Hey folks, I want to know: have you noticed the command spell seeing a lot more use at your table? What do you think about it?
The command spell underwent some changes in the recent revised rules of 5e
Command (2014)
Command (2024)
The biggest change is the removal of certain limitations. The following limitations have been removed from this 1st level spell:
Now, this might
seem like a small change, but the change was enormous. Comparing each spell to its Monster Manual, you get the following numbers for how many are affected:
2014 Command and Monsters
- 32 Undead are unaffected
- 161 monsters that speak no language, or a language PC's cannot learn, like Yeti, Sahuagin or Thri-Keen languages. These used to be unaffected.
- 123 monsters that do not speak common, but do speak other, usually exotic languages. These would be a gamble for a player, or a sure bet if they knew the language and knew the monster spoke it too.
- 125 monsters that either speak common or the DM can choose them to know common. Most NPC humanoids fall in this category.
So out of 450 monsters in the 2014 Monster Manual, only 125 would be reasonably certain to be effected by the spell. That is roughly 28% of all monsters.
2024 Command and Monsters
Well, no maths here. It works on all of them! Even when the command is directly harmful to it. You can make enemies flee by jumping off a cliff, approach by walking into a wall of fire. Even drop by letting go of a rope bridge they are currently holding onto. Command has become far more reliable AND effective. Command was not often picked because players really do not enjoy a spell failing because they don't know enough about the monster, or didn't read the spell well enough. The designers probably saw that disappointment as a reason to change the spell.
Concerns
I have already seen great use of the command spell at my table. It has turned into a mini-stun of sorts, as it skips the enemy turn. You can even make them grovel, giving melee combatants advantage on the victim. Making enemies skip their turn is one of the best tactics in the game, and it has never been more easy. It is better in some ways than Tasha's Hideous Laughter because your allies can hit the target without the effect breaking. Once again, reliability.
Not only that, it is very accessible. It is a 1st level spell that can be learned by Bards, Clerics and Paladins, but now with
Magic Initiate being more flexible and powerful than ever, it is very easy to access. The feat Fey-Touched is another powerful and easy way for any other spellcaster to get access to the spell. Upcasting is very cheap on resources to do as well, and doubles the effect, allowing for greater control.
Finally, it is a control spell that doesn't require concentration. This means that a spellcaster can also concentrate on another debilitating control spell, and then cast command to halt those who had overcome that spell.
Personal Experience
As usual, a spell isn't broken until you have a player who figures it out and uses it every combat. They started out as a paladin, but for story reasons rerolled to become a druid. They picked Fey-Touched and so far I haven't had a combat where he did not cast the spell. At that point I start becoming bothered by a spell, especially when it stops me from being able to threaten the party. I also don't see a reason for the player to ever
stop casting the spell whenever he can. It's just too good.
Conclusion
As we all know,
control spells are ruining 5th edition, so this change to the command is not a change to the better. I would advise DM's to nerf Command to a 2nd level spell, with upcasting requiring 2 levels of upcasting as well.
What do you all think? How have the old and the new command spells worked out at your table?
