Despair Song

[Tordel]

Hi.
I'd like add a monster in my campaign, Night Twist (MM3, pag110), but I have some doubts about a special attack:
Despair Song: ... Those who fail a DC 22 Will save are affected as if by a crushing despair spell and must seek out the source of their sorrow (the night twist) to the neglect of all other tasks or needs, including eating or sleeping. ...
This means that a character affected by Despair Song must walk forward without care of what is around him? I suppose that if he "neglects of all other tasks or needs, including eating or sleeping", he will ignore all creatures around him unless they attack. It's right?
What happens if someone tries to dominate him and giving orders?
He will follow orders or he will continue to seek out the Night Twist?
Thanks to all. :smallwink:

[Aracor]

I would say there's a huge difference between neglecting eating and sleeping, and actively ignoring people who are trying to do you harm.

Neglecting eating and sleeping basically means borderline obsession. It's important enough to you that you'll sacrifice your health and well-being. But if someone else attacks you, that could be more of a "They're getting in the way of me finding the source of my sorrow so i can turn it off and I need to make them go away so I can get back to what's important!"

[Katana1515]

I tend to agree. As its written the ability is intended as a plot hook to give the PC's a compelling reason to travel towards the monster and fight it, not limit their options once the fight starts. As to if the PC is dominated by someone else then youre free to make a DM judgement call, but the MM says that if a character is restrained he takes 1d10 hit point damage per day and the domination would certainly come under restraint in my book.

But i think the most important thing to remember is that your the DM, so you should feel free to fiddle with the effects of the powers as you see fit for your group. If you want to interpret it more as siren style mindnumbing effect that draws the characters in like drooling zombies go for it! :) should be memorable if nothing else!

[Krobar]

Ahh... the Night Twist. I love these. I used the Ancient Night Twist against my 18th-20th level party a while back (before they got into epic levels).

As far as the Despair Song goes, nobody tried to dominate the rogue who failed his save and give him different orders, so I didn't have to deal with that. They elected to just follow him instead and see where he went. They all heard the song, but only the rogue failed his save. But if someone had tried dominating him, the rogue would have been dominated, and would have been taking the prescribed 1d10 damage every evening for not seeking out the Night Twist. He also would have been refusing to eat, drink or sleep, and the damage every evening would not have been curable until he was back to his task of seeking out the Night Twist.