Remaking old spells.

I've been thinking about remaking old spells that never made it into D&D and I recently made one. I was wanting some peoples opinions on it and thought this would be the best place for constructive criticism (not the currently toxic WotC forums).

The spell is the Cleric spell: Command.

This spell used to be one of my favorites. It very useful and is pretty damned fun to use for laughs and in serious situations.

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Tell me what you think.

The wording is pretty horrible and inconsistent with how 4E effects are written. If you translate the commands into 4E effects, this is what you get:

Flee: On its next turn, the targets moves its full speed. Each square of this movement must place it farther away from the (caster) than its previous square.

Die: The target falls prone and is stunned until the end of its next turn.

Fall: The target falls prone (or see "jump").

Jump: You slide the target 1 (?) square.

Surrender: The target is stunned until the end of its next turn or until it takes damage.

How's that?

Also, I'd get rid of the Prerequisite of the target being no more than level + 2. Just let the Will defense of the target be the limiting factor. I realize that a really optimized Cleric could use it on a much higher level enemy with a good die roll, but with that prerequisite as written the DM then has to consider the level of the monsters for more than just encounter design.

Just my 3.5 cents

Silly question, but isn't the Command spell already available to Clerics?

Command - Cleric Attack 3
You utter a single command backed by divine will that requires obedience from your foe, directing it to move as you wish or fall to the ground.
Encounter * Charm, Divine, Implement
Standard Action Range 10
Target: One creature
Attack: Wisdom vs. Will
Hit: The target is dazed until the end of your next turn. In addition, you can either slide the target a number of squares up to 3 + your Charisma modifier or knock the target prone.
Source: Player's Handbook

I think the purpose was to recreate the Command spell as it was written in previous editions.

Yes, and using the other editions' conventions rather than 4E's.

Of course!

skwyd42 wrote:

I think the purpose was to recreate the Command spell as it was written in previous editions.

Yes. I found the 4e command spell very lame. I used to command people to "disrobe". Immature I know... But effective nonetheless! It also lowered their AC by a point or so.

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Perhaps this one is better? I used some of your ideas but I still left it as a daily as it's more powerful than the lvl 3 Command spell.