Commanding Free-Willed Undead

[Nareau]

Let's say I'm a high-level evil cleric who manages to Command a wraith. How would you rule this?

1) The wraith now really likes me. He happily follows my telepathic orders no matter what they are. This includes suicidal commands, and commands that go against its alignment.

2) The wraith despises me. He is constantly struggling against my control, such that I must constantly be commanding him NOT to do bad things (like attacking me, or my friends, or friendly NPC's). In addition, I have to command him every time I want him to attack my foes.

3) The wraith despises me, but is magically compelled to act in my immediate best interests (attacking my foes, protecting me and my friends). He is under no compulsion to like me, as is able to pursue less direct means of freeing himself (likely destroying me in the process).

The rules are unclear as to exactly how much control I must exert on my Commanded servants. This is more a question of "How do you interpret these rules for a fun and balanced campaign?"

 

[pontus]

The wraith hates you, but will do as told. He won't take initiative to help you unless ordered to do so. If not under orders, he will neither harm, nor help you.

 

[hong]

I would play it as similar to a dominate spell on a regular person. They don't necessarily like you, but they have to do as you say. You don't have to concentrate to keep them in check, but they won't act on their own initiative either; you have to order them to do things.

 

[Voadam]

I run it as #2 but then I run a nasty ravenloft campaign.

 

[lambdaZUG]

For reference, see Charm and Compulsion page 73, DMG.

Now, the PHB description of the control undead effect remarks that it is "mental control." This most sounds like a compulsion effect, rather than a charm effect. We are lead to believe that the undead in question would be wholly dominated and deprived of free will. While the undead is so affected, it hasn't even the ability to rebel against the control. The effect demands only obedience, and given an undead's hateful nature it seems rather likely that the undead would come to hold some hatred for the caster. Equally likely, however, is the situation in which the undead simply begins to fear the cleric, and will, at first opportunity, flee from the cleric with all due expediency.

 

[Magus_Jerel]

The effect so generated from turning is a compulsion type effect. However, all compulsions are mind affecting - and undead are immune to mind affecting spells.

IIRC - there is a spell called "Control Undead" in the PHB - use that for guidance. IMC, getting "turned by a negative energy using individual" can generate this effect.