If a character uses a Staff of the Python and an enemy casts Animal Friendship on the giant constrictor snake from the staff, can the snake attack the enemy? It is charmed as per the spell's description, but the staff's description mentions the snake is under the user's control, so which "wins"? (I don't think "specific beats general" applies here... which is more specific, the item's description, or the spell's?)
The strict, by-the-rules definition says that the two effects do not conflict. The python is now still under your control and suffering by the Charmed condition, which means it still does what you tell it, but can't attack the caster of the Animal Friendship.
The DM may be generous and rule that the snake remains under your control (and overrides the standard Charmed condition), but not domination-kind of effects (such as Dominate Monster), which gives the snake much more of a "magical entity" kind of feel, than a summoned creature.
Of course, why didn't I see that? I think I might've sorta been thinking of the old "charmed" (which was more like dominate). 5e charmed just makes it friendly and unable to attack you, so it's still under the control of the staff's user. Thanks =)
If a character uses a Staff of the Python and an enemy casts Animal Friendship on the giant constrictor snake from the staff, can the snake attack the enemy? It is charmed as per the spell's description, but the staff's description mentions the snake is under the user's control, so which "wins"? (I don't think "specific beats general" applies here... which is more specific, the item's description, or the spell's?)
The strict, by-the-rules definition says that the two effects do not conflict. The python is now still under your control and suffering by the Charmed condition, which means it still does what you tell it, but can't attack the caster of the Animal Friendship.
The DM may be generous and rule that the snake remains under your control (and overrides the standard Charmed condition), but not domination-kind of effects (such as Dominate Monster), which gives the snake much more of a "magical entity" kind of feel, than a summoned creature.
Of course, why didn't I see that? I think I might've sorta been thinking of the old "charmed" (which was more like dominate). 5e charmed just makes it friendly and unable to attack you, so it's still under the control of the staff's user. Thanks =)