Charm fix (3.5 D&D, spell fix)

[bobthe6th]

So charm is pretty broken. It is dominate light, and depending on the DM can be silly effective. Your foe gets a will save, or is your friend.

So my fix idea: The spell now increase the NPCs attitude toward you by one step on a failed Will save. So a hostile target becomes unfriendly, an unfriendly foe becomes indifferent, and so on.

Then at 3rd level have a spell that increase the NPCs opinion by 2 steps on a failed will save, or by one step on a successful will save. Finally at 5th, have a spell that increase the NPCs opinion by 3 steps on a failed will save, or by one step on a successful will save.

This make any sense?

[Zman]

So charm is pretty broken. It is dominate light, and depending on the DM can be silly effective. Your foe gets a will save, or is your friend.

So my fix idea: The spell now increase the NPCs attitude toward you by one step on a failed Will save. So a hostile target becomes unfriendly, an unfriendly foe becomes indifferent, and so on.

Then at 3rd level have a spell that increase the NPCs opinion by 2 steps on a failed will save, or by one step on a successful will save. Finally at 5th, have a spell that increase the NPCs opinion by 3 steps on a failed will save, or by one step on a successful will save.

This make any sense?

Makes sense, but honestly all it requires is for a DM to actually read the spell. It only makes a person friendly, Friendly, Wishes you well, Chat, advise, offer limited help, advocate.

Thats it, it actually won't get someone to attack its allies, won't risk their lives for you, won't do alot of things that many players and DMs think it does. The problem is DMs not reading the spell description and making the spell more powerful than it is. And I've been guilty of it in the past.

For a person to do that they would have to be Helpful, Helpful, Will take risks to help you, Protect, back up, heal, aid. And becoming Helpful is something charm person does not do or grant, so if its on this list they won't do it. Charm Person becomes far less broken when the rules are followed and players aren't given free license to lesser dominate people.

Also, it only works for the caster, his allies and those around him do not receive all of the same benefits.