Segev
2017-03-29, 01:47 PM
Granted, it takes a metamagic feat and +2 spell levels (though you could invest in a metamagic rod, most likely), but does it strike anybody else as weird that threnodic dominate person will generally work better for a necromancer seeking to control intelligent undead minions than control undead? They both use a 7th level spell slot (again, unless you use a metamagic rod for Threnodic Spell, in which case it's a 5th level slot for dominate person), but threnodic dominate person not only gives you telepathic control (rather than voice control, albeit without language barrier), but threnodic dominate person lasts for 1 day per level, rather than control undead's 1 min./level.
Now, control undead does allow you to control multiple undead, basing its limits on HD rather than on single-target, but still, it's so much shorter duration that it's only really useful as a bullying tactic or a tactical spell.
...could you order undead affected by control undead to fail a save against command undead? At least that provides day/level "friendliness" with the creatures. They'll expressly construe your having used control undead on them in the best light possible.
Still, weird that dominate grants so much firmer control than control undead. For a lower level, too, if you're not using Threnodic Spell to catch undead with it.
Now, control undead does allow you to control multiple undead, basing its limits on HD rather than on single-target, but still, it's so much shorter duration that it's only really useful as a bullying tactic or a tactical spell.
...could you order undead affected by control undead to fail a save against command undead? At least that provides day/level "friendliness" with the creatures. They'll expressly construe your having used control undead on them in the best light possible.
Still, weird that dominate grants so much firmer control than control undead. For a lower level, too, if you're not using Threnodic Spell to catch undead with it.