Confusion and Murderous Command - Full Attacks?

[johnnymac]

Hey guys, quick question:

My group recently came into a fight with some priests using the madness domain, so both these effects have been slinging around quite a bit. Some players in my group have expressed concern about the use of the spells confusion and murderous command.

* Confusion, on a roll of 76-100, has you attack the nearest creature. Is this is a single attack action, or 3+ if you have 3+?

* Murderous command gives you a mental urge to kill your nearest ally, which you obey to the best of your ability with a melee or natural weapon. It says you make this "attack" (not attacks!) against the nearest ally. Again, is this a single attack action, or 3+ if you have 3+?

Some of the players in my group think that a full round of attacks are not in the intent of the authors and make the spell prohibitively dangerous for 1st level spells (confusion has a 1st level counterpart).

I would just like to see how other groups have adjudicated these issues and what they think the intent of the spells were, before I make a decision, as to avoid a potentially unintended result.

Thanks guys!

JOHN

[Mondragon]

Hardest than full attack (i think is full attack at best) are the choices...

Power attack?
Rapid shot?

Use spell?

What spell?

[Davor Firetusk]

If a character has more then 1 attack they will use them with those spells. Murderous command as a 1st level spell rarely gets more then a single attack off just because of the level and need to be in full attack position, but it says right in the spell that it attacks to the best of the ability. It is however only a single round duration. Confusion is potentially multiple rounds, but you only have a 1/4 chance if you fail the save of attacking an ally. Lesser Confusion also lasts only a round.

If you look at the Starfinder Math Thread you will actually find 1 of the developers commenting on tweaking the math in Starfinder so that these types of situations are less deadly to the party.

[BigNorseWolf]

Go in loaded for bear in both cases.

Though i've always run it that a confusion will override a murderous command unless the confused character rolls act normally. The best use of that combo is to cast confusion on a group and then murderous command on someone who made their save, the confused creature is now confusion locked on them, probably for the rest of their lives.

[Wraithlin]

The rules say "To the best of their ability".
That means full attack, and using feats if appropriate. The confused character believes they are attacking a legitimate enemy and will do so to the full of their ability.

Yes, confusion is EXTREMELY dangerous at high levels. Prepare your counters and defenses accordingly.

[Ascalaphus]

Confusion is terrifying. It turns all that optimization against you.

The big idea is basically "you're no longer sure who your enemies are, but right now you're pretty sure it's that guy".