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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Arrowhawk" data-source="post: 5744264" data-attributes="member: 6679551">RAW is woefully inadequate in talking about the extent to which a subject will go to complete the tasks.   What I note is language that is how things are worded and language that is not used:1) Subject has "limited activities"2) No where does it say "to the best of subject's abilities" like it does with Summon Nature's Ally.  So there's no mandate of the subject to use every ounce of brain power and tactics.3) There is very little restriction on what you can order the person to do.  They can't do things that are self destructive (e.g. jump off the roof).  But outside of that the sky is the limit. The only hitch is that if it is against the person's nature, they get another saving throw.  If they fail the saving throw, then they attempt the task.4) The rules state that they "attempt" the task and continue attempting the task.  It doesn't say they revise their methods or figure out how to best accomplish the task, etc etc.So the bottom line is that there is no definitive answer.  One thing you might consider as a DM is that complex problem solving might be short circuited by a Dominate Person spell.  A person may be so focused on attempting the task, they have limited ability to think creatively or resourcefully.  If I give a person a shovel and say, "make me a grave," I don't think the subject is going to go hire some commoners to accomplish the task.  I think they take the shovel you just handed them and start digging.But....the RAW doesn't provide any strict rules on this.  One has to interpret the spell in the context of the game.   There's no RAW on this one way or the other. RAW does not support any notion of "reasonable chance of success."  RAW does not require that the subject evaluate his/her options and choose the best method.  It merely requires an "attempt."   And flapping your arms to fly to the moon is in fact an  attempt to fly.   What might be triggered is another saving throw as "flying to the moon" is against most people's nature.Again, I don't see that RAW offers much guidance in how much preparation you allow someone attempting to complete the task.  I'm not moving any goalposts, that sentence was part of larger argument and you've just taken it out of context.  Technically that's 100% wrong.  Per the game, there is no requirement that the task be possible.  The spell mandates that the person keep attempting to complete the task.  If the command were nonsensical e.g. "I want you to Red Bean 42 sidecar Charlie," then I suppose the person would just stand there attempting to figure out what the command was.   Obviously that would be self-destructive.  But a person would probably dig a ditch past the point of having blisters.    Now you're being obtuse. 1)  The game is played from the perspective a the party, not the commoner.2)  This discussion on being obvious is from the perspective of a party at the level they would encounter a vampire.  This makes a DC 15 check nearly trivial for at least one person in the party given RotG suggests a +4 circumstance modifier for people who are "familiar" with the individual.  That 1st level Monk in our group would need all of a 3 or better to notice if someone in our party was under a Dominate spell.  That makes it "bloody obvious."3)  The statement is made as a comparison to other enchantments which are completely undetectable by a commoner.  4)  A 45% chance to detect something by a commoner who is family member is a higher % than three point shooters in college or the NBA.  Do the math.Maintain whatever perspective you want.  I stand by my assertion that Dominate Person is a blunt force object in the world of enchantments and is by comparison "bloody obvious" when employed.EDIT:Just to make sure we're on the same page, let me add that I think the DC 15 check is only allowed if you view the subject being constrained by the "limited range"  of activities.  In other words, when i say it's "obvious" I don't mean as you pass the person in the hallway or brush by them on the street.   I mean when the subject is outside digging a ditch and ignoring requests to do anything else, or in the kitchen making a sandwich with a hammer, or standing on the roof flapping their arms trying to fly to the moon.  So it's obvious to the party when another PC is actually being observed attempting to complete a command (e.g. a 5th level Monk might not even need to roll).</blockquote>

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