When Mind Effecting Effects Collide

[2ndGenerationCleric]

So in our game earlier this evening, i cast confusion on an enemy. He was confused. My ally attacked him. Not wanting my ally to get hit back, I cast Murderous Command,hoping he'd go after his own ally. As these were both mind effecting things that conflicted, we weren't sure which was supposed to take precedent. Is there a rule to cover this or is it just up to the DM?

[GM Rednal]

Quote:

Multiple Mental Control Effects

Sometimes magical effects that establish mental control render each other irrelevant, such as spells that remove the subject's ability to act. Mental controls that don't remove the recipient's ability to act usually do not interfere with each other. If a creature is under the mental control of two or more creatures, it tends to obey each to the best of its ability, and to the extent of the control each effect allows. If the controlled creature receives conflicting orders simultaneously, the competing controllers must make opposed Charisma checks to determine which one the creature obeys.

So... uh... two Charisma Checks from you, I suppose. XD

[Skylancer4]

Confusion does remove the targets ability to act however. It is forced to do what the spell says (depending on the roll) unless it gets the "act normally" option.

Also confusion isn't mental control, you aren't controlling it, you just placed an effect on it. Something like Dominate or possibly Charm are where conflicting commands would come in.

As for the resolution, I think Confusion would still take precedent. Murderous Command makes the target try to attack it's ally, or at least move close to it. It basically makes the creature's decisions for the round.

Confusion is a conflicting effect and higher level spell (not that that really means much). It also has specific resolution for pretty much all scenarios. It actually removes the creatures decisions in just about all situations. It dictates what the creature will do unless it gets "act normally".

I personally think the second spell would be wasted unless it got the " act normally" option.

[Goth Guru]

Target has a nervous breakdown. Falls to the floor twitching.