D&D 5E (2024) Changes to the Command spell and its use at the table.

Lanefan · 2026-02-16T23:11:35+0000

UngeheuerLich said:
Misty step for example does not impede your ability to move if you are not a monk or a rogue.

by the way. Do monks need to spend their ki to move faster? Do orcs have to use adrenaline rush?
Do fighters have to spend an action point to gain another attack? And second wind to use tactical shift?

I think that is not crystal clear at all.

I'd say anything that improves move rate would have to be used, but things that don't affect movement would not.

In my game once, I hit a Monk with a flee-in-fear effect. Faster than anyone else to begin with, she had devices that further increased her speed; by the time she finally made her save she was miles away and completely lost, meanwhile all the rest of the party had seen was a Roadrunner-like dust cloud going over the hill...

UngeheuerLich · 2026-02-16T23:11:43+0000

Lanefan said:
Yes it is: you're to move away from the caster as best you can, and "as best you can" includes moving directly away rather than at an angle. If the caster's due south of you on a wide open field, you gotta flee due north; northeast or northwest won't do as the angle (and rudimentary geometry) say you're not moving away from the caster as best you can.

I would not say that. I guess that if you are able to see the hazards, and the creature is intelligent enough to estimate which is the fastest way, I guess they would rather avoid the lava or pits.

Lets make it a bit more ambiguous:
Directly away from the caster is difficult terrain. So do you go around or do you go through.

Or even worse: there are caltrops on the ground. You gave to make a DEX save vs 15 or your speed is redcuced to zero.
So if you make the save, it is the fastest route, if you fail it is not... so tell me, which way to go?

Lanefan said:
If there's no way around one or both of the pits, and assuming the target can't jump or fly over said pit(s), then into a pit the target goes. If there is a way around the pits and a pit is directly away from the caster then the target would get to that pit then go around it, eventually reaching the door.

I agree. IF there is no other way, jumping might be the only option.
Sadly there is no condition like turn undead has: cowering if no escape is possible.

UngeheuerLich · 2026-02-16T23:12:54+0000

Lanefan said:
I'd say anything that improves move rate would have to be used, but things that don't affect movement would not.

In my game once, I hit a Monk with a flee-in-fear effect. Faster than anyone else to begin with, she had devices that further increased her speed; by the time she finally made her save she was miles away and completely lost, meanwhile all the rest of the party had seen was a Roadrunner-like dust cloud going over the hill...

Yes, i had this too. Double funny if they are once per encounter abilities and then the walk of shame to come back starts...

Reynard · 2026-02-16T23:14:56+0000

Lanefan said:
I'd say anything that improves move rate would have to be used, but things that don't affect movement would not.

You are obviously not reading the rules and judging by preference. The whole point of the thread is that D&D 2024 has specific mechanical requirements for each of the defined commands. You don't get to just decide.

Lanefan · 2026-02-16T23:19:50+0000

UngeheuerLich said:
I would not say that. I guess that if you are able to see the hazards, and the creature is intelligent enough to estimate which is the fastest way, I guess they would rather avoid the lava or pits.

Sure.

UngeheuerLich said:
Lets make it a bit more ambiguous:
Directly away from the caster is difficult terrain. So do you go around or do you go through.

Situationally dependent, I think, on what exactly makes the terrain "difficult". If it's something like bushes or rough rocks, go through. If it's something like mud that might be deeper than it looks, maybe go round.

UngeheuerLich said:
Or even worse: there are caltrops on the ground. You gave to make a DEX save vs 15 or your speed is redcuced to zero.
So if you make the save, it is the fastest route, if you fail it is not... so tell me, which way to go?

Another tricky one, in that the spell might force you to keep running through the caltrops anyway regardless of the pain. The "speed reduced to zero" piece assumes pain avoidance on the part of the runner.

That said, I'd say the target has to try the caltrops and on failing a save is stuck there.

UngeheuerLich said:
I agree. IF there is no other way, jumping might be the only option.
Sadly there is no condition like turn undead has: cowering if no escape is possible.

That's one thing also not defined by the spell: is it in fact a fear effect, or just a compulsion? Highly relevant if a character has a device or ability that makes them fearless (i.e. immune to fear effects).

Lanefan · 2026-02-16T23:21:20+0000

Reynard said:
You are obviously not reading the rules and judging by preference. The whole point of the thread is that D&D 2024 has specific mechanical requirements for each of the defined commands. You don't get to just decide.

Rulings not rules would beg to differ, and there seems to be a whole lot of gray area in those "specific mechanical requirements".

DEFCON 1 · 2026-02-16T23:24:59+0000

Lanefan said:
Magic that controls actions, like this does, does turn the character into something of an automaton: it has no choice but to do what it's been told to do.

Right. 'Flee'. That's all the magic is telling the person to do. But that's not automatonic. They just have to flee, whatever that means to the person fleeing.

If a person can flee in any number of ways when just scared, then they can flee in any number of ways when the spell is making them artificially scared. At least, that's how I view it and rule it. And if one is running for their lives from one thing, they aren't going to throw their lives away by running into or over something else that will kill them. That makes no natural sense.

When we get up to 5th level and Dominate Person comes into play... that's when telling a person to go over a cliff is a more likely scenario.

Reynard · 2026-02-16T23:26:24+0000

Lanefan said:
Rulings not rules would beg to differ, and there seems to be a whole lot of gray area in those "specific mechanical requirements".

I mean, sure, but no one can prove their argument in that way. We are forced to look at the actual language of the spell, and try and parse it's specific intent.

We don't need any of that, of course. We, as GMs, just decide how things work. But that is not only largely unsatisfying, it opens up space for arguments that don't make the game better.

So if we are trying to work within the rules, we must give the most weight to the text.

UngeheuerLich · 2026-02-16T23:41:08+0000

Lanefan said:
Sure.

Situationally dependent, I think, on what exactly makes the terrain "difficult". If it's something like bushes or rough rocks, go through. If it's something like mud that might be deeper than it looks, maybe go round.

Another tricky one, in that the spell might force you to keep running through the caltrops anyway regardless of the pain. The "speed reduced to zero" piece assumes pain avoidance on the part of the runner.

So now we are changing rules, because we don't want to deal with spell ambiguits.
But I do agree that your ruling is reasonable. It would be equally reasonable that the spell power is not strong enough to force you through the pain.
I'd really be careful to give the spell the extra power. Otherwise some player could try to use the spell and cancel other things. Force someone to go through an illusion. Or maybe allow you to move despite being affected by Otto's irresistible dance. Which spell has priority anyway?

Lanefan said:
That said, I'd say the target has to try the caltrops and on failing a save is stuck there.

Probably. But if it is just a 5ft patch, do you really have to take the risk? Is it not faster on average to go around? Maybe it depends on the character's dex save.

Lanefan said:
That's one thing also not defined by the spell: is it in fact a fear effect, or just a compulsion? Highly relevant if a character has a device or ability that makes them fearless (i.e. immune to fear effects).

A good question. It does circumvent fear and charm resistance.
But fleeing does not always have to be done out of fear.

ECMO3 · 2026-02-17T00:38:11+0000

Lanefan said:
Most games don't allow one to cast a spell while running or sprinting, and as the spell says you have to "move" that probably rules out casting any spell, including teleport.

That said, if the target has a device of teleportation that can be activated while on the run it becomes a very open question as to whether the target has to use it.

Activating a device of teleportation would be fine if it is "interact with an object" as that is specifically part of your movement. Actions, including utilize or the magic actions are not part of your movement and can not be done as part of your turn when commanded to flee.

Lanefan said:
And that said, if the fleeing is done in uncontrolled panic even a device won't help; you're too panic-ed to think of using it.

I don't think it is panic, nothing in the spell suggests you are paniced. You just do what the magic requires you to do.

D&D 5E (2024) Changes to the Command spell and its use at the table.

Lanefan

Victoria Rules

UngeheuerLich

Legend

UngeheuerLich

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Reynard

aka Ian Eller

Lanefan

Victoria Rules

Lanefan

Victoria Rules

DEFCON 1

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Reynard

aka Ian Eller

UngeheuerLich

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ECMO3

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