Command Spell

[Axe Mental]

Would a command spell work on a person who can't hear (for instance someone with a silence spell around themselves, or with wax ear plugs in). I have always thought the spell was magically understood given the distance of the spell and that noise conditions are never brought up (for instance casting it on somone in howling wind etc.).

Thanks for your input

[Scott]

I don't know what you mean by "given the distance of the spell". The range of the spell is only 1", and the description states that the command must be uttered in a language which the spell recipient is able to understand. I would think that if the target can't hear the spell, then there would be no effect.
Scott

[Axe]

Thanks Scott, its amazing I always thought this spell had a farther range, time to reread the PH I guess.

[Merkholz]

The last cleric I had as a player always stocked up on a lot of silence spells since they could foil a lot of magical effects as well as monster special abilities - harpies, gibbering mouthers, shriekers etc. It is a most useful spell and it would counter spells such as command.

Also note that some charm effects seem to work without audible orders and that summoned monsters can be ordered about without spoken orders.

M

[GT]

I would qualify that if a being could read lips and did so when the spell was cast, then they would be affected as it is the magic that does the compelling, not necessarily the voice. ^__^

[Axe]

Q:
"Also note that some charm effects seem to work without audible orders and that summoned monsters can be ordered about without spoken orders."

Yep, thats what I was thinking about command, that it would go directly into the mind of the target rather then having to be heard. But, I think you guys are right.

[GT]

I guess you could quantify it as: "The magic makes the recipient conducive to "compelling", but the intent of the compulsion must be delivered to the creature in a comprehensible medium, be it vocal or visual". How's that? ^__^

[Axe Mental]

So, would you guys allow your group to walk around with wax ear plugs they could use if they new they were going up against a cleric to completely negate the command spell. Ear plugs would take only 3 or 4 seconds to put in and would be an effective negation to this bread and butter spell. Oh, we have made real wax ear plugs out of bees wax candles and they do infact block out all sound.

[Scott]

I'd let them, but would the point be? Are they going to walk around all day with their ears plugged? I never considered command to be a bread and butter spell; it works on one creature, for one round, and they can get a save to avoid. The worst that could happen is that one character could do nothing for one round. As opposed to, the whole party loses a round of action while they choose to do nothing except dig through their pouches and put ear plugs, which would take longer to do than it would take the cleric to cast the spell, or walk around all day deaf, which would be like a permanent confusion spell on the party with a greatly increased chance of being surprised.
Scott

[Axe]

Well, saves are allowed if 6th level or you have an intel of 13 anyway. But yeah, you wouldn't want to do this unless you were aware of what you were about to go up against (if you new their was a cleric). And your correct it would be impracticle to have these things in your ears all day.

[skaguest]

I do think command is a very powerful first level spell.

If one commands an opponent to "die" that opp. fails and is helpless for one round. During that one round he could be easily killed if he can be gotten to before achieveing consciousness.

Axe---I played with some people who did the ear-plug thing. It is effective. The cons are I automatically made it surprise go from 1-2 to 1-3 when the group walked around with ear plugs.

[Axe Mental]

Command is a bread and butter for our players. I can't tell you the number of times low level cleric PCs take out major mega star NPCs and monsters (remember lower then 13 int and 5th level or HD get no save). Yes, down for only one round, but thats all it takes for that mega fighter in plate to have a dagger shoved into his brain through his eye by the groups thief or magician. The dynamics of AD&D are such that typically the group outnumbers the number of foe when that foe is individually powerful (either someone armored in plate or a higher HD creature). Such that if the boss man is hit with a command they go down without a save, and are not well enough protected to prevent the rest of the party from running in auto killing.