Enchantment · Control
Compulsion
Compulsion forces affected creatures to spend their movement travelling in a direction you choose. The named spell is a fifth-edition effect; PF1e and D&D 3.5e use different compulsion spells such as Suggestion, Command and Geas.
Compulsion by Edition
5.5e / 2024
| Level | 4th-level Enchantment |
|---|---|
| Classes | Bard |
| Casting Time | Action |
| Range | 30 feet |
| Components | V, S |
| Duration | Concentration, up to 1 minute |
Each chosen creature you can see in range makes a Wisdom saving throw or becomes Charmed for the duration. As a Bonus Action, you designate a horizontal direction. Each Charmed target must spend as much movement as possible moving that way on its next turn by the safest route, then repeats the save and ends the spell on itself on a success.
5e / 2014
| Level | 4th-level Enchantment |
|---|---|
| Classes | Bard |
| Casting Time | 1 action |
| Range | 30 feet |
| Components | V, S |
| Duration | Concentration, up to 1 minute |
Chosen creatures you can see in range that can hear you make Wisdom saves. A creature that cannot be charmed automatically succeeds. Affected targets move in the horizontal direction you designate with your Bonus Action, can act before moving, repeat the save after moving, and are not forced into an obviously deadly hazard.
Pathfinder 1e
PF1e has no direct spell named Compulsion. “Compulsion” is an enchantment subschool. Comparable control spells include Command, Suggestion, Dominate Person and Geas, each with its own target and duration rules.
D&D 3.5e
D&D 3.5e also uses “compulsion” as an enchantment subschool rather than this spell name. The closest tools are spells such as Suggestion, Command and Geas/Quest; do not import the fifth-edition area movement mechanic into them.
What Changed?
- 2024 explicitly gives failed targets the Charmed condition.
- 2024 removes the 2014 requirement that a target hear you.
- 2024 directs targets along the safest route.
- PF1e/3.5e have no direct same-named spell.
Related Magic
- Bard Spells
- Dominate Person — stronger single-target control.
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