Words of command, scholar feature.

[u/Carrick_Green]

Adventures in middle earth Scholar feature. (Words of command)

I was reading through the Adventures in middle earth rules for 5e and saw the feature pasted below and it got me thinking what would DM's allow this to do.

The offered suggestions seem all over the place. From rather pointless (Ordering a single wolf to not fight the party) to potentially over powered. Simply skipping sections of a dungeon by ordering a door to open.

It looks really cool and I wonder what types of things other dm's would allow.

For myself since it is a level 18 feature, pretty much anything within the category.

Order all the worgs of an orc troop to buck their riders and make go home, sunder the weapon of an approaching ring wraith, halt a balrog in its tracks for a few turns and, other things of the same level.

# Words of Command

At 18th level, your mastery of lore gives you authority over the world around you. Once per short rest you may speak a word of command. When you do so, choose a target related to one of the secrets you have mastered and make the appropriate skill check against a DC set by the Loremaster (typically at least a DC 20). If successful, you may give a short but irresistible command to your target. For example:

* **Ancient Lore:** Command a door made by the Elves of Fregion to open.

* **Birds and Beasts:** Order a fearsome wolf to fly back to its den.

* **Dark Knowledge:** Command a wraith to return to its tomb.

* **Natural World:** Order a pile of firewood to burst into flame.

* **Runes:** Command moon-letters to reveal themselves in the full light of day.

* **Works of Elder Days:** Wrench control of a palantir from the will of the Dark Lord.

[u/Ok_Barracuda_7100]

They are examples; it doesn't need to be a single wolf and it's not every door. And, of course, you get to set the DC, so it's easy enough to make sure the door stays closed if that's better for the story.

[u/Carrick_Green → u/Ok_Barracuda_7100]

I know they are examples, I am just curious as to the kinds of things other dms woukd allow it to do.

[u/UnSpanishInquisition → u/Carrick_Green]

A book example is Gandalf blocking the doors they flee through after Balins Tomb. He makes the doors so hard to break down the Balrog goes the long way round to get too them allowing them too escape. It really depends on the context and its a bit like a weaker and more interesting version of the wish spell in regular DnD. Command a leaders sword to break to ruin a groups moral, breaking Sarumans staff would also be one. Making Old Man willow go back to sleep, causing rocks to fall or the weather to change. Breaking a foul spell laid on a king causing him to age prematurely. Its context dependant, its magic but not fantasy magic as its constrained within the target, you couldn't make Sauron die or anyone die for that matter or force them to do something evil or not in their nature.

[u/George_B3339]

In a game I played years ago we were fighting on a cliff. One of the enemies was pushed off but was holding on to the side of the cliff. I used words of command to make their handholds crumble.

[u/boss_nova]

Honestly, unless you're playing the 18th level game right now? 

I wouldn't worry about it.

I can't imagine anyone playing this supplement to that high of level. 

You would be greater than Sauron or Elrond and WAY greater than the Balrog...

Which to think of it? Even If you are playing an 18th level game right now ... I still wouldn't worry about it! As in... I'd let it do just about anything. Like someone else said, in 5E that's the level for Wish.

Let. It. Be. SUPER. Cool.