Geas/Quest

[Demonic Spoon]

So, I'm not sure how this works.

Based on my own interpretation, it sounds like the affected creature is magically compelled to do whatever the Geas tells them to. The negative effects only come into play if the subject is physically incapable of following the Geas (locked in a room). The creature does not have a choice in the matter.

However, I looked around on the internet, and some places seemed to have a consensus that a person can just choose to ignore the Geas and eat the (very, very minor) penalties which, in addition to being at odds with what it says in the PHB (at least my interpretation), makes the spell crap.


Which is it?


Bonus question: What types of tasks are timed on the Geas, and which types of tasks are permanent (until finished). If I wanted to, for example, Geas some poor bastard to serve me by finding me sources of black onyx, I'd have to keep reapplying the Geas or specify some amount of black onyx that, after being collected, would free him from the Geas?

Bonus Question 2: Why are the penalties for Lesser Geas much more impressive than the penalties for Geas? 3d6 damage/day and sickening vs a cumulative stat penalty that compounds daily?!


Thanks!

[Cog]

The "attempts" language in the Quest version is weird, so if somebody read only that they might think it's voluntary, but the Lesser version is clear that you must, and the Quest version doesn't actually change that. There is the "clever recipient" clause, though.

Yes, you'd have to specify an amount of onyx to keep it from having to recast the spell.

The advantage of the Quest version is the lack of a save. The lesser penalty matters less since you can't voluntarily ignore it.

[Segev]

More than a little thread necromancy here, but I was digging for answers to this very question, and have a comment to add that I'd like to get reactions to.

It says, in Lesser Geas, that the victim suffers the penalties if he is unable to follow his Geas.

In Geas/Quest, it says that the victim suffers the consequences if he does not attempt to follow the Quest. It also notes that "these effects end 24 hours after he attempts to resume the Geas/Quest." (emphasis mine)

So, going with the language that Geas/Quest operates like Lesser Geas except as noted, the "must" in Lesser Geas means that the victim cannot choose not to perform the Geas. Lesser Geas inflicts penalties as long as the victim is unable/prevented from acting on it. He can rail with all his might against his imprisonment, for example, but will get weaker and weaker as he is prevented from acting.

Geas/Quest seems more forgiving: while it does not permit the victim to choose not to act on his Quest, it also doesn't punish him if he at least tries to work when prevented. So as long as he actively connives to escape his imprisonment and struggles to find any way to do what he is required to do, he suffers no penalties. It's when he gives up or is somehow compelled not to even try (perhaps by being Dominated) that he suffers the consequences.

Ultimately, it seems that Geas/Quest's penalties are mostly token, to remind the victim to never give up hope of completing it. Lesser Geas has harsher penalties, but can become self-thwarting by rendering the victim unable to successfully re-enable himself to perform his quest. A character with all stats at 1 isn't going to be able to escape bondage even if he wants to.

It does look like the lack of HD limit combined with both spells' "must" clause makes Geas/Quest the stronger spell overall, even if the victim might vastly prefer to be Geas/Quested over Lesser Geased if he is going to be prevented from acting towards the commanded goal.



As a side note: how do these spells compare with Mark of Justice for compelling services?