D&D 5E Using COMMAND to break a caster's concentration?

[el-remmen]

In my session yesterday, the party bard/wizard went to his go-to spell against armored foes, Heat Metal, which can be a devastating spell, esp. at lower levels. The target was a cleric and in one of the few rounds left to her before the heat damage killed her (her minions were firing multiple arrows at the PC, but he was passing concentration checks like nothing!) I had her cast command at the PC in an attempt to break his concentration on the spell.

He made his save, so didn't have to "grovel" as commanded, but I was wondering if causing someone to "grovel" or "surrender" would break their concentration on the spell (I assume the second definitely would because surrendering assumes not continuing to attempt harm on opponents) but was wondering what others thought and if there is an even more direct and clear one-word command that could disrupt the spell in that way? I think commands like "dismiss!" or "dispel!" would be too ambiguous and it has to be one word, so "Distracted!" doesn't make sense.

 

[overgeeked]

In my session yesterday, the party bard/wizard went to his go-to spell against armored foes, Heat Metal, which can be a devastating spell, esp. at lower levels. The target was a cleric and in one of the few rounds left to her before the heat damage killed her (her minions were firing multiple arrows at the PC, but he was passing concentration checks like nothing!) I had her cast command at the PC in an attempt to break his concentration on the spell.

He made his save, so didn't have to "grovel" as commanded, but I was wondering if causing someone to "grovel" or "surrender" would break their concentration on the spell (I assume the second definitely would because surrendering assumes not continuing to attempt harm on opponents) but was wondering what others thought and if there is an even more direct and clear one-word command that could disrupt the spell in that way? I think commands like "dismiss!" or "dispel!" would be too ambiguous and it has to be one word, so "Distracted!" doesn't make sense.

That's a smart tactic, but it would make dispel magic partially redundant. Especially vexing is that a 3rd-level spell is so easily replaced by a 1st-level spell. I'd say no, command doesn't work like that.

To break concentration you need to cast another concentration spell, take damage (and fail a concentration check), or be incapacitated or killed.

So something like commanding a target to sleep might work. But: "The spell has no effect if the target is undead, if it doesn't understand your language, or if your command is directly harmful to it." So commanding someone to sleep mid-combat is likely right out.

 

[R_J_K75]

We always play the spell as intended and don't always require someone have a single word that fits the situation. Most times yes, but again not always. I think using command to break a casters concentration is perfectly plausible and would allow it. On the fly, I may have used STOP but not sure thats 100% correct either.

 

[el-remmen]

That's a smart tactic, but it would make dispel magic partially redundant. Especially vexing is that a 3rd-level spell is so easily replaced by a 1st-level spell. I'd say no, command doesn't work like that.

To break concentration you need to cast another concentration spell, take damage (and fail a concentration check), or be incapacitated or killed.

So something like commanding a target to sleep might work. But: "The spell has no effect if the target is undead, if it doesn't understand your language, or if your command is directly harmful to it." So commanding someone to sleep mid-combat is likely right out.

But dispel magic is much more powerful and doesn't require a roll for magic of a lower level than it is cast at and is not limited to concentration duration spells, while command requires what should be a pretty easy save and if ruled to work that way would only work against concentration spells.

Furthermore, I would not say that falling asleep is "directly harmful." Commanding someone to fall into lava is directly harmful, falling asleep might mean you get whacked, but you just as likely to be ignored for an immediate threat.

That said, the rules for what breaks your concentration are more convincing, but I could see an argument for someone magically compelled to grovel or surrender being incapacitated for the round it remains in effect.

 

[Charlaquin]

We always play the spell as intended and don't always require someone have a single word that fits the situation. Most times yes, but again not always. I think using command to break a casters concentration is perfectly plausible and would allow it. On the fly, I may have used STOP but not sure thats 100% correct either.

I agree, if the player has a clear, simple action they want to command the target to perform but aren’t sure how to fit it into one word, I’m not going to be a stickler about it. Dropping concentration seems like a reasonable thing for the spell to be able to do to me. Maybe tell them to “daydream” or something.

 

[el-remmen]

I agree, if the player has a clear, simple action they want to command the target to perform but aren’t sure how to fit it into one word, I’m not going to be a stickler about it. Dropping concentration seems like a reasonable thing for the spell to be able to do to me. Maybe tell them to “daydream” or something.

Ooh! "Daydream!" has got legs. Thanks.

 

[R_J_K75]

That said, the rules for what breaks your concentration are more convincing, but I could see an argument for someone magically compelled to grovel or surrender being incapacitated for the round it remains in effect.

I agree. If you can compel the target to do something for the spells duration that breaks their concentration that should be enough. For example if you were to command the caster to COUNT, I believe that mental shift from concentrating on a spell to counting numbers would break the spell.

 

[Yardiff]

Sleep. Cant concentrate while your asleep right?

 

[R_J_K75]

Sleep. Cant concentrate while your asleep right?

As a DM Id say the target "falls asleep" then wakes up after the spells duration ends.

 

[Yardiff]

As a DM Id say the target "falls asleep" then wakes up after the spells duration ends.

Yes but does that end the concentration on a spell?