D&D 5E Intelligence in resolving "Suggestion"

[Rya.Reisender]

Let's say someone casts Suggestion on Person A with the command "Bring me to Person C", but Person A knows that to get an audience with Person C he needs to ask Person B first, would he bring the caster to Person B or Person C?

I decided for Person B, but now my group thinks that Person B is Person C and I'm unsure whether I should clarify that their interpretation and my interpretation of the spell's effect is different.

 

[Satyrn]

Let's say someone casts Suggestion on Person A with the command "Bring me to Person C", but Person A knows that to get an audience with Person C he needs to ask Person B first, would he bring the caster to Person B or Person C?

I decided for Person B, but now my group thinks that Person B is Person C and I'm unsure whether I should clarify that their interpretation and my interpretation of the spell's effect is different.

Yes, clarify.

Clarifying is always helpful.

 

[iserith]

Seems to me at some point, Person B is going to say something like, "You're mistaken. I'm Person B, not Person C. But I can get you an audience with Person C, for the right price." And then problem solved.

 

[Satyrn]

Aye, that's one way to clarify.

You could even then have the suggested guy say "yeah, that's why I brought you all to him."

 

[Rya.Reisender]

The suggestion spell has long broken and those persons aren't NPCs that would willingly talk under normal circumstances. In fact, Person A is dead and Person B is currently trying to kill them.

 

[Satyrn]

Do it out of character then if you have to.


Or it may actually be best to retroactively turn Person B into Person C if you can manage that.

 

[Rya.Reisender]

I don't really want to cheat like that. I'll just ask who wants a hint and then just tell those who want I guess.

Anyway, how would you resolve that Suggestion spell? Go to person B or C?

 

[Nagol]

I don't really want to cheat like that. I'll just ask who wants a hint and then just tell those who want I guess.

Anyway, how would you resolve that Suggestion spell? Go to person B or C?

I'd use a good faith effort on the part of the NPC -- which means the NPC would say something like "I can't get an audience with C myself, but I'll take you to B who can arrange it."

 

[Satyrn]

I'd use a good faith effort on the part of the NPC -- which means the NPC would say something like "I can't get an audience with C myself, but I'll take you to B who can arrange it."

Aye. Something like that would be good if leading them to B.

Or have A lead them straight to C as far as he can manage - and if this means being stopped by guards on the way because they lack permission, well then so be it. But I would try to give the PCs a clue that's about to happen; perhaps by having the guards turning away someone else lacking permission just as the PCs are approaching. Give them a chance to improvise or back out.

One of my biggest challenges as DM seems to be figuring out how to tell (or at least hint to) the players what is going on when what I've decided is going on varies from what they expect, or even just assume is happening.

 

[jaelis]

I would have them try to follow the suggestion as literally as possible. Thus try to take them to person C directly.