What's a reasonable action to take when your PC is charmed by a vampire?

[MarkVIIIMarc]

I was thinking about this one because in the murderhobo campaign I DM the charmed PC started attacking the party immediately and I didn't think that was the only reasonable action. Although really he went at it half heartedly with cantrips.

Anyways, here is how the text reads: The Charmed target regards the vampire as a trusted friend to be heeded and protected. Although the target isn't under the vampire's control, it takes the vampire's requests or Actions in the most favorable way it can, and it is a willing target for the vampire's bit Attack.

I think a wide variety of character appropriate responses would be reasonable.

For my usual PC I think something like 1st attack say, "hey, why you attacking Vlad the vampire, he's my trusted friend" and by the 2nd round be trying to defend, heal of buff Vlad then the 3rd maybe go PVP on party members who are attacking Vlad.

Someone else's might start sitting there and crying at the carnage until the party got an obvious upper hand on Vlad.

What other options

[QuickLyRaiNbow]

Huge range of possibilities. I could see anything up to and including "I know you're going to kill my friend, so I'm going to kill you first" - full lethality, no warning. I don't like using charms against PCs for this reason.

[J-H]

The target regards the vampire as a trusted friend to be heeded and protected, but he probably regards its party members the same way. I think he is likely to try to prevent people from attacking, or follow other orders given that take him out of the combat.

I have one of these coming up, and the first few orders are:

Keep your spellcasters from doing anything that would upset me.
Close your eyes and listen only to my voice.
Go jump up and down on some of those cracked blocks.
Come closer to me.

[iTreeby]

continuously try to make out with (and grapple) the vampire? after all, its so STRONG it could probably take all these chumps anyway.

at least until the vampire starts giving you specific commands.

[Laserlight]

I would probably try to prevent any fighting. "Hey Audrey, knock it off, Vlad is cool. Vlad, back off and give them some space." If that doesn't work, it depends what my character can do, tactically -- might be Shove, might be Hypnotic Pattern, might be something else. I wouldn't attack the other... okay, for *most* parties, I wouldn't try to damage the other PCs, although there have been a couple of campaigns....

[sithlordnergal]

It highly depends on player interpretation and how they feel their character would react. Killing the party is a perfectly reasonable way for a murderhobo to try and stop the party from killing the vampire. Meanwhile I have DMed for a player that decided they just wouldn't do anything but heal and buff both sides.

Personally, I would try to prevent the party from attacking the vampire with things like Calm Emotions, protecting the vampire, and trying to heal the vampire.

[Galadhrim]

The vampire's ability basically puts it on par with the rest of the party. Typically, your party members are also trusted friends who you will do everything in your power to protect. No where does it say you will take the vampires side against the people you have been through the wars with. It just says he is also considered a trusted friend.

[Lunali]

I think part of the issue is that podcasts and the like tend to overplay the power of charm effects. They will often treat charm as being roughly what the rules dictate for vampiric charm and vampiric charms as being roughly what the rules have for dominate person.

[Sigreid]

It's very reasonable to try to talk the situation down. If they attack the vampire it's reasonable to use the minimum force to try to stop them, just like if two party members fought.

[Temperjoke]

I guess the real question is, does the PC like the vampire more than he/she likes his/her party members? If so, then I could see them launching an attack against the other party members.

[Sigreid]

I guess the real question is, does the PC like the vampire more than he/she likes his/her party members? If so, then I could see them launching an attack against the other party members.

Unless they already kinda want to, I don't see that being their first choice of actions though.

[Temperjoke]

Unless they already kinda want to, I don't see that being their first choice of actions though.

There are consequences for eating the last slice of pizza, after all.

[Zuras]

I was thinking about this one because in the murderhobo campaign I DM the charmed PC started attacking the party immediately and I didn't think that was the only reasonable action. Although really he went at it half heartedly with cantrips.

Anyways, here is how the text reads: The Charmed target regards the vampire as a trusted friend to be heeded and protected. Although the target isn't under the vampire's control, it takes the vampire's requests or Actions in the most favorable way it can, and it is a willing target for the vampire's bit Attack.

I think a wide variety of character appropriate responses would be reasonable.

For my usual PC I think something like 1st attack say, "hey, why you attacking Vlad the vampire, he's my trusted friend" and by the 2nd round be trying to defend, heal of buff Vlad then the 3rd maybe go PVP on party members who are attacking Vlad.

Someone else's might start sitting there and crying at the carnage until the party got an obvious upper hand on Vlad.

What other options


My favorite reaction was when a Druid got charmed by the vampire, ran over to him and cast a Wall of Stone between them and the party. He then told Vlad “the guys on the other side of that wall have killed liches and ancient dragons, and will blast you to ash in seconds. We need to get out of here right NOW!”

[MarkVIIIMarc]

My favorite reaction was when a Druid got charmed by the vampire, ran over to him and cast a Wall of Stone between them and the party. He then told Vlad “the guys on the other side of that wall have killed liches and ancient dragons, and will blast you to ash in seconds. We need to get out of here right NOW!”

Thats actually a REALLY good one with some potential long term consequences!

[Zuras]

Thats actually a REALLY good one with some potential long term consequences!


We literally dispelled the wall and killed the vampire next turn. He was not the only Druid in the party and the other one had Sunbeam up. Vampires are the least CR 13 of all CR 13 monsters.

I have never actually played or run a Tier 3 vampire encounter that posed a significant threat to a tier 3 party.

[Nagog]

continuously try to make out with (and grapple) the vampire? after all, its so STRONG it could probably take all these chumps anyway.

at least until the vampire starts giving you specific commands.

And this, my friends, is why the Bard chose to fail his save.

If this is full on combat, my PCs would probably go with whichever side is winning but ensure the combat ends non-lethally. If it isn't full blown combat yet, my PC would probably try and stall the party and tell Vlad to get the heck out of dodge, while attempting to (also non-lethally) slow down the party to the best of my ability