[RPG] How does the Suggestion spell work

dnd-5espells

My friend gave me the following scenario. A Fighter has the Suggestion spell cast on them with the following phrase: "You look tired. Why don't you take a seat over there." If the rest of the fighter's party is suddenly ambushed immediately after, I argued that the fighter would be able to get up and help, since the suggestion is no longer reasonable. My friend said that whether the suggestion is reasonable or not only matters when the spell is first cast.

Which of us is right? Does the Suggestion spell provide 8 hours of mind-control, provided the suggestion is reasonable at first? Or does it have to continue to be reasonable?

Best Answer

In this particular case, I'd argue that the Fighter is able to get up during the battle and help the party. The text of Suggestion has the following:

...The suggestion must be worded in such a manner as to make the course of action sound reasonable. Asking the creature to stab itself, throw itself onto a spear, immolate itself, or do some other obviously harmful act ends the spell.

The target must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, it pursues the course of action you described to the best of its ability. The suggested course of action can continue for the entire duration. If the suggested activity can be completed in a shorter time, the spell ends when the subject finishes what it was asked to do.

When it was cast, it was a reasonable suggestion, and the Fighter sat down like he was told. When combat begins, the Fighter has already completed the tast (have a seat), meaning the spell has ended. Whether or not the suggestion is still reasonable doesn't matter, I'd say.

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