Command: Die

[starwed]

It's interesting that the power of the spell command can depend on the language in question.

I know that there are some languages, such as german, which allow arbitrarily complex nouns simply by adding up a bunch of smaller words.

Presumably there are languages where this applies for verbs as well; in such a language, command is quite powerful, since a complex action can be described in a single word.

 

[kenobi65]

You could tell someone to jump while they stood at cliff's edge; this isn't a "I get to think about it and decide how to carry it out", its a magical compulsion.

But, "jump" doesn't tell them which direction. It'd be just as plausible for the target to jump straight up, or *away* from the edge of the cliff, as it would be to have them jump off the cliff.

 

[MarkB]

But, "jump" doesn't tell them which direction. It'd be just as plausible for the target to jump straight up, or *away* from the edge of the cliff, as it would be to have them jump off the cliff.

How about "plummet"?

 

[Archade]

I'd allow more uses of command than the 3.5 menu - I'd probably add to the list of available commands as requested, rather than give carte blanche - what are some (reasonable!) commands?

Collapse (as fall)
Die (as sleep)
Kneel (as fall)
Retch - sickened for 1 round?
Silence - cannot speak for 1 round?
Sleep - stunned for 1 round?

What would be some other reasonable commands?

 

[starwed]

Stunning for one round is probably too powerful, since you drop everything in your hands and lose your Dex bonus and take no actions. That's way better than the already existing commands Drop or Halt, or even both combined.

Disrobe might be a useful one to use on wizards.

 

[Infiniti2000]

The problem with allowing freeform commands is that they need to all be similar in power-level. With command (die), in previous versions that's really all we would use. Why change tactics to an almost-always inferior method? For example, compare "silence" and "sleep" as Archade suggests above. Ignoring creatures like constructs which are immune to stunning, would you rather have your opponent be stunned or just unable to speak? Why ever choose silence?

 

[Archade]

Okay, how about this so far:

Cower: The subject is shaken for 1 round.
Die: The subject drops to the ground and is stunned for 1 round.
Disrobe: ???
Kneel: On its turn, the subject kneels (which is the equivalent of the prone condition)
Retch: The subject is sickened for 1 round.
Silence: The subject cannot speak for 1 round.
Sleep: The subject drops to the ground and is takes no action for 1 round, much like the effect of a daze spell.
Submit: ???

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

While I've never used the spell to attempt a kill, I have used it to mortally embarrass opponents (especially spellcasters) when I use it to say something like Command: "Pee" or Command: "Poop" (and yes, I use the more colorful versions in actual play).

Very distracting to the target, let me tell you.

 

[Archade]

While I've never used the spell to attempt a kill, I have used it to mortally embarrass opponents (especially spellcasters) when I use it to say something like Command: "Pee" or Command: "Poop" (and yes, I use the more colorful versions in actual play).

Very distracting to the target, let me tell you.

Funny you should mention that - back in high school playing AD&D we had a rather undecided player - couldn't make a decision to save his life. I was DMing, he cast Command on a bugbear, and I asked what the command was ... he hummed and hawed for a couple of minutes before screwing up his face in disgust and saying "well, crap!".

So the bugbear did.

 

[evilbob]

What would be some other reasonable commands?

While I admit I don't know if I can top "command: poop," I will say the coolest application I've seen of this that I've seen actually came from a comic (maybe it was called "Priest"?) where the character had this telepathic compulsion power at his disposal, but I believe was also limited to one word. An enemy had a rifle or shotgun or something pointed right at him at point-blank range, and basically screamed something along the lines of "how are you going to get out of this one" - to which the character replied, "MISS." (This caused the enemy to miss him with his shot and gave the character enough time to close range and attack/disarm him.)

I think "command: miss" would be a nice one to add to the list, and potentially very useful.