybe limited to a certain number of HD rather than a simple will save). One mage in my game took out a bunch of Warriors with several castings of the 0-level version.

One for Holds (again, maybe some limitations to hit dice)

One for "Mind Controls/Suggestions" a la (or maybe those ought to be folded into the Command Spell-lists somehow).

One for Body Control (sleep, dance, etc..)

Given that it is a ranged spell that is effectively save or die I think it is too powerful to be given so many uses.

The alternative would be to make all Compels like the Suggestion Spell. You ask someone to do something. If you say "Go to Sleep" and they fail their saves, they will. if the circumstances are appropriate lie down and take a nap. That would be more play balanced because it would prevent the combat use of the spell, and give the DM room for interpretation.

 

[Dave Blewer]

I am not sure that it is overpowered - Powerful, yes.

The limitation on different types of creatures for this list is a big limitation in my mind... Yes you can do lots of things with the list, but only one at a time and only with very specific creatures. Its probably less powerful than a Sorcerer with the right spell choices...

Now, Power Word. That is a list that could be overpowered....

 

[scholz]

I don't think a Sorcerer is anywhere near as powerful. Take a 5th level caster.
Mage - 20 SL - 14MP
Suppose I take four spell-lists.
Compel (animal, humanoid, giant, magical beast). I still have 16 other spell-lists to choose from.
I can duplicate the effects of the following spells:
Charm Person
Sleep
Cause Fear (Repel)
Hold Person
Suggestion
Charm Monster
Hold Monster
+Attract (Sympathy)
+Discord (Confusion)
+Dance (Otto's Irresistable Dance)
+Debauchery
+Forget
+Sing (Tasha's Hideous Laughter)

By comparison a 5th level Sorceror gets 4 first and 2 second level spells, total. So the sorceror could take about half the effects and no other spells.

As I go up levels, these spell effect all get more powerful so I am not limited as per Sleep) DCs increase, number affected, etc...Whereas the Sorcerers spells are stuck at whatever she gets them at.

A wizard might have all those spells, and no limitations on how many additional spells (apart from spell book size). But, of course, the Mage can cast any of these in any combination. Also Compel has no variable limitations on how many beings it can affect (unlike Sleep).

The only thing I am not sure about is whether the compel affects multiple creatures. The descriptions all use the plural (creatures) but maybe that was unintentional. Even then though, one could get Mass Compulsion of the same creatures and have considerably more options.

S

 

[Dave Blewer]

Haven't Giants and Monstrous Humanoids all been rolled into the Humanoids category?

OK, you have convinced me that this is overpowered...

Oh for the FAQ or EoM 2, or at least news of them...