So I came across an interesting issue while running a section of Shattered Star at my last game. I'd like to know if anyone knows the specific rules about how to handle my situation and if there aren't any (this is what I'm thinking), how would you handle the situation?
I had a fighter in my party who had previously encountered a CR 9 Fiendish Seugathi and failed a bunch of Will saves and went permanently insane. His DM at the time ruled that his insanity was going to manifest in a Phobia of worms and worm-like creatures (because that fits the description of the Seugathi).
Then at my session, the party entered a cave with an underground lake in the Lady's Light (2nd book of AP) and that cavern was full of enchantment magic. Everyone in the room made a Will save, and those that failed were compelled to strip of their armor and weapons and dive into the lake and swim toward a secret door.
Well, the insane Fighter failed his Will save, stripped of his armor and weapons and jumped into the water. He was swimming along just fine until... two eels attacked him.
I spoke with the DM that gave him the phobia and we both agreed that eels would be "worm-like" enough to trigger his fear. And then the issue arose: is the compulsion effect that has him swimming toward the secret door stronger, or is his fear of worms and worm-like creatures stronger? How would you handle this situation: keep him swimming to the door and ignoring the eels, or would his fear snap him out of his compulsion?
Thanks for your input and ideas!
-Kym
My understanding is that compulsion effects are precisely that; they compel you to do something irrespective of your feelings about it.
My understanding is that compulsion effects are precisely that; they compel you to do something irrespective of your feelings about it.
As in, no amount of fear would break him free of this compulsion? I wish I had the AP in front of me so I could get the exact wording of the effect, but I returned it to it's owner. I think I interpreted this compulsion effect similar to the spell Suggestion (though the AP doesn't say any spell that it's similar to, I think). If it was similar to the spell Suggestion, would the phobia at least give him a chance at another save?
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, M (a snake's tongue and a honeycomb)
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target one living creature
Duration 1 hour/level or until completed
Saving Throw Will negates; Spell Resistance yes
You influence the actions of the target creature by suggesting a course of activity (limited to a sentence or two). The suggestion must be worded in such a manner as to make the activity sound reasonable. Asking the creature to do some obviously harmful act automatically negates the effect of the spell.
The suggested course of activity can continue for the entire duration. If the suggested activity can be completed in a shorter time, the spell ends when the subject finishes what it was asked to do. You can instead specify conditions that will trigger a special activity during the duration. If the condition is not met before the spell duration expires, the activity is not performed.
A very reasonable suggestion causes the save to be made with a penalty (such as –1 or –2).
I rationalize the second save because of the line "Asking the creature to do some obviously harmful act automatically negates the effect of the spell." and while I understand that at the time of the compulsion effect the suggestion wasn't harmful, it is now. What do y'all think?
My understanding is that compulsion effects are precisely that; they compel you to do something irrespective of your feelings about it.As in, no amount of fear would break him free of this compulsion?
Not unless the spell says otherwise. That's why command can force you to do obviously suicidal things like "halt" and stand under a 16-ton Monty Python weight, or "drop" the flask of alchemist's fire at your own feet. Obviously, individual spells can have different wording; I could command someone to stand on the obviously-harmful trap door of certain death, but I could not not suggest it.
But that's a limitation of the suggestion spell, not of the compulsion subschool.