Unseen Servant thread #4722. Can an US ____?

[Dalebert]

This thread has to have been done a bajillion times and I apologize to the veterans in advance.

Can an unseen servant blow a whistle?
Can an unseen servant take commands via Dark Elf Silent?
Can an unseen servant fly?
Can an unseen servant climb? While holding something?
Can it sit on your horse? you're shoulder? (Relevant when you're traveling long distances at a move rate faster than it so it doesn't blink out.)

I pointed out to my DM that it takes your commands but it doesn't specify a language. Some casters might not even speak Common. Can it be any language the caster speaks? He resolved this by just saying it takes mental commands, which I decided was awesome and prolly too good actually, but the DM is always right, yes?

Earlier tonight, we were hiding and spying on hobgoblins while I Detected Thoughts. I read that one thought it saw something (me) so I asked if I could command my US to shake a bush to distract it via Dark Elf Silent. He decreed it was mentally commanded so I did it and it worked.

Later I got ambushed while alone and grappled and immediately gagged before I could even cry out (which I thought was ridiculous in itself but whatever). I wear a whistle on a chain around my neck. The party calls it my pedo whistle since I'm a pretty petite elf and to humans I prolly look like a 12 year-old but I digress. So anyway, I was able to mentally command my US to go shake the clothes of a party member, then pick up a big rock and bring it to me. It worked.

[Dalebert]

Oh, I just recalled a couple more that I have wondered.

How big is it? How tall is it? What's its reach?
Presumably medium.

[Wookie-ranger]

1. Can an unseen servant blow a whistle?
2. Can an unseen servant take commands via Dark Elf Silent?
3. Can an unseen servant fly?
4. Can an unseen servant climb? While holding something?
5. Can it sit on your horse? you're shoulder?
6. How big is it?
7. How tall is it?
8. What's its reach?

1. It should, but as a DM would say no because it can also not talk. It can only exert kinetic force on objects (and for convenience sake lets ignore that you could move air with sayd kinetic force). As a player I would attach a small bellow to the whistle just in case.

2. Good question. I would say no, but by RAW yes. Drow hand signals are not spoken and the US would not 'hear' your commands. The Spell description says that
performs simple tasks at your command [srd], but never says that those commands need to be spoken out loud. Drow hand signals are a language by RAW and are described as such anywhere.
When a caster knows a language all spells 'know' that language too, imho, unless otherwise stated; and since it is a language your US would know it as well.

3.
Effect:One invisible, mindless, shapeless servant ..... Its speed is 15 feet. It never specifies that it cannot. It has no shape therefore it should be able to fly, would be able to fit thought almost microscopic holes and you could have nearly infinite numbers of USs in one square at a time. DMs around the globe start to tremble

4,5,6,7. see 3

8. I would argue that it does not have any reach and can only interact with things that are in the same square.

PS: In the "Stronghold builders Guide" there is an illustration of a few USs tending to a dinner party. One is filling a pitcher and another is holding a burning log (yes burning).

[Kane0]

But most importantly, can an Unseen Servant rock an air guitar?

[Wookie-ranger]

But most importantly, can an Unseen Servant rock an air guitar?

The unseen servant can hold up the stings in mid air.
The unseen servant IS the air guitar!

[ShurikVch]

9. Can US be armed with Sprayer (A&EG p. 25)?

[Wookie-ranger]

9. Can US be armed with Sprayer (A&EG p. 25)?

It does not require making an attack roll, does not require a skill check and weights only 8lb. By RAW a US could carry it, aim it or pump the handle. (I said 'or' not 'and')
The issue is that "The servant cannot attack in any way" [srd], some very head strong DMs could say that this means the sprayer. Imho this is unreasonable because it can also activate traps and thereby cause harm to creatures.

All actions in the spell description can be done with a single "hand" and I would rule that you would need two USs to aim and pump at the same time.
Generally I would (have too) allow it, as it is by the rules and not very game breaking.

[Dalebert]

All actions in the spell description can be done with a single "hand" and I would rule that you would need two USs to aim and pump at the same time.
Generally I would (have too) allow it, as it is by the rules and not very game breaking.

There's nothing to imply that the servant only has one "hand"; quite the contrary. It's fully capable of performing tasks that can be done untrained and with a DC no higher than 10, many of which would be difficult or even impossible without two "hands" like washing dishes. You have to hold the dish and manipulate it while you rub it with a soapy towel. This strongly implies it can simulate the effect of two hands but probably not more since it also says it can only do one task at a time.

In fact, it probably has two "arms" and a "chest" for that matter because it can gather firewood. And nothing in the spell says or even implies that it's especially slow at performing tasks, e.g. one stick at a time, though it would surely be limited to 20 lbs of sticks at a time.

[Wookie-ranger]

Cut for length

Yes, I generally agree with that.
That is why i said that "I would rule", not necessarily that it is that way. The rules for US are very vague and to some extend broken; it was not intended as an combat spell, neither offensive, defensive, nor supportive. IMHO it was intended to be a fluffy NPC-ish spell that makes the lives of people easier. That, of course, does not mean that Players only have to use it for that and everyone worth their salt will find a way to gain an edge even the most mundane of mundane spells.

If you look at the "Stronghold builders guide" that I referenced earlier it even says that an Unseen Servant can perform any job function that an untrained commoner can and about as well. This would include A LOT of things and is almost surely broken (but none the less RAW).

[Dalebert]

Oh! I can't believe I forgot this one. It came up in last night's game and we never resolved it to our mutual satisfaction.

Can an US load a crossbow?

The DM didn't have a problem wit it conceptually, but was skeptical whether a 2 strength was enough. My point was that I didn't know of any strength requirements for using a crossbow or for loading one. That seems like the kind of thing that would be listed because occasionally weapons DO have strength requirements and it's explicitly stated, like composite bows.

[Wookie-ranger]

Oh! I can't believe I forgot this one. It came up in last night's game and we never resolved it to our mutual satisfaction.

Can an US load a crossbow?

The DM didn't have a problem wit it conceptually, but was skeptical whether a 2 strength was enough. My point was that I didn't know of any strength requirements for using a crossbow or for loading one. That seems like the kind of thing that would be listed because occasionally weapons DO have strength requirements and it's explicitly stated, like composite bows.

Well, It should not be able to load a Light cross bow.
Loading a crossbow takes some serious muscle and pulling the string would mean pulling anywhere from 150-200lb. In D&D (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/equipment/weapons.htm#crossbowHeavy) the light cross bow is 'charged' by the pull of a lever, wight might make this a lot easier, but would still be above the 20lb limit.
The Heavy Cross bow is charged with a winch which would mean that it would take longer (a full round vs a move action), but would require less force and therefore a US might (just might) be able to charge one.

But by RAW, yes it can. There is no strength requirement on loading a cross bow, there fore a US should definably be able to do it.

[Spore]

1. It should, but as a DM would say no because it can also not talk. It can only exert kinetic force on objects (and for convenience sake lets ignore that you could move air with said kinetic force)

Air is not an object in the rules of D&D.

[Dalebert]

Can an unseen servant blow a whistle?


My DM ruled no. I can understand. It's a bit of a reach. Then again, it's the same DM who decided I can command it by thought which is pretty awesome so I'm not going to sweat the whistle.

[Dalebert]

3. It never specifies that it cannot. It has no shape therefore it should be able to fly, would be able to fit thought almost microscopic holes and you could have nearly infinite numbers of USs in one square at a time. DMs around the globe start to tremble

4,5,6,7. see 3


So unseen servant + reduce person = slow flight spell?

That would be assuming you were <160 lbs to start with, but that would be a cinch for a lot of women and definitely small humanoids.

[Dalebert]

So unseen servant + reduce person = slow flight spell?

As a DM, I gotta say, I would feel a need to limit US and say it can't outright fly or something to prevent it from being used as a flight spell. Thoughts?

[Dalebert]

Can you demonstrate a very simple task for an US and then have it do it? Meaning something that an average untrained person could do if you showed it to them just one time.

Ex: Use a magic handkerchief that has simple usage--you snap it and it magically cleans itself and gets moist. You wring it out and it magically dries itself. If so, now the US can clean things better with the cloth.

[nyjastul69]

The fact that the spell doesn't state an US can't fly doesn't mean it can. The spell doesn't say it can't do many things, this does not mean that these things are allowed by the spell. The spell does exactly what is described and nothing more. An US servant cannot fly.