COMMAND

[Fangor the Fierce]

Ok, from what I can see, I need a ruling. Command lasts for one round, and commands the unfortunate person to follow orders. With that being said, here's the options for command...

Approach
On its turn, the subject moves toward you as quickly and directly as possible for 1 round. The creature may do nothing but move during its turn, and it provokes attacks of opportunity for this movement as normal.

Drop
On its turn, the subject drops whatever it is holding. It can’t pick up any dropped item until its next turn.

Fall
On its turn, the subject falls to the ground and remains prone for 1 round. It may act normally while prone but takes any appropriate penalties.

Flee
On its turn, the subject moves away from you as quickly as possible for 1 round. It may do nothing but move during its turn, and it provokes attacks of opportunity for this movement as normal.

Halt
The subject stands in place for 1 round. It may not take any actions but is not considered helpless.

If the subject can’t carry out your command on its next turn, the spell automatically fails.

Now, being commanded to do any of these causes the recipient to pretty much use his next rounds actions. What about drop? Does this mean that the commanded individual spends his whole round trying to not follow the command, and simply fails and lets his weapon drop to the ground, expending his whole round?

The Duration is 1 Round for the spell....

So, any ideas?

[TheUdjat]

I might normally agree with you there, in that a character can do nothing else, except that the wording of the different commands takes pains to say that you can. For instance, 'Fall' clearly says that after dropping prone, a character can continue to take actions as normal, albeit with all penalties for being prone. Dropping prone is a free action, just like dropping an item, so I would think similar logic would apply.

Rojito has fulfilled the command, although certainly in less time than the spell required. A character doesn't need a full round of actions to 'Fall' or to 'Drop'. 'Halt', 'Flee', and 'Approach' all have an extended function - the character must keep trying to fulfill the command until it is met, or until the duration expires. Thus, a character 'flees' for 1 round, 'approaches' for one round, or stands still doing nothing for a round.

In retrospect, the Zjerd would probably have been much smarter in commanding Rojito to 'Halt' for a round, as it seemed to want him to waste an action rather than drop something. But, as they say, hindsight is 20/20. Perhaps it didn't see that he was carrying a couple of back-up weapons.

That's my take on it, anyway. You are, after all, the DM in this case, so your ruling is final.

[Fangor the Fierce]

Yeah, this is one of those spells that has me pretty much agreeing with you, but it just seems like a waste of a command if the victim of the spell doesn't really get penalized. Although, I can see where the use of this would be great for someone like Kanaan, who would have simply fallen over had he been the recipient of the spell. Oh well, such is life...

[Rojito]

Not penalized? I lost my masterwork weapon, the one with feats wasted on it, and then got a round where i only got 1 attack, the spell is much more effective at higher levels where i lose multiple attacks, but it still kept me from killing 4 more Zjerd

[Fangor the Fierce]

Yeah, already updated the post, and unlocked it. Reply away! Don't worry Rojito, I see how much it affects those with favored weapons, limited to one magical weapon, and such. You still cleaved down two more Zjerks.

[TheZebraShakes™]

Well, in the command where it says to drop the weapon, the additional text makes me believe that the character can't pick up THAT SPECIFFIC WEAPON until its next turn. But it is allowed to draw other weapons, at least, that's what I get from it.

you are suffering, in that you no longer have access to your best weapon. Take away an archer's bow or a fighter's number one sword for a round and you may very well save a few lives.

Anyways, clerics suck. My whole party almost got TPKd 'cause of Greater Command.

Screw Command spells and the clerics that cast them.