[3.5] Simulacrum: Who is in command?

[Saambell]

I have heard that most people assume that the Simulacrum is a NPC under the control of the DM. I would agree...Except if the Simulacrum is of a PC. In that case I would feel the Player should at least give input of how to play the Sim.

If the Sim of a PC is part of the PC group I would vote that the Player of the original have control of the Sim, only with the caveat that the Sim obey the creator.

A simulacrum should be played by whoever played the original. Otherwise we end up with Poor Knockoff Badly Played exaggerations of the Original. How would you feel if your carefully crafted character with a full back-story was taken by someone else and ignored everything in it?

Who do you feel a simulacrum should be controlled by?

[Flickerdart]

"At all times the simulacrum remains under your absolute command."

It's pretty cut and dry.

[Fouredged Sword]

Generally I let the player who made it control it, unless it leaves his presence. He isn't telepathically connected to it, so he cannot control it when it isn't around.

[Drachasor]

Yes, the DM can control the Simulacrum, but within that context he has to have the Simulacrum do whatever you instruct it to do. There's zero leeway.

But if you tell it to "act however you wish" then it would make sense for the DM to control it. Similarly if you leave it to its own devices or give it freedom and aren't around it, then it would make sense for the DM to control it.

It's important to remember that a Simulacrum of something evil is still evil. It will do evil things if you aren't careful.

[Benthesquid]

I would treat the Simulacrum as an NPC completely obedient and loyal (in that order) to the creator. So if the PC ordered the Simulacrum to attack someone, it would do so to the best of its ability, but the DM would decide the exact tactics used unless the PC further specified. ("Kill that man," vs, "Stab that man to death," vs "Full attack that man until he's dead- give no ground." Likewise, if the PC ordered the Simulacrum to carry out a task at a distance, the Simulacrum would use all methods within its powers to do so, but the PC wouldn't get to decide the exact response to the various challenges that might arise unless they were actually present, or observing and communicating via Divination/Telepathy/Whathaveyou.

[Drachasor]

I would treat the Simulacrum as an NPC completely obedient and loyal (in that order) to the creator. So if the PC ordered the Simulacrum to attack someone, it would do so to the best of its ability, but the DM would decide the exact tactics used unless the PC further specified. ("Kill that man," vs, "Stab that man to death," vs "Full attack that man until he's dead- give no ground."

...or start a convoluted plot to kill the king and pin the murder on "that man" so that he'll end up dead.