How long does the Command Undead feat last?


Rules Questions

Dark Archive

13 people marked this as FAQ candidate. Staff response: no reply required. 1 person marked this as a favorite.

Hey all. Having met with table variation at GenCon involving the Command Undead feat, I'd like to have a for sure statement.

The question: What is the duration of the Command Undead feat?

This post from James Jacobs definitely indicates intent, but the problem is it's not explicitly stated in the feat or in FAQ. It's implied with the statement "Intelligent undead receive a new saving throw each day to resist your command."; however, this is not enough to avoid GMs who read it as a 1 minute/level duration based on control undead.

If you wouldn't mind clicking FAQ, I'd appreciate it! :)


The duration of the Command Undead feat is permanent, until broken by way of saving throw.

One of the feat's purposes is to allow massive undead armies wielded by enemy spellcasters. That wouldn't work very well if it only lasted a few minutes :)

Besides, do those who suggest it should have a minute/level duration have an opinion on what the "caster level" should be in that case? The feat doesn't say anything about that, either.

And what's their response to the "new saving throw each day" statement? Do they think that's just irrelevant words without meaning?

Dark Archive

I agree with you; however, Society Play lends itself to table variation if the rules are not explicitly stated. Because someone could interpret the feat differently (going merely by "as if under the effects of control undead"), I would prefer to have the permanent duration explicitly called out.

I agree that it makes more sense as permanent, but I want to avoid other interpretations when I play my oracle of bones.

Shadow Lodge

well, no matter what you have to ditch the undead at the end of the session, but if it does not a set duration in the discription, then you should assume that it will be longer then the span of time in the scenario.

Dark Archive

So someone clicked favourite instead of FAQ... >_>


They can't click FAQ AND favorite?


Mergy wrote:
So someone clicked favourite instead of FAQ... >_>

Maybe some folks like the ability having the back door nerf built in.

Dark Archive

Frankthedm wrote:
Mergy wrote:
So someone clicked favourite instead of FAQ... >_>
Maybe some folks like the ability having the back door nerf built in.

I'm not really sure what you're talking about here.


Mergy wrote:
Frankthedm wrote:
Mergy wrote:
So someone clicked favourite instead of FAQ... >_>
Maybe some folks like the ability having the back door nerf built in.
I'm not really sure what you're talking about here.

I'm saying some folks might like how easy it would be to nerf the ability as you described and would prefer Paizo's to not officially address it in errata or FAQ.

Mergy wrote:
Society Play lends itself to table variation if the rules are not explicitly stated. Because someone could interpret the feat differently (going merely by "as if under the effects of control undead"), I would prefer to have the permanent duration explicitly called out

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