Geas/Quest questions

[Iron_Chef]

I just got Geas as a 6th level spell. What can I do with it? It allows no saving throw, hehe.

I'd like to hear how you as players or DMs have used Geas/Quest (even lesser geas) in your games and what you think of this potentially broken spell.

Can I geas someone to obey my every command forever?
Can I geas someone to renounce his paladin status?
Can I geas someone to worship my god and my god only, forsaking their own?
Can I geas someone to switch alignment to match mine?
Can I geas someone to give me everything they own?
Can I geas someone to murder someone they love or respect?

The spell's vague description in the PHB seems ripe for abuse; none of the above geases seem to be forbidden, though the DM could always (mis)interpret them to his own advantage, rather than mine; e.g.: "Protect me from all harm" = the geased one putting me in a nice, safe dungeon for the spell's duration. Are any of the above geases subject to the 1 day/level duration (meaning they are open-ended geases the geased one cannot fulfill on their own)?

If the above geases (opr geases of this type) were allowed, what would the possible ramifications be, not only for the game itself, but for the character geasing another with them?

 

[Murrdox]

There are ways for characters to bypass some Geas... it depends on how well-worded the Geas is to begin with. Some examples:

Can I geas someone to obey my every command forever?

I can just kill you. If you order me not to kill you, I can HIRE someone to kill you.

Can I geas someone to renounce his paladin status?

This one could get icky depending on your personal view of Paladins... because everyone has a different idea about them. Depending on how you "renounced" your status... you could then immediately attone.

Can I geas someone to worship my god and my god only, forsaking their own?

Something like this isn't a Geas that one could complete... thus it would only last for one day.

Can I geas someone to switch alignment to match mine?

I'd say a flat out "no" to this, or the alignment change only lasts one day.

Can I geas someone to give me everything they own?

Sure. Nothing preventing him from stealing it back, however. He could even resist the effect of the spell long enough to give everything he owns to his wife or a friend, and then present you with his only remaining copper piece to complete the Geas.

Can I geas someone to murder someone they love or respect?

Yup. You'd better also figure out a way that they don't come back to YOU looking for revenge though.

 

[AuraSeer]

Can I geas someone to obey my every command forever?

Usually the spell is interpreted as only allowing one command; once you give the order, you get no more input. I probably wouldn't allow you to command someone to obey you. It feels kind of like wishing for multiple wishes, where you'd be getting the spell's benefit more than once.

Even if your DM allows that order, it counts as an "open-ended task" that the user cannot complete through his own actions. The spell's duration will expire after 1 day/level.

Can I geas someone to renounce his paladin status?
Can I geas someone to worship my god and my god only, forsaking their own?

You can order them to take actions, but not to permanently change their minds. The paladin might immediately say, "I renounce my paladinhood," completing the geas in record time. Perhaps he means it at that instant, but his deity is surely too smart to be fooled by a simple compulsion spell, so he wouldn't lose his powers. Even if your order is to set fire to an orphanage or something, he won't permanently lose his paladin status; that only happens if he willingly does evil.

You could order someone to worship your deity (for 1 day/level), and they would go through the motions of worship. I'm not sure whether this would gain you anything though. Afterward, the victim's own deity might want an atonement or something, though that's up to the deity (i.e. the DM).

Can I geas someone to switch alignment to match mine?

Your character doesn't know what "alignment" is. You can tell someone to perform chaotic or evil actions ("Burn down that village!"), or to perform good actions ("Protect those villagers from harm!"), but those are just actions. Performing actions under magical compulsion usually won't have any impact on alignment. (Again, the exact results are up to the DM.)

Attempting a permanent alignment change would surely count as "open-ended", and would therefore expire after some days.

Can I geas someone to give me everything they own?

Yes. However, as soon as they have given you their stuff, the spell ends and they're free to act as they wish.

Be careful how you word this one. If your victim is smart, he might just say "I hereby grant you legal title to my gear," and fulfill the geas that way. He might then proceed to kick your ass into next week, without removing "your" armor or dropping "your" sword. And once he wins, he can take the stuff back as spoils of war.

Can I geas someone to murder someone they love or respect?

Yes you can, you evil, evil person.

 

[Hypersmurf]

We haven't even gotten to the "Can you elect to disobey the Geas and take the penalties? How about a Lesser Geas?" debate yet

-Hyp.

 

[Iron_Chef]

Hehehe, now we're getting somewhere!!! I'm surprised this topic hasn't come up before.

Keep the advice coming; I'm learning a lot.

 

[Hypersmurf]

I'm surprised this topic hasn't come up before.

Heh!

-Hyp.

 

[Murrdox]

I was a rather annoyed player in a campaign awhile back where one of the characters was under a Geas.

The character in question was under a Geas to retrieve an artifact. Our party happened upon the artifact in a temple where we were seeking healing from the Clerics. The DM and every other player in the group convinced the player whose character has a "Geas" that she was obligated to mindlessly go after the artifact, even though there was no way that we could safely obtain it from the Temple.

When we had to leave, the rest of the party chained the character to the wagon to prevent her from running and going to steal the artifact.

I kept trying to tell everyone that Geas is not Dominate Person, and she is still capable of controlling her actions. Suffering for a time under the effect of the Geas is better than suiciding against the temple in a futile effort to complete it. Better to seek a different way to obtain the artifact, and as long as you ARE looking for a method to obtain it... you don't suffer the ill effects.

No one paid any attention to me, and we had to deal with a character that would stupidly run off in the direction of the temple if we unchained her - due to the player's inexperience, and all the other players telling her (wrongly) how her character should act.