Making sure I would have ruled correctly..

[Mystery Man]

This charm makes a humanoid creature regard you as its trusted friend and ally (treat the target’s attitude as friendly). If the creature is currently being threatened or attacked by you or your allies, however, it receives a +5 bonus on its saving throw. The spell does not enable you to control the charmed person as if it were an automaton, but it perceives your words and actions in the most favorable way. You can try to give the subject orders, but you must win an opposed Charisma check to convince it to do anything it wouldn’t ordinarily do. (Retries are not allowed.) An affected creature never obeys suicidal orobviously harmful orders, but it might be convinced that something very dangerous is worth doing. Any act by you or your apparent allies that threatens the charmed person breaks the spell. You must speak the person’s language to communicate your commands, or else be good at pantomiming.

It doesn't matter since I killed the charmed monster with another monster but for next time cuz I know it'll happen again....

Can't speak its language to give it a command, it would basically just follow you around?

The charmed monster won't attack for you.

Would it defend you depending on the situation?

 

[KarinsDad]

Can't speak its language to give it a command, it would basically just follow you around?

The charmed monster won't attack for you.

Would it defend you depending on the situation?

A charmed creature won't just follow you around unless you ask. Asking could consist of hand signals or possibly calling (even if the creature does not understand your language), or gently pulling on the creature. Then, it will most likely follow you as long as something more important (to it) doesn't come up (like getting attacked).

A charmed monster may attack for you, if it deems it appropriate. A charmed dog would almost never attack a dragon, but a charmed dragon would attack a dog. It depends on whether the creature considers it suicidal (or obviously harmful) to do so.

And yes, it might defend you, especially if the attacker does not seem too powerful.

It will do dangerous things, just not dangerous things that appear so overwhelmingly harmful that it would not do it for a normal friend.

 

[Felix]

It doesn't matter since I killed the charmed monster with another monster but for next time cuz I know it'll happen again....

Can't speak its language to give it a command, it would basically just follow you around?

What would you do if you saw a friend from elementary school and found out that he couldn't talk? You'd try to communicate with him in some fashon, say "hello", have coffee. But would you invite yourself over to his house? At some point the charmed creature would go back to doing whatever it was he had been doing.

For instance, if it was a guard you charmed, you might convince him to let you and your buddies through with no hassle, but that would require a CHA check, because guards don't usually let folks through no problem. As you went through, the guard would stay right where he was, still faithful to his masters while helping his "old friend" out.

This might mean that an evil creature you charmed would invite you to join him in fun activities like killing peasants, stealing things, or the like. He doesn't change his nature or personality, just his attitude towards you. He might try to convince you to help him kill your party members...

 

[Voadam]

It doesn't matter since I killed the charmed monster with another monster but for next time cuz I know it'll happen again....

Can't speak its language to give it a command, it would basically just follow you around?

The charmed monster won't attack for you.

Would it defend you depending on the situation?

I would generally have a charmed creature defend you.

I think of it this way, your dog is your best friend, if it is aggressive and sees you threatened it will growl and intervene. If an aggresive monster (most kinds encountered) feels you are its trusted friend and you are threatened it will intervene. If it is among two conflicting friends (you and a fellow monster), it will probably try to grapple to separate the friends. If you first tell him you need to do something (like cast a spell) and need him to stop the others from interrupting you, he'd probably try to do so. His pre-existing friends are still friends, you've just joined their ranks and can cause conflicting loyalties.

 

[Nail]

Would it defend you depending on the situation?

The key, as I see it, is the phrase "it perceives your words and actions in the most favorable way."

That wouldn't mean it abandons its duties or its own goals, but rather the charmed creature goes about them while being "friendly". Very friendly, even.

In the case of a charmed creature not sharing your language: I'd expect to see lots of smiling and nodding, and friendly gestures (such as exchanging minor gifts or boons). I would not expect to see the charmed subject following the wizard around....unless it had nothing better to do. Example: children following liberating soldiers around.

 

[Nail]

I would generally have a charmed creature defend you.

.....If it is among two conflicting friends (you and a fellow monster), it will probably try to grapple to separate the friends.

A thought: Who would the charmed creature grapple, in an attempt to separate two "friends"?

Would he grapple the wizard, or the long-time friend?

Interesting.

 

[Mystery Man]

A thought: Who would the charmed creature grapple, in an attempt to separate two "friends"?

Would he grapple the wizard, or the long-time friend?

Interesting.

Heh, as DM I know which one I'd pick.....

 

[Norfleet]

A thought: Who would the charmed creature grapple, in an attempt to separate two "friends"?

Would he grapple the wizard, or the long-time friend?

Interesting.

He would grapple the closest or most grappleable.

 

[Saeviomagy]

He would grapple the closest or most grappleable.

Or the one who's actually pressing the attack.

Like the guy who didn't just stop to cast a spell which had (as far as he knows) no effect.

 

[Norfleet]

Or the one who's actually pressing the attack.

Like the guy who didn't just stop to cast a spell which had (as far as he knows) no effect.

That's not necessarily true. If my prize bull is charging my friend, who is not attacking the bull, I'm still going to grapple my friend and pull him out of the way, not attempt to grapple the bull merely because the bull is the one pressing the attack. The friend is simply closer and more grappleable than the bull.