Rewriting the spells: geas

[PhoenixPhyre]

This is part of a planned series where I go through and rewrite some of the more confusing, more disappointing, or more beyond-their-expected-power spells. The goal is to keep the spirit of the spell while making them more clear and more in keeping with their spell level.

On today's menu, geas. This is both confusing and bad--it claims to be a spell that forces someone to do something. Instead, it only hits them with a small amount of damage once per day (so they can fully heal up in between) if they choose to not obey. And that doesn't really capture the thematics either--damage is fine. But where's my "you'll be turned into a newt if you don't comply" option?

Geas
6th level enchantment [1]
Casting Time: 1 minute
Range: 60 ft.
Components: V

You place a magical command on a creature that you can see within range who can understand you, forcing it to carry out some service or refrain from some action or course of activity as you decide. The course of action must have a clear definition of what would violate it[3]--"give all your wealth to the poor within 30 days" is appropriate, but "serve me however I wish" isn't because it isn't clear what exactly would break it. No micromanagement is allowed. It must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or become charmed by you for the duration. A charmed creature who attempts to break the geas is magically warned that the geas will trigger by doing so[2]. If they knowingly take action that would violate the geas, they must make the saving throw again. On a failure, the creature is compelled to uphold the geas. On a success, the creature can act as it chooses, but suffers a consequence of your choosing from the list below:
- suffers the effect of any spell of 4th level or lower without a saving throw. The effect must be negative for the creature in question, and the effect lasts for the full duration without further saving throws or concentration required.
- is wracked with pain, gaining 5 levels of exhaustion immediately.
- is tormented by guilt and is unable to benefit from a rest for 8 days.

After suffering the penalty, the geas ends and you become aware that the creature has broken free of the compulsion.

You can issue any command you choose, short of an activity that would result in certain death or an activity that is impossible for the creature. Should you issue a suicidal command or an impossible request, the effect ends.

You can end the effect early by using an action to dismiss it. A remove curse or greater restoration spell also ends it.

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Notes:
1. the spell level has gone up because the effect is stronger. Actual compulsion, and more than a trivial amount of damage (when used on anything but a commoner).
2. this is the classic "pain as you approach the edge of the geas" part
3. I dislike spells that encourage/allow their targets to weasel-word their actions. That promotes metagaming and, IMO, bad play because it requires lots of on-the-spot adjudication and causes discord when the players' intent isn't upheld or when the player tries to weasel out of it. If you're compelled...you're compelled. So autonomous compulsions like this need clear "doing this will violate the geas" boundaries set up front.

[Anymage]

Phantasmal Killer exists. Immunity to psychic damage is tricky to come by, and depending on reading immunity to illusions only slightly moreso. "Comply or you'll be turned into a newt (for one hour)" can be pretty easy to work around for many types of geas, plus being a setup for Monty Python jokes, but I see "...or die" being popular. Especially since you don't get a save for the followup spell.

Inability to rest is a fairly mild consequence, since it doesn't stop you from doing what you meant to do and then many people can hole up for a week for the curse to abate. Off the top of my head, I'd say that inability to rest plus some damage works well as a consequence for violating a geas that gives an ongoing obligation, while a harsh but immediate consequence should be reserved for a "refrain from this behavior or else" type. The two concepts can fall under the same spell, but an ongoing obligation vs. banning a specific behavior should have different consequences; the former can be a slow withering until you get back on track, while the latter needs more direct feedback.

"No weasel words" is going to have to be a PhoenyxPhyre specific rule, since "comply with all orders I give you" gives a clear sense what violates it, and yet is ridiculously open-ended. Unfortunately there is no way to specifically word "please don't try to obnoxiously lawyer this spell" into the description, so it'll have to be enforced by table norms.

The way that there's no save looks like it could be abused. It makes perfect sense for voluntarily accepting an oath or binding a prisoner who can be kept restrained for the full minute. I'm seeing subtle spell shenanigans or Wish's "any spell you like with a one round casting time" being used outside those contexts to exploit the no-save nature of both Geas and the followup effect.

[PhoenixPhyre]

Phantasmal Killer exists. Immunity to psychic damage is tricky to come by, and depending on reading immunity to illusions only slightly moreso. "Comply or you'll be turned into a newt (for one hour)" can be pretty easy to work around for many types of geas, plus being a setup for Monty Python jokes, but I see "...or die" being popular. Especially since you don't get a save for the followup spell.

Inability to rest is a fairly mild consequence, since it doesn't stop you from doing what you meant to do and then many people can hole up for a week for the curse to abate. Off the top of my head, I'd say that inability to rest plus some damage works well as a consequence for violating a geas that gives an ongoing obligation, while a harsh but immediate consequence should be reserved for a "refrain from this behavior or else" type. The two concepts can fall under the same spell, but an ongoing obligation vs. banning a specific behavior should have different consequences; the former can be a slow withering until you get back on track, while the latter needs more direct feedback.

"No weasel words" is going to have to be a PhoenyxPhyre specific rule, since "comply with all orders I give you" gives a clear sense what violates it, and yet is ridiculously open-ended. Unfortunately there is no way to specifically word "please don't try to obnoxiously lawyer this spell" into the description, so it'll have to be enforced by table norms.

The way that there's no save looks like it could be abused. It makes perfect sense for voluntarily accepting an oath or binding a prisoner who can be kept restrained for the full minute. I'm seeing subtle spell shenanigans or Wish's "any spell you like with a one round casting time" being used outside those contexts to exploit the no-save nature of both Geas and the followup effect.

Geas does have a save? Two of them, in fact. One initial one, negating the effect entirely. Then one to not be compelled to follow.

And as for "obey all my commands", that's very not clear. Because you can obey the letter and violate the spirit. (The whole trick devils are notorious for). The non direct control form of dominate person has the same issue. The goal here is to require simple, clear, fixed scope commands. If you want ongoing control, that's the dominate line.

Note that not being able to rest means you're taking con saves vs exhaustion due to not sleeping.

And phantasmal killer doesn't kill, it just does damage. But yeah, I still think that's fairly fine for the (potentially lethal) consequence. Dispel magic will end that, or a bunch of other spells.