Command Undead- wow! [Archive] - Wizards Community

Command Undead- wow! [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Slivvy Gaidin
10-20-03, 09:30 PM One of my players is a halfling sorceror, who just leveled up to 5th level. He was looking through the 2nd level spells to find one to take, and came upon the new spell Command Undead.
The spell says that it has two effects. 1, it acts like a Charm Person spell when cast against intelligent undead, and 2, it works like a domination spell against mindless undead.
The Charm Person aspect of the spell is fine with me. Its the domination of lesser undead part that strikes me as unusual. It has no save, no HD limit, and it lasts for 1day/level. This sorceror can cast this spell appox. 4 times per day, and each spell lasts for 5 days. Thats 4 mindless undead per day becoming under his command. 4 mindless 8HD undead!

Now, after all that, I'm actually quite happy for him to take the spell. I don't feel that it will do any harm to the game (in fact I'm running a Ravenloft game, and its a necromancy spell, so he's going to have some powers checks coming his way)

Anyway, I don't feel that it will be unbalancing in the game, but still, it seems as though the spell should have some sort of HD cap to it, or a maximum amount of undead limit.

So, is there something to this spell that I'm missing?
Seeker95
10-20-03, 09:48 PM Nope. No real limits inherent in the spell. Just the number of times you can cast this spell, and the number of undead you can keep track of.

Of course, to command them, you do have to get pretty clsoe to them. And that can get difficult.

Further, how many mindless undead tend to be gathered in the same place without someone already having them under control?
Bloodtide_the_Red
10-20-03, 10:01 PM Nope, this spell as written has very little drawbacks. If you could find a mindless skeletal dragon with 30 Hd you could easy command it around with this spell. Even a dracolich could be commaned around with this spell(once you get past its SR and save). After that you can have your pet dracolich do stuff for you for days...with only a couple Chr checks for 'things it would not normaly do'.
This looks a bit odd. Command person 5th, command monster 9th....command undead 2?
Gotta think about this one.........

Maybe this spell should be [evil]. It is commanding undead. You can realy sipn it and say 'good folks can tell the undead to go away' or such....but isn't that like having a zombie porter?
Repeling or getting rid of undead(like turning) is 'neutral'....but commanding undead is evil, right?
BT
Slivvy Gaidin
10-20-03, 10:31 PM Sure, you have to be in close range to cast the spell, but once its cast, the undead creature only has to be able to hear you for you to command it.

This sorceror could command 4 undead per day, and each would last 5 days. If he cast the spell on each of those 5 days, he could have 20 undead creatures on the 5th day.

Seeker95, there are a lot of undead in this area (and plenty more to be raised. They are in a canyon known only to them as "The place where the bones lie". A necromancer's dream. The ground is filled with the skeletal remains of many beasts of all sizes).

The undead creature that he commanded was a sentry for an evil priestess. How would that affect the spell. Should the sorceror make some sort of Cha check to win the undead over to his side? or does the undead just follow the last order that it was given (which in this case would be the orders of the sorceror who cast Command undead).

Ooh. That would be so cool if the spell did have the evil descriptor. Then my player would have twice the chance to fail a powers check!

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Slivvy Gaidin 10-20-03, 09:30 PM	One of my players is a halfling sorceror, who just leveled up to 5th level. He was looking through the 2nd level spells to find one to take, and came upon the new spell Command Undead. The spell says that it has two effects. 1, it acts like a Charm Person spell when cast against intelligent undead, and 2, it works like a domination spell against mindless undead. The Charm Person aspect of the spell is fine with me. Its the domination of lesser undead part that strikes me as unusual. It has no save, no HD limit, and it lasts for 1day/level. This sorceror can cast this spell appox. 4 times per day, and each spell lasts for 5 days. Thats 4 mindless undead per day becoming under his command. 4 mindless 8HD undead! Now, after all that, I'm actually quite happy for him to take the spell. I don't feel that it will do any harm to the game (in fact I'm running a Ravenloft game, and its a necromancy spell, so he's going to have some powers checks coming his way) Anyway, I don't feel that it will be unbalancing in the game, but still, it seems as though the spell should have some sort of HD cap to it, or a maximum amount of undead limit. So, is there something to this spell that I'm missing?
Seeker95 10-20-03, 09:48 PM	Nope. No real limits inherent in the spell. Just the number of times you can cast this spell, and the number of undead you can keep track of. Of course, to command them, you do have to get pretty clsoe to them. And that can get difficult. Further, how many mindless undead tend to be gathered in the same place without someone already having them under control?
Bloodtide_the_Red 10-20-03, 10:01 PM	Nope, this spell as written has very little drawbacks. If you could find a mindless skeletal dragon with 30 Hd you could easy command it around with this spell. Even a dracolich could be commaned around with this spell(once you get past its SR and save). After that you can have your pet dracolich do stuff for you for days...with only a couple Chr checks for 'things it would not normaly do'. This looks a bit odd. Command person 5th, command monster 9th....command undead 2? Gotta think about this one......... Maybe this spell should be [evil]. It is commanding undead. You can realy sipn it and say 'good folks can tell the undead to go away' or such....but isn't that like having a zombie porter? Repeling or getting rid of undead(like turning) is 'neutral'....but commanding undead is evil, right? BT
Slivvy Gaidin 10-20-03, 10:31 PM	Sure, you have to be in close range to cast the spell, but once its cast, the undead creature only has to be able to hear you for you to command it. This sorceror could command 4 undead per day, and each would last 5 days. If he cast the spell on each of those 5 days, he could have 20 undead creatures on the 5th day. Seeker95, there are a lot of undead in this area (and plenty more to be raised. They are in a canyon known only to them as "The place where the bones lie". A necromancer's dream. The ground is filled with the skeletal remains of many beasts of all sizes). The undead creature that he commanded was a sentry for an evil priestess. How would that affect the spell. Should the sorceror make some sort of Cha check to win the undead over to his side? or does the undead just follow the last order that it was given (which in this case would be the orders of the sorceror who cast Command undead). Ooh. That would be so cool if the spell did have the evil descriptor. Then my player would have twice the chance to fail a powers check!