Impersonation

[Great Dragon]

This is actually something that just happened in one of my games.

Ok. We all know how this mostly works from the Front:
Someone/thing pretending to be a person.

But, what about if you (the possiblely evil) PC, wants to Magically have someone believe (and actually behave) like you? Think Evil Mage with unwilling (unknowingly?) Minion.


Is Charm Person enough?
Suggestion?
Or only Dominate Person?

[JackPhoenix]

I'm not sure what are you trying to say with that sentence.

Charm Person makes the victim regard you as friendly aquitance, make them completely unable to attack you, and give you advantage on Cha checks against them.
Suggestion makes them follow certain course of action, assuming it's not harmful to the victim and it sounds reasonable.
Only Dominate Person gives you ability to actually order the victim around, either through telepathic commands it tries to obey to the best of its ability, or through ASSUMING DIRECT CONTROL!
If you want obedient copy of someone, use Simulacrum, assuming the target is a humanoid or beast.

[Laserlight]

I think you're saying the Evil PC is trying to force an NPC to impersonate the PC.

If so, I'd say you'd need Suggestion if the NPC is an actor and familiar with the PC. Otherwise you'd need Dominate Person and the PC would need to operate the NPC himself.

[Maelynn]

So you want someone to walk like you, talk like you, do-hoo-hoo. (sorry for getting that song stuck in your head... #sorrynotsorry)

Sounds like the beginning of a cult. I think cult leaders would use lots of Suggestions, speckled with a couple of successful Persuason/Deception checks.

I wouldn't use Charm Person, as when the spell ends the target will know it was charmed by you - which might create undesirable behaviour.

I also wouldn't use Dominate Person, because that is more Master of Puppets and not so much Charles Manson or L. Ron Hubbard. Too much work for you, you want your minion to do your work for you, rather than having to work to uphold your minion.

[Great Dragon]

Thanks for responding, everyone!!!


I think you're saying the Evil PC is trying to force an NPC to impersonate the PC.

If so, I'd say you'd need Suggestion if the NPC is an actor and familiar with the PC. Otherwise you'd need Dominate Person and the PC would need to operate the NPC himself.

Close.
The Evil Mage wants the NPC/Minion to pretend to be >themselves< (ie: the Evil Mage)

Now, Maelynn, you're close with your guess about it being Cult-like, but the 5th level Evil Mage is actually just the "Leader" of a band of Bandits.
(If you've guessed, hush!)

Charm Person is kinda off the list.
It's just not enough.

Suggestion might work on one of the "talented" Bandits…. It should be convincing enough for the PCs to believe that the Guy they just killed was the Evil Mage….

But to really pull off the "I'm the Evil Mage'" bit, it looks like Dominate really is needed.
Dominate is currently beyond the Power of the Evil Mage, as if yet…

I suppose I could give the Evil Mage a Plot Device Magic Item that casts
Dominate once a day.

But, now I need a believable means for him to have gotten that…
Since I prefer to run a Living World where things don't just "Spawn into Existence"...

[MarkVIIIMarc]

This is actually something that just happened in one of my games.

Ok. We all know how this mostly works from the Front:
Someone/thing pretending to be a person.

But, what about if you (the possiblely evil) PC, wants to Magically have someone believe (and actually behave) like you? Think Evil Mage with unwilling (unknowingly?) Minion.


Is Charm Person enough?
Suggestion?
Or only Dominate Person?

once the PC gets enough levels you can use Simulacrum if you want a virtual double. https://www.dndbeyond.com/spells/simulacrum

[Great Dragon]

@MarkVIIIMarc:
Well, maybe in a year or two, that might be possible. They are only 3rd level, right now.
And even with weekly sessions (some unable to make every one) it's going to be awhile.

[Maelynn]

Now, Maelynn, you're close with your guess about it being Cult-like, but the 5th level Evil Mage is actually just the "Leader" of a band of Bandits.
(If you've guessed, hush!)

Well, I have to say I was led by the 'believe like you'. That sounded very cult-ish. But now I see you're trying to make more of a live decoy to your BBEG. I like it, it's something I could definitely see a bad guy do.


I suppose I could give the Evil Mage a Plot Device Magic Item that casts
Dominate once a day.

But, now I need a believable means for him to have gotten that…
Since I prefer to run a Living World where things don't just "Spawn into Existence"...

A few ideas to get you going:

- the Evil Mage used to be an apprentice, until he decided to kill his Master. He gained not only his awesome hideout, vast library, and his research, but he also got his hands on a few magic items and potions. The Plot Item of Daily Domination was one of them.

- the Evil Mage used to be an adventurer, just like you. He has seen his fair share of dungeons and BBEG's (maybe that's where he got inspired, who knows) and one of the pieces of loot he kept was the Plot Item of Daily Domination that they took off a Drow Slaver. Or a Bandit Warlord.

[Great Dragon]

@Maelynn: Thanks for those Ideas.
Now, I'm going to do my usual "blending" act.

Ok
Apprentice he was indeed, and his Master (a CR 9 Wizard) was always sending him out to "aquire" materials.
(LE S-Human, Noble background, Enchanter Wizard level 5)
Black Mage (Final Fantasy
8bit Theater (https://www.nuklearpower.com/2001/03/02/episode-001-were-going-where/) joke) along with his Retrieval Crew managed to take down a beginner Red Mage (of Thay) Slaver and "Magical Arms Dealer" and got all his cool stuff.

BM claims Ring of Dominate (Plot Device), a Crystal Ball (3x day), and a full (Necromancer) Spellbook, as his share.

BM has decided to stick it to his "Lazy Master" and forge his own Destiny.

Rounding up all the Ruffians in the local area, BM thinks he's on the way to creating his own (mage-controlled) Thieves Guild style Noble House.

As "Friends" he has:

a crazy (NE) Kobold Assassin Rogue with a +1 Rapier and an Amulet of Mirror Image.

A (CE) female Half-Orc Berserker Barbarian that actually "likes" BM, with a +1 Battleaxe, and a Periapt of Wound Closure.

And the Half-Elf Hardcore Dark (NE) Druid of the Moon, With a Ring of Misty Step 3 times a Day.

The good news, here - is that outside a Dungeon, these folks don't actually work well together.


*****
With the loss of their Base (and most of the Bandits) they are going to go and try to take over that "newly cleared out" Castle (that the PCs were so kind to do for them) of Goblins in the nearby Forest. A much better Base then the basement of an Old Mansion, by BM's thinking.

BM (and Friends) had hired 6 Bugbears, but none 'escaped' with him. He doesn't have enough cash to simply hire some more, but maybe he can cut a Deal with the Hobgoblins in their new Fort a couple days down the Trade Route.....