Swaying Word limits


Rules Questions


For the Inquisitor that takes the Conversion Inquisition:

"Swaying Word (Sp): At 8th level, once per day you may speak a word of divinely inspired wisdom that causes a single creature to switch its alliance to you. The target must be within line of sight and able to hear you. If he fails his Will save, he is affected by dominate person, except the duration is only 1 minute."

This seems a bit overpowered as written. I've seen a question posted abut this ability elsewhere on this message board that helped to limit it down to just targeting humanoids as suggested by the dominate person spell, but this ability seems vague and ripe for PC abuse.

I don't see a duration if the enemy fails, or any limitation other than what can be hinted at other than what I stated before. I could see this being a game over for any humanoid villain that the party encounters unless declares it fails by GM fiat.

I'm just not sure how far this extends. Would the target become a cohort? Wouldn't this create a huge amount of plot/character issues for the target? As worded, it looks very much like a instant and permanent 'underling' spell.


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Fractured Jester wrote:

For the Inquisitor that takes the Conversion Inquisition:

I don't see a duration if the enemy fails, or any limitation other than what can be hinted at other than what I stated before. I could see this being a game over for any humanoid villain that the party encounters unless declares it fails by GM fiat.

I'm just not sure how far this extends. Would the target become a cohort? Wouldn't this create a huge amount of plot/character issues for the target? As worded, it looks very much like a instant and permanent 'underling' spell.

You have GOT to be trolling me.


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Pathfinder Rulebook Subscriber

It says the duration is one minute right in the description. The last seven words (well, six words and a number) of the thing you have in quotes.


Squiggit wrote:
It says the duration is one minute right in the description. The last seven words (well, six words and a number) of the thing you have in quotes.

The OP allegedly believes that, if the target passes his save, "a single creature to switch its alliance to you."

Liberty's Edge

Fractured Jester wrote:

For the Inquisitor that takes the Conversion Inquisition:

"Swaying Word (Sp): At 8th level, once per day you may speak a word of divinely inspired wisdom that causes a single creature to switch its alliance to you. The target must be within line of sight and able to hear you. If he fails his Will save, he is affected by dominate person, except the duration is only 1 minute."

This seems a bit overpowered as written. I've seen a question posted abut this ability elsewhere on this message board that helped to limit it down to just targeting humanoids as suggested by the dominate person spell, but this ability seems vague and ripe for PC abuse.

I don't see a duration if the enemy fails, or any limitation other than what can be hinted at other than what I stated before. I could see this being a game over for any humanoid villain that the party encounters unless declares it fails by GM fiat.

I'm just not sure how far this extends. Would the target become a cohort? Wouldn't this create a huge amount of plot/character issues for the target? As worded, it looks very much like a instant and permanent 'underling' spell.

1) "he is affected by dominate person". What is the effect of dominate person on something that isn't a humanoid creature? Nothing.

You affect the target but get nothing.

2) As already pointed out, the duration is 1 minute.


Jeeze I feel dumb, but I guess this is what happens when I deal with rules lawyers on 4 hours of sleep.

Full story:
I have a pair of min-maxers that like to bend the rules and back each other up if I don't know a certain rule or know an ability. Its worse when they know I haven't been sleeping well.

Me being on about 1/4th brain power vs two guys who probably planned this out days in advance to have some fun with their GM managed to make me just throw my hands up in frustration and they shat all over my campaign by instantly reforming the villain after an hour and a half of rules lawyering, arguing, and no caffeine.

They had me so turned around that I read it as they told me:
"if he makes his Will save, he is affected by dominate person, except the duration is only 1 minute. But if he fails? There's no time limit."

I posted this during the game, while I was still very addled, confused, and miffed at my players for pulling such a cheap move, and at myself for not being able to control them.

Lesson learned. Don't GM on 4 hours sleep, and don't trust your players to read you the rules accurately. =/

Revenge will be slow and painful.

The Exchange Owner - D20 Hobbies

Hey I have a new rule for you.

Rule 0

It allows you as a GM to change a rule on the fly (best used on new rules the first time they come into the game.) If you change rules previously ruled on, you aggravate good players.

I recommend using it on any rule that you don't read the way they do. In other words, on 4 hours sleep, when you read it as "if he makes his Will save" you can just say "ok fine since it doesn't say, on a failed it works for 2 minutes".

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