Additional uses for the COMMAND spell

[NewbieDMaster]

I love the Command spell... It has so many great uses for a first level spell.
While the listed uses are pretty great, the spell also says that you can give any 1 word command, and as long as it doesn't put the target in direct harm, they have to follow it.

Would it work to use something like COMMAND "Amicicide"? Does the target have to understand the command in order to fulfill it?

What are some other fun uses of the COMMAND spell that you guys can think of?

[Marcelinari]

I would think that yes, the target has to understand the command - but more importantly, 'amicicide' is a noun, I'm fairly sure, and command needs to use verbs.

The real problem with command is the lack of specificity available to one-work commands. You can't order the target with transitive verbs - 'kill' is useless without a 'yourself' or 'your friends', but 'surrender' might make a target drop his weapons and put their hands up.

[ImSAMazing]

I love the Command spell... It has so many great uses for a first level spell.
While the listed uses are pretty great, the spell also says that you can give any 1 word command, and as long as it doesn't put the target in direct harm, they have to follow it.

Would it work to use something like COMMAND "Amicicide"? Does the target have to understand the command in order to fulfill it?

What are some other fun uses of the COMMAND spell that you guys can think of?

"Land" is what our Paladin commanded the Roc flying in the sky.

[NNescio]

I love the Command spell... It has so many great uses for a first level spell.
While the listed uses are pretty great, the spell also says that you can give any 1 word command, and as long as it doesn't put the target in direct harm, they have to follow it.

Would it work to use something like COMMAND "Amicicide"? Does the target have to understand the command in order to fulfill it?

What are some other fun uses of the COMMAND spell that you guys can think of?

"Amicicide" isn't a command. A single bare noun can only function as a curt statement. (e.g. House. Elephant. Zombies!)

You must use the imperative mood, which must be a verb in the first place to even qualify.

[SharkForce]

back when rounds were 1 minute, "strip" could be pretty effective against anyone wearing armour.

still might work for a chain shirt or something like that, but 6 seconds isn't long enough to do much as far as removing plate mail or similar is concerned, and might not even do much to leather armour.

[Orbis Orboros]

"Land" is what our Paladin commanded the Roc flying in the sky.

Wouldn't "Grovel" do this and more?

[NNescio]

"Land" is what our Paladin commanded the Roc flying in the sky.

Wouldn't "Grovel" do this and more?

Both wouldn't work against the Roc, which has Int 3 and understands no languages.

Regardless, as attractive as Grovel is against flying creatures (without hover), it might not work against opponents who understand you language as it can arguably qualify as "directly harmful".

Command: Land will probably fly by most DMs, and it would work on hovering creatures as well. Generally most flying creatures would have enough move (compared to the range of the spell) to be be forced to land, and if they don't, they would be forced to dash to make up the difference.

--
I also find Command: Flee to be very, very useful in triggering multiple opportunity attacks from my allies, as well as forcing enemies to run through save-or-suck terrain effects, especially ones cast by the party druid.

--

[JellyPooga]

Many Commands you could issue are alternatives to those listed, others might produces a specific effect that has little impact outside of particular circumstances. Here's some that I particularly like;

Sit, Jump, Dance, Roll, Sing, Draw, Sheathe, Sprint, Throw, Spit, Blink, Drink (also; Chug), Eat, Hop, Laugh (also; Snigger, Chuckle, Smirk), Insult, Vomit, Yawn, Spin, Bite, Procrastinate.

[Ninja_Prawn]

I've never had a chance to use Command, but here are some ideas:

Scream. Could be useful for blowing someone's cover or pretending that you've invented a torture spell.

Drink. For when peer pressure isn't enough! Could also be weaponised with poisons (if the target doesn't know they're there).

Follow. Lead someone into an ambush?

Laugh. If your jokes aren't funny enough on their own.

Edit: aww... Ninja'd. I'll have to think of some more...

[NNescio]

Ninja'ed, but oh well:

Alternative commands:

"Swim!" if there's a deep-enough source of water at a convenient distance away. If there's something harmful in the water but the target doesn't know it (otherwise it breaks Command), even better.

(Strictly, by RAW, the "directly harmful" clause doesn't depend on the creature or caster's knowledge of what counts as harmful, but interpreting things this way is completely ludicrous.)

"Help!" if there's only one enemy remaining. This might force them into healing or restoring your ally, depending on DM adjudication. Generally, however, "Surrender!" is far more useful in disabling an enemy for a turn.

"Embrace!" if the only target the enemy can reach for a grapple is one of his own allies.

[Joe the Rat]

Vomit

As DM, I would allow "and aim for the halfling" as a free rider on the command.

[NNescio]

As DM, I would allow "and aim for the halfling" as a free rider on the command.

You mean aim for the kender?

[PoeticDwarf]

Once a roc attacked us, and the command of our paladin was swim, because we were on a ship on the sea, the roc started to swim and we could attack him in melee.
Other use could be attack/bite when the only target within its reach is an enemy of you.

[Joe the Rat]

You mean aim for the kender?

Nah, that's the default. The add-on is for making obscure references.

[NNescio]

Once a roc attacked us, and the command of our paladin was swim, because we were on a ship on the sea, the roc started to swim and we could attack him in melee.
Other use could be attack/bite when the only target within its reach is an enemy of you.

Command doesn't work on rocs, as I've said earlier. Explicitly:

...The spell has no effect if the target is undead, if it doesn't understand your language...

Languages —

— — — — — — — —

Nah, that's the default. The add-on is for making obscure references.

Ah, I can't believe I consider myself an OOTS fan but have forgotten that.

[Joe the Rat]

Cast speak with animals first?

[MaxWilson]

"Autodefenstrate!"

[WickerNipple]

My favorite in-game use was 'Masturbate'.

[NewbieDMaster]

"Autodefenstrate!"

How high-int does the target have to be to understand this one?

Also, I'm pretty sure this will cause "direct harm". lol

[NewbieDMaster]

My favorite in-game use was 'Masturbate'.

Not as bad as Fellate.

[Ninja_Prawn]

More ideas (hope I don't get ninja'd again...):

Push. If their finger is hovering over a mysterious button.

Touch. If it's a glyph.

Breathe. If someone is holding their breath... or giving birth.

Kiss. Obviously.

Give. Easier than stealing!

Lick. Gross, but possibly very effective.

Investigate. Motivate lazy scholars? Distract raging barbarians?

Read. Hopefully it's not Explosive Runes...

Dig. With your bare hands if needed.

Lift. Bro. Do you even?

Cry. You were already doing it on the inside, right?

We should make a 101 uses for Command thread!

[Talyn]

My Paladin used the Command "Awaken" on the thralls of a cultist that were mentally-charm into a trance-like state.

Our DM ruled that it let them make another saving throw to resist the charm. Sadly, the thralls had been picked for their weak-wills in the first place, and none of them actually made their new saves...

But hey, I tried.

[NNescio]

Cast speak with animals first?

Rocs are monstrosities, not beasts.

Not as bad as Fellate.

Or Autofellate.

--

Hmm... there must be some specific circumstance when you would want to cast this own yourself. Anyone figure out a practical use like this? (I mean, if you are going to prepare Command anyway it doesn't take up a spell known, but commanding yourself can easily waste two of your turns.)

How would it interact with ongoing dominate effects anyway?

[KorvinStarmast]

More ideas (hope I don't get ninja'd again...):

Push. If their finger is hovering over a mysterious button.

Touch. If it's a glyph.

Breathe. If someone is holding their breath... or giving birth.

Kiss. Obviously.

Give. Easier than stealing!

Lick. Gross, but possibly very effective.

Investigate. Motivate lazy scholars? Distract raging barbarians?

Read. Hopefully it's not Explosive Runes...

Dig. With your bare hands if needed.

Lift. Bro. Do you even?

Cry. You were already doing it on the inside, right?

We should make a 101 uses for Command thread!

We love our ninja prawn. Best on the barby -- wait a sec, cannibalism isn't family friendly.

[rollingForInit]

Investigate. Motivate lazy scholars? Distract raging barbarians?

I guess you could make someone pay extra attention for a round with that, but wouldn't "investigate" usually imply a fairly extended action? Whereas Command only affects them the next round.

[Ninja_Prawn]

I guess you could make someone pay extra attention for a round with that, but wouldn't "investigate" usually imply a fairly extended action? Whereas Command only affects them the next round.

I generally rule that in-combat skill checks cost an action. You probably won't learn too much with a 6-second investigation, but maybe you'll be struck with a moment of critical brilliance and make a key deduction.

Edit: the example that was in my head when I wrote that:

Charlatan Cleric (in melee with a raging barbarian): As a free action, I drop my pair of loaded dice on the floor. Then, as an action, I cast Command on the barbarian.
DM: *rolls* He failed. What's the command?
CC: INVESTIGATE
Barbarian: *spends turn looking at dice* "Hey, these dice are loaded! What kind of cleric are you?"
CC: "The kind that just bought my friends six seconds to sneak up behind you."

In the end, it doesn't do any more than the PHB-approved HALT, but it's much more thematic.

Edit 2: Oh, and, can I sig this?

We love our ninja prawn.

[NNescio]

I guess you could make someone pay extra attention for a round with that, but wouldn't "investigate" usually imply a fairly extended action? Whereas Command only affects them the next round.

I rule they take the Search action.

[ShadowShock]

I love the Command spell... It has so many great uses for a first level spell.
While the listed uses are pretty great, the spell also says that you can give any 1 word command, and as long as it doesn't put the target in direct harm, they have to follow it.

Would it work to use something like COMMAND "Amicicide"? Does the target have to understand the command in order to fulfill it?

What are some other fun uses of the COMMAND spell that you guys can think of?

It seems like an obvious one is "betray"

[Vaz]

Command "Vogue".

[Aett_Thorn]

My favorite one so far, that I got to use recently: "Monologue!"

Used against the BBEG, the DM loved it, and so did the rest of the team. Enemy spent his whole turn explaining how feeble we were, and how he was going to crush us all.