Beguiling Decision?

[izanami8770]

Quote:

Beguiling Touch (Sp): You can charm a living creature by touching it. Creatures with more Hit Dice than your wizard level are unaffected, as are creatures in combat and those with an attitude of hostile toward you. Creatures receive a Will saving throw to negate the effect. The DC of this save is equal to 10 + 1/2 your wizard level + your Intelligence modifier. Creatures that fail their save are affected by charm monster for a number of rounds equal to 1/2 your wizard level (minimum 1). This is a mind-affecting effect. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Intelligence modifier.

So...I don't get it. I mean, the duration is awful, the range is touch, a saving throw is allowed, it's mind-affecting, and it can't be used in combat. All the tricky, non-combat uses for charm get absolutely crapped on by the duration and touch range (but mostly the duration). I thought enchantment was already considered UP, so why come out with an alternate power like this (it replaces dazing touch)? I really WANT to like it, as a like playing manipulators and charmers, but this is just...bad. Does anyone have any differing opinions or clever ideas?

[Mendeth]

This is that cheap ability you use to get the low level guard to open the gate, or to attack those other guards for you. The enchanter will keep using charm monster for the good ones, but now he has a cheap ability for small requests or charms, all day long. This way, it is a charm monster that doesn't let you capture the monster. You can use it over again on the same dude, so there really are some options there, although I agree it is not OP.