command

[punkorange]

Is the command spell blatently a spell when you see it being cast, or can it be something like in the books, "Aerlick looked the man in the eyes and spoke, 'If you know what's good for you, you will sit.' The last word spoken was emphasized by magical means and the man felt his legs weaken.
I understand that command is one word and very limited, but in that example the word would be 'sit', it just has a little flavor to it.

btw, my favorite is command 'strip'. It's so great to see a barbarian hold off his attack on you to begin taking off his plate mail.

 

[dcollins]

A lot of the "flavor" to spells in D&D is up to the DM -- you can pick whatever description you like the best. I do feel that casting of this spell should look like some kind of special effect. You should read the DMG where it introduces "Charm and Compulsion" special abilities and gives some flavor to them there. Furthermore, it's definitely clear to the target that they're the subject of some sort of mental attack. From the SRD:

Succeeding on a Saving Throw: A creature that successfully saves against a spell that has no obvious physical effects feels a hostile force or a tingle, but cannot deduce the exact nature of the attack. Likewise, if a creature’s saving throw succeeds against a targeted spell you sense that the spell has failed. You do not sense when creatures succeed on saves against effect and area spells.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Note that in 3.5, Command has a list of 5 options: Approach, Drop, Fall, Flee, and Halt.

Sit and Strip are no longer possible with Command.

-Hyp.

 

[Saeviomagy]

Note that in 3.5, Command has a list of 5 options: Approach, Drop, Fall, Flee, and Halt.

Sit and Strip are no longer possible with Command.

-Hyp.

As DM, I'd adjudicate sit as fall, and strip as halt.

Or even just say that flee would basically put the guy out of combat for two rounds, so I'll just say that strip does that too, OR puts him out for one round and reduces his armour class by one point as his armour suddenly becomes "hastily donned" - it's his choice as to whether he fixes his clothes...

 

[myradale]

my biggest saddness

That was my biggest sadness when I started 3.5
I used to play a cleric that got SO much fun out of the Command spell. It was one of those spells that didn't have a lot of power "up front" but lent itself to so many excellent and creative uses. I used it for so many different uses.

But now it's been nerfed so bad that it's no fun whatsoever. A lot of spells went that way I think. They had to be clarified to prevent abusing poor wording, but the the "bending" of the wording was always where you got the really interesting and unique spellcasting.

 

[Darth K'Trava]

Note that in 3.5, Command has a list of 5 options: Approach, Drop, Fall, Flee, and Halt.

Sit and Strip are no longer possible with Command.

-Hyp.

I've read it as a single word command. Not just limited to the 5 options above....

 

[punkorange]

One game I was playing a cleric of death. The arch mage of the city we were in was about to teleport us to a far away town. We had somewhat told a rival city to attack, and it was the point that they would crush the unknowing city and we would be cought in the middle of it if we didn't get out of there. As the guy was preparing the teleport a child ran in to inform him that they were under attack and it was our fault, but my cleric quickened-silenced him and then commanded him to leave. It rocked.

 

[Hypersmurf]

I've read it as a single word command. Not just limited to the 5 options above....

It states "You may select from the following options."

I see that as an exclusive statement.

-Hyp.

 

[Christian]

Note that in 3.5, Command has a list of 5 options: Approach, Drop, Fall, Flee, and Halt.

Sit and Strip are no longer possible with Command.

-Hyp.

What the ...

(flip-flip)

Well, that totally sucks. Chalk up one more virtually useless and boring spell. When did it become forbidden for players to be creative and DMs to make rulings?

 

[Saeviomagy]

What the ...

(flip-flip)

Well, that totally sucks. Chalk up one more virtually useless and boring spell. When did it become forbidden for players to be creative and DMs to make rulings?

Probably with people issuing commands like "autodefenestrate" (ie - throw yourself out a window), and DM's letting stuff like that rule the game.

You're still perfectly free to allow OTHER commands, but you should probably look down the allowable list for comparable power before you allow "strip" to get someone in full platemail to take it off, or "die" to work.

Meanwhile, if you're not sure of yourself, you can stick to how it's written.