Dominate Person

[Theodor Snuddletusk]

I was looking for different and by the book uses of the spell. Both combat, rp and long term daily uses.

- I am also wondering what the definition about "against his nature" is. The example i think is things like; an evil party has wiped out his group and he is the sole survivor. The wizard casts dominate and states "you will be my loyal servant and bodyguard, and after the duration of the spell you will be free to live as you see fit".
It would be against a good persons nature to be the servant of an evil person, but it would not be against his nature to survive.

- And what defines "self destructive". If the order is "kill that mighty beholder" i would agree that it is selfdestructive. But if the order is "protect me and be my most loyal bodyguard" it is not. But what than if the wizard attacks the beholder after the order is given and accepted..

Added the spell description as well;

Dominate:

School enchantment (compulsion) [mind-affecting]; Level bard 4, sorcerer/wizard 5
Casting Time 1 round
Components V, S
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target one humanoid
Duration 1 day/level
Saving Throw Will negates; Spell Resistance yes
You can control the actions of any humanoid creature through a telepathic link that you establish with the subject's mind.

If you and the subject have a common language, you can generally force the subject to perform as you desire, within the limits of its abilities. If no common language exists, you can communicate only basic commands, such as “Come here,” “Go there,” “Fight,” and “Stand still.” You know what the subject is experiencing, but you do not receive direct sensory input from it, nor can it communicate with you telepathically.

Once you have given a dominated creature a command, it continues to attempt to carry out that command to the exclusion of all other activities except those necessary for day-to-day survival (such as sleeping, eating, and so forth). Because of this limited range of activity, a Sense Motive check against DC 15 (rather than DC 25) can determine that the subject's behavior is being influenced by an enchantment effect (see the Sense Motive skill description).

Changing your orders or giving a dominated creature a new command is a move action.

By concentrating fully on the spell (a standard action), you can receive full sensory input as interpreted by the mind of the subject, though it still can't communicate with you. You can't actually see through the subject's eyes, so it's not as good as being there yourself, but you still get a good idea of what's going on.

Subjects resist this control, and any subject forced to take actions against its nature receives a new saving throw with a +2 bonus. Obviously self-destructive orders are not carried out. Once control is established, the range at which it can be exercised is unlimited, as long as you and the subject are on the same plane. You need not see the subject to control it.

If you don't spend at least 1 round concentrating on the spell each day, the subject receives a new saving throw to throw off the domination.

Protection from evil or a similar spell can prevent you from exercising control or using the telepathic link while the subject is so warded, but such an effect does not automatically dispel it.

[Vincent Takeda]

If they've agreed to be his bodyguard and see an opponent that they feel he cannot best by himself, they will dutifully drag his ass away from the fight kicking and screaming in order to ensure his safety? If they feel over time that he's showing a propensity for getting himself into dangerous situations they will dutifully tie him to a chair in the basement so he can stop getting himself in trouble... Its for his own good.

[Theodor Snuddletusk]

Vincent Takeda wrote:

If they've agreed to be his bodyguard and see an opponent that they feel he cannot best by himself, they will dutifully drag his ass away from the fight kicking and screaming in order to ensure his safety? If they feel over time that he's showing a propensity for getting himself into dangerous situations they will dutifully tie him to a chair in the basement so he can stop getting himself in trouble... Its for his own good.

This seems just not right. First of, no bodyguard would do this, atleast not a singel one of the npc`s, or the player-protection-quests have resulted in it, no matter the deathwish of the "master".

I will agree that he will try to talk some sence into his master, but your most loyal bodyguard would die for you if it came to risktaking. He would not agree with a direct order that would kill him, but he would accept a hell of a lot of risk with the possible outcome of death. Think of Most loyal soldiers. What do you think of? To me its the soldier that "no sir, I will stand by you, let them come!" or the guard "If noone shall stand for the emperor in theese times, than I shall!" or the duelist "I will defend your honor sir, even if it is against Sir. Slay At Sight."

[Orfamay Quest]

Vincent Takeda wrote:

If they've agreed to be his bodyguard and see an opponent that they feel he cannot best by himself, they will dutifully drag his ass away from the fight kicking and screaming in order to ensure his safety?

Depends on the bodyguard, and on the person guarded. This is one of the things that some of the rock stars' bodyguards have to do. This is not typically something that the Secret Service has to do for the President. (Next time I'm drinking with one of the USSS types I might ask them that question -- what is doctrine in that situation? If they can tell me, of course.)

"Protect me" is not ipso-facto a suicidal order. Even "face this beholder" isn't necessarily suicidal the way "jump into this lava pool" is. I'd say that any order that sounds reasonable isn't suicidal ("cover my retreat by facing the beholder for a few rounds" is fine, "fight to the death against the beholder" less so), but if the situation suddenly changes, the bodyguard's response might suddenly change, too. But if the bodyguard gets a new order, he'll follow it unless it's obviously self-destructive. So, "you're right, don't fight the beholder. Wait until I get the antimagic field up and THEN go fight the beholder" is just dandy.

E.g., "go into that house and get my briefcase" is perfectly fine as an order. If it turns out the house is on fire, even a dominated person would probably pause and say "sir, the house is on fire. Do you really need your briefcase that badly?" The order won't be obeyed because NOT walking into the house is not necessary for day-to-day living. If the order is repeated, then it becomes self-destructive.

[Orfamay Quest]

Theodor Snuddletusk wrote:

It would be against a good persons nature to be the servant of an evil person, but it would not be against his nature to survive.

I don't think it would be against a good person's nature to be the servant of an evil person. Evil people need bodyguards -- and chefs, and barbers, and chauffeurs -- too.

If I'm working in a deli and the local Mafia capo came in and one of his torpedoes ordered a sandwich,.... fine, he gets the sandwich.

Ordering Mahatma Gandhi to be the chief torturer of the Evil Count de Monnaie might be against his nature. But ordering the Mahatma to get him a drink of water? (And I'd also suggest that, while it wouldn't be against Mr. Gandhi's nature to be a bodyguard, he might be a pretty ineffective one, because it wouldn't be "in his nature" to use violence. He'd happily stand there and talk with the crazed assassin, but actually use force?)

[claymade]

Orfamay Quest wrote:

I don't think it would be against a good person's nature to be the servant of an evil person. Evil people need bodyguards -- and chefs, and barbers, and chauffeurs -- too.

An interesting question, really. If you really, particularly hate that evil person--like if he killed your master or kicked your dog--would that be enough to trigger the "against your nature" clause to so much as give him that drink of water, if he just particularly hates your guts that much?

But then again, ruling that way opens the door for some really cheap kind of abuse, to the point where you could construct a character who, (supposedly) super-duper-hates the idea of helping evil in any slightest way, with the idea that now pretty much any Dominate command would count as "against his nature". Which is pretty lame.

Another thing would be how long a chain of consequences you could factor into the effects of your obedience. Would "fetch me a glass of water" be different from "fetch me a glass of water, so that I can have the strength to keep torturing this innocent villager without having to takea break to go get it myself"?

[Theodor Snuddletusk]

But what other uses does the spell have?

I know of the fun "sleeper cell" use, and ofc its good to have a fighter together with your chr.