Are there any rules legal ways to control a revenant?

[Odessa333]

Hey all!

DM here, and I'm looking for a way for my evil vampire to control some revenants. I know I can hand wave / homebrew it / etc things here, though I am still looking for something legit, before I make up 'True Control Undead' spell or something. I am hardly an expert in necromancy here, but I thought there were more 'control' options than I am not seeing with google. Thank you kindly for your help.

[NecessaryWeevil]

I don't know about outright control, but Revenants are intelligent and have a burning desire for vengeance against someone that harmed them.
Maybe the vampire could put the revenant's target beyond their reach until the revenant performs whatever task the vampire desires?

[Phhase]

Combining Feeblemind with Necromancer's Command Undead ability could work.

[Mastikator]

A 5th level oathbreaker paladin could use their channel divinity to control the revenant for 24 hours if the revenant fails their charisma check. But it's unlikely.

[Silly Name]

RAW, no, mostly because Revenants are immune to being Charmed, and basically every mind-control spell is a Charm effect. You can't use the vampire's Charm ability, you can't use the Dominate Monster spell, hell, you can't even put the Revenant under a Geas effects because even that is a Charm effect.

[Dualight]

Quick question: have the PCs killed any humanoids before?
If so, the revenants could have the PCs as their targets(or have an NPC travel with the PCs that is the target of the revenants), and work with the vampire in an alliance. (Admittedly, this could drive up the difficulty of the encounter too far with how revenants deal a lot more damage to the target of their hatred, but it would provide motive.)

While as other posters have noted, controlling revenants is a challenging proposition if you do not want to homebrew, revenants can easily function as minions. As long as working for the vampire gets the revenants closer to getting their revenge, it should work out.

[RazorChain]

The Vampire has its own corporation called Sinister Inc. The Vampire employs a few revenants and because the revenants never unionized they have a ****ty deal, low pay and long hours.

Now the vampire controls the revenants

[GeoffWatson]

Hey all!

DM here, and I'm looking for a way for my evil vampire to control some revenants. I know I can hand wave / homebrew it / etc things here, though I am still looking for something legit, before I make up 'True Control Undead' spell or something. I am hardly an expert in necromancy here, but I thought there were more 'control' options than I am not seeing with google. Thank you kindly for your help.

They made a deal - "Work with me now, and later I'll help you against your target."

[da newt]

Change the creature name from 'Revenant' to 'Vampire Spawn' keep everything else as is.

[Phhase]

RAW, no, mostly because Revenants are immune to being Charmed, and basically every mind-control spell is a Charm effect. You can't use the vampire's Charm ability, you can't use the Dominate Monster spell, hell, you can't even put the Revenant under a Geas effects because even that is a Charm effect.

Necromancer's command undead is not a charm effect, fortunately.

[greenstone]

Revenants are intelligent …
QFT.

You control them the same way you control other intelligence creatures - payment, persuasion, threats, trickery, bribery, blackmail, etc.

Remember that just because a vampire is evil doesn't mean it must control or enslave everyone. Providing reasonable payment for services rendered is always an option (and is often the smartest choice).

I suggest starting with just asking nicely. I could imagine a vampire and a revenant having some common goals and therefore agreeing to a temporary partnership.

[Dualight]

Ultimately, revenants are some of the easiest creatures to convince to work for you.

All it really takes is convincing them that working for you will help the revenant with killing a specific target.

[Unoriginal]

Ultimately, revenants are some of the easiest creatures to convince to work for you.

All it really takes is convincing them that working for you will help the revenant with killing a specific target.

Importantly, the MM states:


If its foe is too powerful for the revenant to destroy on its own, it seeks worthy allies to help it fulfill its quest.