Starfox
Hero
In DnD it has always been easier to affect humanoids that other creatures, with spells like charm person, hold person, and dominate person. I've always found this odd. Ought mundane creatures not be HARDER to affect with magic. If you picture a mage having a mind battle for domination with someone, isn't that someone typically a demon, not a humanoid?
3E made a move in this direction by changing how summon monster spells work. In 1E and 2E, summon monster had random results, which included such humanoids as orcs and goblins. For evil casters, it was even suggested that these be replaced with demi-humans such as elves or even humans. The idea seemed to be that the caster were forcing his mundane enemies to work for him. (Small scenarios were written for the situation where a PC came under the effect of a summon monster spell). In 3E, summoning is of sipiritually aligned creatures - either sympathetic outsiders using summon monster or natural creaures using summon nature's ally. The very name of the later spell suggests the summoned "allies" creatures are friendly. Some summon nature's ally creatures are mundane, such as animals and giant, but none are base humanoids.
In Rune Quest, there dominate and bind spells (used to bind a creature in an object) for all kinds of spirits and supernatural creatures were common, while those for mundane creatures and humanoids were incredibly rare, bordering on legendary. Chivalry and Sorcery and Dragon Quest had legions of demons to control, but I beleive they had some DnD-influenced charm humanoid spells as well. Modern games rarely seem to make the distinction, or go the high fantasy path of only allowing control of supernatural creatures.
4E took a step in this direction by removing most mind control and also removing creature type as qualifiers for effect.
I gather 5E has maintained the relative ease of controlling humanoids, but I don't own 5E, so I am not entirely certain.
In part, I think this reflects a literary change, from the more down-to-earth early sword and sorcery fantasy where humans were the weak pawns of supernatural powers, to a more high fantasy approach that is more humanocentric and makes demons controllable but also seductive.
3E made a move in this direction by changing how summon monster spells work. In 1E and 2E, summon monster had random results, which included such humanoids as orcs and goblins. For evil casters, it was even suggested that these be replaced with demi-humans such as elves or even humans. The idea seemed to be that the caster were forcing his mundane enemies to work for him. (Small scenarios were written for the situation where a PC came under the effect of a summon monster spell). In 3E, summoning is of sipiritually aligned creatures - either sympathetic outsiders using summon monster or natural creaures using summon nature's ally. The very name of the later spell suggests the summoned "allies" creatures are friendly. Some summon nature's ally creatures are mundane, such as animals and giant, but none are base humanoids.
In Rune Quest, there dominate and bind spells (used to bind a creature in an object) for all kinds of spirits and supernatural creatures were common, while those for mundane creatures and humanoids were incredibly rare, bordering on legendary. Chivalry and Sorcery and Dragon Quest had legions of demons to control, but I beleive they had some DnD-influenced charm humanoid spells as well. Modern games rarely seem to make the distinction, or go the high fantasy path of only allowing control of supernatural creatures.
4E took a step in this direction by removing most mind control and also removing creature type as qualifiers for effect.
I gather 5E has maintained the relative ease of controlling humanoids, but I don't own 5E, so I am not entirely certain.
In part, I think this reflects a literary change, from the more down-to-earth early sword and sorcery fantasy where humans were the weak pawns of supernatural powers, to a more high fantasy approach that is more humanocentric and makes demons controllable but also seductive.
