You choose one undead that you can see within range. That creature must make a Charisma saving throw. If it succeeds, it is immune to this spell if you cast it again. If it fails, it becomes friendly to you and obeys your verbal commands until you cast this spell again. You cannot command more than one undead creature in this way.
Intelligent undead are harder to control. If the target has an intelligence of 8 or higher, it has advantage on the saving throw. If it fails the saving throw and has an Intelligence of 12 or higher, it can repeat the saving throw at the end of every hour until it succeeds and breaks free.
A target who succeeds on the saving throw after failing initially is still eligible for repeat castings of this spell until it succeeds initially, after which it becomes immune to this spell.
Previous Versions
| Name | Date Modified | Views | Adds | Version | Actions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
3/27/2025 1:10:08 PM
|
5
|
3
|
PHB, page 118
|
Coming Soon
|
|
|
3/27/2025 2:38:58 PM
|
6
|
0
|
--
|
Coming Soon
|
|
|
3/30/2025 7:30:41 PM
|
14
|
0
|
PHB '14, pg. 118
|
Coming Soon
|
-
View User Profile
-
Send Message
Posted May 25, 2025This seems wholly underpowered for 9th level
-
View User Profile
-
Send Message
Posted May 28, 2025There's several reasons I didn't bump this power up from the 5e School of Necromancy Wizard.
It's been made available to significantly more classes as well as having been turned into a spell, meaning more classes have access to this feature beyond wizards.
It's an instantaneous spell, so you can't dispel it and is unaffected by Antimagic Field. Such effects are rarer as you go up in levels.
You're likely weighing this against True Polymorph, Shapechange, Meteor Swarm and Wish (4 of the best 9th level spells in the entire game). It's better than Mass Polymorph, Weird, Invulnerability, Power Word: Kill and Astral Projection. It's also as situational as Imprisonment, Gate and Prismatic Wall. Buffing it any further isn't necessary.
The number of undead that have an intelligence lower than 12 is a lot higher than you think, and it includes any and all undead from every undead creation spell lower than 8th. Any undead affected by the 14th level "Command Undead" feature is applicable here, including legendary undead like the Mummy Lord, Greater Death Dragon or the Nightwalker.
It's not a charming effect. So hitting a lich with Feeblemind and Command Undead (spell) can work as effectively as hitting a Firegaunt with this spell.
It targets Charisma, which is among the weakest saving throws for Undead.
Just because it's from a 14th level feature does not mean it's weaker than 9th level spells. Just look at Convergent Future, Bladesong, Portent or Awakened Spellbook, all features that punch well above their weight level wise.
It's fine as a 9th level spell. It's not stronger than Wish, but it is stronger than the weakest 9th level spells.