D&D 5E Protection from Evil and Good vs. Dominate Person

[Remathilis]

So Protection from Evil and Good states "The target also can't be charmed, frightened, or possessed by them. If the target is already charmed, frightened, or possessed by such a creature, the target has advantage on any new saving throw against the relevant effect".

Does that mean a vampire or lich who casts dominate person (5th level spell) wouldn't be able to dominate a PC warded by PfEaG?

 

[jaelis]

Yes. The domination effect only works if the target is charmed.

 

[Remathilis]

Yes. The domination effect only works if the target is charmed.

So it would work if an elf wizard cast dominate on the warded PC (since he's not one of the mentioned types in the spell) but a vampire casting the same spell wouldn't work?

I mean, I guess but it seems odd that the spell wouldn't work based on the type of creature casting it...

 

[Dausuul]

So it would work if an elf wizard cast dominate on the warded PC (since he's not one of the mentioned types in the spell) but a vampire casting the same spell wouldn't work?

I mean, I guess but it seems odd that the spell wouldn't work based on the type of creature casting it...

That's how I read it. And I agree that it's odd.

It does make sense for a certain view of magic--that it's an essential part of the magician, and flows from the magician's being. In that case, a spell cast by a vampire would be fundamentally different from a spell cast by an elf, and it would make sense that something which warded off vampires would also ward off their magic.

However, that view doesn't square very well with the formulaic nature of D&D spellcasting. A dominate person spell does the same thing no matter who casts it, so it's a stretch to claim that it's fundamentally different when cast by a vampire.

 

[I'm A Banana]

So it would work if an elf wizard cast dominate on the warded PC (since he's not one of the mentioned types in the spell) but a vampire casting the same spell wouldn't work?

I mean, I guess but it seems odd that the spell wouldn't work based on the type of creature casting it...

The idea is that vampires (and other creature types called out in the spell description) are kind of inherently magical, and so magic can be an effective way to deal with them (it's why they can be created or summoned with magic, too!).

Charm from other sources isn't too much harder to deal with (calm emotions works when simply giving 'em a good hard slap doesn't).

And I don't think there'd be a problem with a 1st-level spell that simply prohibited charms from working, either, there's just no D&D history/flavor behind such an effect.