# of targets you can dominate simultaneously

[Altamont Ravenard]

Simple question, how many creatures can you simultaneously have a hold on, via the various dominate spells?

Since the spell lasts for days, and nothing seems to prevent a spellcaster from dominating many targets at a time, you can make yourself a little entourage without too much difficulty...

Also, before the spell ends, could the caster force the target to fail his saving throw against another dominate spell?

Thanks in advance...

AR

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

The last time I called this spell broken, on these boards, I got flamed for it.

You've also discovered why the spell is broken. There is no limit to how many creatures you can control. (IMO you should cut the duration heavily, to say 1 minute/level, but whatever.)

 

[RigaMortus]

1minute/level would make the spell useless. I could see if it was meant to be a combat-only spell, then sure, 1min/level would work. But if that were the case, you are better of just doing damage to the target to get rid of them in combat rather than dominating them. The way the spell works now allows you to not only use it effectively in combat, but it has utility applications as well, such as Dominating a person and using them as a spy to infiltrate or to get secrets from them or to make them do dangerous things that you yourself don't want to do (bash open that securely locked chest in the wizard's bedroom).

 

[ARandomGod]

Simple question, how many creatures can you simultaneously have a hold on, via the various dominate spells?

To figure this out, you have to figure out how many dominate type spells you can cast (successfully) in a day, vs the chance that each spell will be broken out of each day, and look at the total duration (very, very long).

You'll discover that the actual answer is a variable, *D

You'll also discover that in general *D is a very, very large number.

 

[Thanee]

1,000,000 is a very, very large number. In D&D terms, anyways.
I'm fairly sure, that you cannot dominate 1,000,000 targets at a time.
In conclusion, the number of targets you can dominate at a time is not very, very large.




As a more serious reply...

If it bothers you, you could just limit it as a house rule... there is a precedence in the rules:

Dominate Monster (Su): A taskmaster can use a dominate monster ability as the spell from a 10th-level caster (Will DC 17 negates), although the subject may be of any kind and may be up to Large size. Creatures that successfully save cannot be affected by the same taskmaster’s dominate monster ability for 24 hours. A single taskmaster can dominate up to four subjects at a time. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Technically, a taskmaster could not even dominate any creature at all, since the caster level is too low to use this ability (minimum of 17th required), but well...

Bye
Thanee

 

[Endovior]

That's hardly a precedent. That's a case of a creature's special ability being weaker then the spell it mimics.

I could do the math for the Dominate spells, but I'm not quite THAT interested.

However, if your player starts something like that, note such a thing is easy to wreck. Throw in a few NPC Bards. Even a 1st-level Bard can screw it up with Countersong (on a good roll), and higher-level Bards can use Song of Freedom.

 

[Thanee]

That's hardly a precedent.

I'm actually fairly sure, that it is a precedent for limiting such an ability to an arbitrary number of simultaneous targets, because that is exactly what it does.

It's not a precedent, which leads to the conclusion, that Dominate Person/Monster is meant to be limited in that fashion, if you thought, I was intending to imply that... I did not, which is why I called this a house rule in the first place.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Altamont Ravenard]

The reason I'm asking is not for a PC, but for monsters that have the Dominate Person ability at will. I'm sure it's been brought up before, but those creatures could technically dominate a whole city, given time (and planning).

I'm well aware that the logistics involved would be incredible, and that such a task would not be easily feasible, because some would resist, and because pesky adventurers would eventually get in the way, but it could be done.

Thanks again, and don't stop with the comments.

AR

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

1minute/level would make the spell useless. I could see if it was meant to be a combat-only spell, then sure, 1min/level would work. But if that were the case, you are better of just doing damage to the target to get rid of them in combat rather than dominating them. The way the spell works now allows you to not only use it effectively in combat, but it has utility applications as well, such as Dominating a person and using them as a spy to infiltrate or to get secrets from them or to make them do dangerous things that you yourself don't want to do (bash open that securely locked chest in the wizard's bedroom).

The dominated creature hurts its former allies. (It's like a summon spell.)

IMO if you want to get a spy, use Charm Monster.

 

[Evan De Bellefeuille]

The dominated creature hurts its former allies. (It's like a summon spell.)

IMO if you want to get a spy, use Charm Monster.

The dominated creature would only hurt its former allied if you ask it to.
I think Dominate would make a much more interesting spy... You could
monitor on him all the time via the telepathic link, and you could give
him new instructions if the need arises.

From Altamont: Also, before the spell ends, could the caster force the target to fail his saving throw against another dominate spell?

It seems that the spell would be too powerful if you could do that, but I don't
see any reason why not... You can ask your dominated victim to do whatever
you like. Any idea, anyone?

Evan