A few miscellaneous questions (Language selection and Lesser Domination)...

[RigaMortus]

1) Can a (Human) non-Cleric class learn to speak the languages of Infernal or Abysmal creatures?

2) For Psion powers, what can/can't you do with the Lesser Domination power? It says you can control a creatures actions, if you speak the same language. So does "controlling their actions" also allow me to make them speak or not speak if I wish? I can't find rules for or against this, should I assume you can?

3) Do I retain full control of myself when I am dominating another creature? Can I control the creatures actions as well as my own without breaking that "connection"? Also, the power lasts 1 day / per level of the manifester. Can I dismiss the power sooner if I wish? It doesn't give a "dismissable" designator in the description.

4) Can I dominate more then one creature at a time?

5) This line under domination confuses me. It says, "You know what the subject is experiencing but do not receive direct sensory input from him." Can anyone explain what this means to me because later on it says, "You need not see the subject to control it." It also mentions that I form a "telepathic link" witht he subject too. Now, if I can no longer see the subject to control it BUT I also can not receive direct sensory input from it, how am I expected to control the subject? As soon as he goes out of my view and someone tries to talk to him, I will not be able to answer because I assume that I can't receive this kind of input. I don't even think I can navigate him any further because I wouldn't be able to "see" where he is going. Can anyone clear this up on what you can/can't do with a dominated person once they are out of your view?

Thanks in advance

 

[hong]

1) Can a (Human) non-Cleric class learn to speak the languages of Infernal or Abysmal creatures?

By the book, there's noting to stop them from doing so. In fact, wizards and sorcs are also prime candidates for knowing these languages, given how they can gate monsters in and out.

2) For Psion powers, what can/can't you do with the Lesser Domination power? It says you can control a creatures actions, if you speak the same language. So does "controlling their actions" also allow me to make them speak or not speak if I wish? I can't find rules for or against this, should I assume you can?

You can order them to do anything you want, and that includes saying or not saying stuff.

3) Do I retain full control of myself when I am dominating another creature? Can I control the creatures actions as well as my own without breaking that "connection"? Also, the power lasts 1 day / per level of the manifester. Can I dismiss the power sooner if I wish? It doesn't give a "dismissable" designator in the description.

Yes, yes, no. Presumably you could give an order "continue with your life as normal" and this would be effectively the same as dismissing the domination.

4) Can I dominate more then one creature at a time?

Of course. Why not? Vampires do it all the time.

5) This line under domination confuses me. It says, "You know what the subject is experiencing but do not receive direct sensory input from him."

Think of domination as giving you a slave. You can essentially order him to do stuff that doesn't require a great deal of judgement on his part. So if you knew that there was a door at the end of the corridor (out of view), and you knew there was a chest behind the door that contained a sword, you could order him to "go down the corridor, open the door, and get me the sword in the chest". He would do exactly that, ignoring anything along the way. If there was no sword in the chest, he would just stand there at the chest with a blank look on his face. Similarly, if he opened up the door and there was no chest to be found, he would stand around doing nothing.

 

[RigaMortus]

Well as far as the languages go, it specifically says that, "Clerics, druids, and wizards can choose certain languages as bonus languages even if they're no on the list found in the race description."

Since I am playing a Human, under the language part for humans it says, "Bonus Languages: Any (other then secret languages, such as Druidic)."

So the question then becomes, are Abysmal and Infernal considered "secret languages"? If they are not, what else constitutes as a "secret language" besides Druidic? The way it is worded is strange, they make it seem like they are giving Druidic as a example of a secret language you can not take, but then what are the other secret languages?

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As for the Lesser Domination, what I wanted to do was dominate a town official (perhaps captain of the guard) and sort of navigate him through the keep and gather information. If I can't navigate him or answer people as they try and interact with me, then this is a severe limitation I wasn't aware of. I guess by you answer, I wouldn't be able to do this, ar Iwould have to word it differently. Something like this:

"Search the keep for prisioners and have them released."
"Find the evil Duke and slay him when he is alone and unprepared."
"If anyone tries to talk to you, answer them without revealing your intentions or the fact that you are dominated."

Well, are those legit examples of what I can make a dominated person do?

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

Use the Speak Language skill.

Yes to all three. Better hope the victim has a poor Will save though...

 

[Number47]

I'm pretty sure the only secret language in the PHB is Druidic, but the line is in there because anybody can add a secret language to their product/setting, which cannot be learned simply because you're human.

 

[RigaMortus]

I think I got "bonus languages" mixed up with taking the skill "Speak Langauges". I assumed they were one in the same, but upon reading further they are not. The bonus languages are what you can choose from your intelligence bonus. You choose these at the beginning of character creation. They are modified by what race you are and what class you are. So a Human Wizard could pick Draconic at the beginning but a Human Barbarian could not. But you COULD select it if you train skill points in it. Whew, ok now I think I understand...

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More on dominate...

Once I dominate someone, would it be possible to set up a Lesser Mindlink with them? Basically the target of the Mindlink must be willing, but could I use dominate to "force" them to be willing (I know that sounds like an oxymoron)? If this IS possible, then I would be able to communicate with them telepathically so that I could control their actions and "see" what they see at any point in time (well, until the power expires). This would make it easier to control them on the fly. Is this possible? I could see arguements for and against this.