Dominate Person interpretation

[ffone]

From http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/dominatePerson.htm, " any subject forced to take actions against its nature receives a new saving throw with a +2 bonus."

How do you interpret 'against its nature'? For what sorts of directions towards what sorts of characters would you give a new save?

[Kaeso]

From http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/dominatePerson.htm, " any subject forced to take actions against its nature receives a new saving throw with a +2 bonus."

How do you interpret 'against its nature'? For what sorts of directions towards what sorts of characters would you give a new save?

I'm no expert but I assume it would include things that a character would never, under no circumstance, do if he would have his conciousness, such as:
-A paladin slaughtering an orphanage
-A hound archon sacrificing souls to an evil god
-A bearded devil giving soup to the homeless
-A succubus actually loving a person
-A munchkin respecting the dignity of his fellow players (:smallbiggrin:)

[Roderick_BR]

Yeah, it'll depend entirely on what the character usually does. The LG fighter may resist turning against his friends, but the CN rogue may be.... persuaded on making the party travel more... light.

[Kaeso]

Yeah, it'll depend entirely on what the character usually does. The LG fighter may resist turning against his friends, but the CN rogue may be.... persuaded on making the party travel more... light.

Obligatory link (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0383.html)

[Shademan]

and then you have the obviously evil warrior in darkplate and everything being dominated and ordered to kill the wizard, but resists!
wizard, I... http://cdn0.knowyourmeme.com/i/000/083/916/original/1290318601709.jpg?1290319665

[Yuki Akuma]

I can see a bearded devil giving soup to the homeless if it furthers his goals. :smallwink:

[Kaeso]

I can see a bearded devil giving soup to the homeless if it furthers his goals. :smallwink:

Using soup to rouse the homeless into overthrowing a just and fair regime?
Yuki, you are a genius!

[bloodtide]

I keep this broad enough that you can't command a person to do all that much against themselves.

For example, no matter their alignment, a command like 'take off all your stuff and give it to me' will get them a saving throw. It's against everyone's 'nature' to give away all their stuff. Even a goody goody paladin will not just give his armor and sword to someone.

I'd even have them be aware of semi-self-destructive orders. Such as telling them to 'wait right here and not move for an hour' then drop a boulder or such on them. They would get the save to over ride the 'stay' command.


And getting information can be hard too, as it's against everyone's nature to tell secrets.

[pffh]

And getting information can be hard too, as it's against everyone's nature to tell secrets.

Yeah no. I know far to many people that couldn't keep their mouth shut if their life depended on it.

[JonRG]

I think it's all about how the command is phrased. Take this comic (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0519.html) for instance. The caster doesn't tell the paladin "I want you to kill your ally" rather, "This thief has broken the law and must be punished." The former would call for a new save, the latter would not. With the proper phrasing (or a high Bluff modifier), you could (probably) get anyone to perform any non-suicidal act.