Questions about the Unseen servant

[Theorac]

Looking for help on these questions..

1. What are the limits of the unseen servant, besides range and the inability to attack?

2. Can the unseen servant fly?

3. How do enemies get rid of it? at the moment, my group is using it to move boulders and other obstructions in front of them so that enemies cant hit them.

4. Can the unseen servant go past solid objects such as a door?

Thanks !

 

[the Jester]

Reading the description in Arcane Power:

1. Restrictions? It says right in the description- i tcannot attack and can perform basic functions and repetitive tasks.

2. What makes you think it can fly? It "moves at your speed". No flight mentioned in the description anywhere.

3. It can lift objects up to 100 lbs. I think you are vastly overestimating how big a rock has to be to be 100 lbs- that ain't a boulder at all, it's more like a rock the size of your head. Any effect that will destroy a conjuration (such as dispel magic) will do the trick, but generally, an unseen servant should have no combat application at all, so enemies shouldn't care about it.

4. Again, the description gives no indication whatsoever that the unseen servant can pass through solid objects. Why would you think it can?

I am guessing that the answer to "why would you think that?" is probably "because my players are trying to get away with it". Presumably, they are trying to be creative and milk a bunch of combat bonuses from it.

Remember that it can't communicate with the pcs, so if they try to scout with it, it won't do much good. It isn't a creature, so it won't trigger traps or arouse monsters.

Read the description and don't let them add a bunch of extra utility to it; it's only a first level ritual, after all!

Finally, I would assume that it requires a standard action to issue a command to it, and note that it's a conjuration, so it ends if the creator doesn't have line of effect to it at the end of his turn. (So, for instance, if you could send it through that aforementioned door... it ends.)

 

[Theorac]

Thank you for the information. Yes, they're trying to get more uses out of it, although I guess its my fault for being to lenient with its uses.

 

[Mr. Teapot]

the Unseen Servant definitely can fly. The ritual creates a conjuration, so we check the Conjuration keyword entry for how the unseen servant can move. (PHB3 page 216 or Heroes of the Forgotten Kingdoms 73 or a few other sources.) There, you learn that conjurations explicitly do not need to be supported by anything and can float in the air.

The conjuration rules also specify that the conjuration can't pass through blocking terrain like walls (and the unseen servant goes away at the end of the turn if the caster ever loses line of effect to the servant0

 

[the Jester]

the Unseen Servant definitely can fly. The ritual creates a conjuration, so we check the Conjuration keyword entry for how the unseen servant can move. (PHB3 page 216 or Heroes of the Forgotten Kingdoms 73 or a few other sources.) There, you learn that conjurations explicitly do not need to be supported by anything and can float in the air.

The conjuration rules also specify that the conjuration can't pass through blocking terrain like walls (and the unseen servant goes away at the end of the turn if the caster ever loses line of effect to the servant0

From HotFL:

Occupies No Squares: The conjuration occupies no squares. The conjuration does not need to be supported by a solid surface, so it can float in the air.

That's a long way from "the conjuration can fly", IMHO.

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

Looking for help on these questions..

1. What are the limits of the unseen servant, besides range and the inability to attack?

That's all it can do.

2. Can the unseen servant fly?

Conjurations can supposedly float; WotC seems to have messed up the rules there It's an unclear area in the rules, but I believe it cannot fly unless that's written in the description. (For instance, at certain levels/skill check results, Phantasmal Mounts can fly. Otherwise, they can't.)

3. How do enemies get rid of it? at the moment, my group is using it to move boulders and other obstructions in front of them so that enemies cant hit them.

There's no hard and fast rule, but IMO, you should treat it like a minion "bystander" with the same AC and defenses as whoever created it. I use the same (house?) rule for Phantasmal Mounts and other creatures created by rituals.

It's not invisible and has no special combat properties, but it would require an enemy to waste an action to kill it (unless the enemy has a damage-dealing aura).

4. Can the unseen servant go past solid objects such as a door?

No, but if it can move a 100 pound rock, it should be able to open an unlocked door. That's a simple task. Of course, closing the door closes line of effect, ending the conjuration.

 

[Theorac]

Things about an unseen servant so far:

• It cannot attack and can perform basic functions and repetitive tasks.
• Its unaffected by the environment
• It occupies no squares
• "Moves at your speed". No flight mentioned in the description anywhere.
• Can lift 100lbs -like a rock the size of your head.
• Any effect that will destroy a conjuration (such as dispel magic) will do the trick, but generally, an unseen servant should have no combat application at all, so enemies shouldn't care about it.
• The description gives no indication whatsoever that the unseen servant can pass through solid objects or blocking terrain like walls
• It can't communicate with the pcs, so if they try to scout with it, it won't do much good.
• It isn't a creature, so it won't trigger traps or arouse monsters.
• It requires a standard action to issue a command to it
• It's a conjuration, so it ends if the creator doesn't have line of effect to it at the end of his turn. (So, for instance, if you could send it through that aforementioned door... it ends.)
• It doesn't need to be supported by a solid surface. Probably hovers a foot or two off the ground like a Tenser's floating disk.

My thanks to everyone who helped out!

 

[Jared Espley]

Re: Action to command the servant?

Anyone know an official source indicating that you need to use a standard action to command the servant? Otherwise, I think it's up to house rule.

In that case, my provisional house rule is as follows:

Actions: The servant does not have its own actions. Instead, its owner spends actions to have the servant take actions. The owner can specify whether the servant should continue doing the same action in subsequent rounds. If the owner so specifies, these repeated, subsequent actions do not require the owner to spend more actions and the servant mindlessly continues performing the same action until given new commands. For example, the owner may have the servant pick up an object as a minor action, have the servant move the owner's speed as a move action, or continuously follow the owner with one initial move action.

This house rules mirrors many of the similar rules governing pets, familiars, etc. -- i.e. the owner spends an action to have the companion do something. It keeps the servant useful and low maintenance but prevents getting completely "free" actions for the owner. It also allows for humorous mistakes when the owner forgets to tell the servant to stop doing something, e.g. the brooms in Disney's Sorcerer's Apprentice.

It's still not 100% clear how to command the servant but I think I'm going to interpret it as needing a verbal command.

Re: Passing through doors, etc.?

The conjuration rules explicitly prohibit passing through blocking terrain.

Re: Enemies attacking the servant?

The conjuration rules explicitly state that conjurations can't generally be attacked but when they are, that they use the owner's defenses. As example, I would say if the owner's enemies attack the servant because it's closing the door they want open, then they're out of luck. However, if they want to attack the lantern being carried by the servant they can make an attack vs. the owner's defenses.