Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Finarin Panjoro 10-16-05, 08:53 PM	Is there any way to break, block, or negate a vampire's control over his spawn? For example, would protection from evil block the master's control? If they cast command undead on the spawn would they be in the position to command it or would they need to make opposed charisma checks against the master? In an upcoming adventure I'm running a master vampire has created a spawn much more powerful than himself (nearly twice his hit dice) and if the PCs can find a way to negate his control that spawn is likely to turn on his master (being chaotic evil and aware of his greater power). It occurred to me that they could cast command undead on the master and convince him to release his spawn (the spawn being harder to charm than the master would be). Any ideas or insights would be appreciated.
dok 10-16-05, 09:17 PM	I think all your basic options (command undead & Rebuking) would trigger an opposed Charisma check against the head Vampire. Protection from Evil might block the control, because the wording is rather vague: "exercise mental control over the creature". It mentions charm spells but doesn't limit the spell's protection to only those effects. So you could rule that protection from evil would free the second Vampire from the first Vampire's control. However, that doesn't fundamentally change the second Vampire's evil nature; he might help the PCs, or he might offer to help them and then betray them if the fight doesn't look to be going his way. While he's controlled by the Vampire, his actions are predictable to the PCs, but if he's not under control, that doesn't mean the PCs can or should trust him...