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<blockquote data-quote="AbdulAlhazred" data-source="post: 9271360" data-attributes="member: 82106">Well, it is a 4th level spell, so you would need to be 7th level to cast it, at which point it will compete with things like 'Wall of Iron' and 'Wall of Fire' to just name a couple of nice ones for your only 4th level slot. The AD&amp;D version is also of limited appeal, as it changes nothing about the monster WRT the REST OF THE PARTY, they become YOUR friend, not the fighter's friend, not the thief's friend, etc.! Now, maybe some monsters will go ahead and do as you ask and not eat those folks, but that's probably subject to some discretion, as the Suggestion spell seems to indicate that highly abnormal or ridiculous commands are going to fail. Intellect as well as ability to communicate will be key, as any attempt to direct the actions of a Gelatinous Cube, for example, are pretty much bound to fail, halflings are food, the thief is going inside and that's that! The one saving grace of this spell is there is no cost to casting it (no M component). Honestly, specializing in playing Magic Users in those days, I don't recall really using this spell much. I think 'Questioner of All Things' penned a scroll of Charm Monster on the off chance it might get him out of a jam. I don't remember really using it. I mean, you could definitely charm some fairly weak monsters with it, but IMHO 99% of the time Charm Person (which works on Humanoids) is just as good and takes up a MUCH less valuable spell slot. Also, Charm Person bases its saves on INT and they are MUCH MUCH less frequent for all but extremely intelligent targets!</blockquote>

[QUOTE="AbdulAlhazred, post: 9271360, member: 82106"] Well, it is a 4th level spell, so you would need to be 7th level to cast it, at which point it will compete with things like 'Wall of Iron' and 'Wall of Fire' to just name a couple of nice ones for your only 4th level slot. The AD&D version is also of limited appeal, as it changes nothing about the monster WRT the REST OF THE PARTY, they become YOUR friend, not the fighter's friend, not the thief's friend, etc.! Now, maybe some monsters will go ahead and do as you ask and not eat those folks, but that's probably subject to some discretion, as the Suggestion spell seems to indicate that highly abnormal or ridiculous commands are going to fail. Intellect as well as ability to communicate will be key, as any attempt to direct the actions of a Gelatinous Cube, for example, are pretty much bound to fail, halflings are food, the thief is going inside and that's that! The one saving grace of this spell is there is no cost to casting it (no M component). Honestly, specializing in playing Magic Users in those days, I don't recall really using this spell much. I think 'Questioner of All Things' penned a scroll of Charm Monster on the off chance it might get him out of a jam. I don't remember really using it. I mean, you could definitely charm some fairly weak monsters with it, but IMHO 99% of the time Charm Person (which works on Humanoids) is just as good and takes up a MUCH less valuable spell slot. Also, Charm Person bases its saves on INT and they are MUCH MUCH less frequent for all but extremely intelligent targets! [/QUOTE]

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