D&D 5E 5e monsters that can indefinitely charm.....(SPOILER for N1:Against the cult of the Reptile God)

[R_J_K75]

See this post, when you change a parameter like this, it usually means that you need to also foreseen means to get rid of it, or what happens if there is interference with a longer effect, etc.

Certain things yes you need to give careful consideration to before changing but this I dont see as one. Charm person doesnt make the person a blithering automoton. They still have some semblance of free will so after the initial encounter it probably would only come into play infrequently when the caster and thrall meet.

 

[Lyxen]

Certain things yes you need to give careful consideration to before changing but this I dont see as one. Charm person doesnt make the person a blithering automoton. They still have some semblance of free will so after the initial encounter it probably would only come into play infrequently when the caster and thrall meet.

Yes and no, it depends on your campaign and players expectations, but I know that some players would be annoyed as being forced to be "friends" with the enemy for a long time. And in a way, it's more insidious, you cannot even plot against the caster as he is your friend.

 

[R_J_K75]

Yes and no, it depends on your campaign and players expectations, but I know that some players would be annoyed as being forced to be "friends" with the enemy for a long time. And in a way, it's more insidious, you cannot even plot against the caster as he is your friend.

Think it depended on how you handle it as a DM and the person who charmed a PC doesnt necessarily need to be an enemy so...

 

[Lyxen]

Think it depended on how you handle it as a DM and the person who charmed a PC doesnt necessarily need to be an enemy so...

The problem is the dichotomy between the player and the character. The player knows he's an enemy, but is obliged to roleplay his character as a friend of the caster. Some of our players love this and can play it forever with delectation, some other players really hate it, especially if it lasts.

 

[NotAYakk]

Have a ritual charm/dominate ability.

In combat they act similarly, plot wise it acts like 3e. You win the fight, start the ritual, and weak minded people are now your thralls.

You can limit how many a naga can control.

 

[Casimir Liber]

The problem is the dichotomy between the player and the character. The player knows he's an enemy, but is obliged to roleplay his character as a friend of the caster. Some of our players love this and can play it forever with delectation, some other players really hate it, especially if it lasts.

Players have enjoyed roleplaying being subtly charmed in ourgroup.

 

[Casimir Liber]

All interesting points - I was curious over how it can be enacted the same way as the 1e module without actually changing canon (I do like to see if I can tweak things within canon before changing otherwise). It (sort of) works by switching the spirit naga with an aboleth, or by giving the naga geas instead of dominate as a 5th level spell, or giving it a ritual as well, or going with el remmen's naga above. The more I think about it, the more I think it works as a higher level module anyway. All other input welcome.

In general I have to say I am happier with shorter duration charms as can be tricky to run and frustrating to play in the long term .. so prefer as a rarer occurrence

 

[J.Quondam]

I haven't run this in 5e yet, but my intention is to give the naga a magic item/minor artifact that grants her charm abilities to match what's needed in the adventure as written (more or less). Only she can attune to it, so its most potent powers will remain beyond reach of PCs if they decide to risk using it.

For my campaign there's a rationale behind all this, of course. But for the standalone adventure, just making it a magic item is a lazy way to get around the 5e updates to the naga.

 

[Joshua Randall]

If you don't like the "it's magic!" solution, you could alter the adventure such that the cult is more widespread and has a lot more willing participants and no charmed dupes. This will also alter the tone of the adventure so that it's less "we need to take out this monster to free the mentally enslaved innocent victims" and more paranoid "we need to take out this cult and by the way, the boss monster, too."

I'd really play up the paranoia of who (if anyone!) in town can be trusted.

Go (re-)read Shadow over Innsmouth for the feel.

 

[Casimir Liber]

...as if I need an excuse to re-read a lovecraft novella