[RPG] Can an enethe be taken over in a fight with charm person

pathfinder-1e

In a fight, can one wizard take over one of the enemies? Wouldn't it be strange, my new best friend was some seconds before my worst enemy?

And if it works, how to handle the rest of the fight? Does the charmed person fight against it's former allies? What does it do seeing the former allies fighting the new allies?

Best Answer

No, the enemy would not be able to totally control an ally with Charm Person

That's the realm of Dominate Person.

First, we need to clear up some of your statements:

Does the charmed person fight against it's former allies?

These are not your former allies, they're still your allies. You just happened to have gained a new close friend.

Does the charmed person fight against it's former allies? What does it do seeing the former allies fighting the new allies?

What would you do if two of your very close friends got into a fight to the death? You'd probably try to break it up, wouldn't you? You may or may not pick a side in the fight, but you're not likely to want to hurt either of your very good friends.

Wouldn't it be strange, my new best friend was some seconds before my worst enemy?

Heck yes it would, but the spell changes your behavior so that doesn't matter.

Now onto the relevant parts of the spell. From the PRD:

This charm makes a humanoid creature regard you as its trusted friend and ally (treat the target's attitude as friendly). If the creature is currently being threatened or attacked by you or your allies, however, it receives a +5 bonus on its saving throw.

The spell does not enable you to control the charmed person as if it were an automaton, but it perceives your words and actions in the most favorable way. You can try to give the subject orders, but you must win an opposed Charisma check to convince it to do anything it wouldn't ordinarily do. (Retries are not allowed.) An affected creature never obeys suicidal or obviously harmful orders, but it might be convinced that something very dangerous is worth doing. Any act by you or your apparent allies that threatens the charmed person breaks the spell. You must speak the person's language to communicate your commands, or else be good at pantomiming.

So, what happens if the person who cast the charm spell managed to win the Charisma check against you to make you attack your friends? You'd probably do it, but would likely not want to kill them, just make them stop fighting your buddy.