Dominate Beast
- Level: 4
- School: Enchantment
- Class: Druid, Sorcerer
- Casting Time: Action
- Range: 60 feet
- Components: V, S
- Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
You attempt to beguile a Beast that you can see within range. It must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be charmed by you for the duration. If you or creatures that are friendly to you are fighting it, it has advantage on the saving throw.
While the target is charmed, you have a telepathic link with it as long as the two of you are on the same plane of existence. You can use this telepathic link to issue commands to the creature while you are conscious (no action required), which it does its best to obey. You can specify a simple and general course of action, such as "Attack that creature," "Run over there," or "Fetch that object." If the creature completes the order and doesn't receive further direction from you, it defends and preserves itself to the best of its ability.
You can use your action to take total and precise control of the target. Until the end of your next turn, the creature takes only the actions you choose, and doesn't do anything that you don't allow it to do. During this time, you can also cause the creature to use a reaction, but this requires you to use your own reaction as well.
Each time the target takes damage, it makes a new Wisdom saving throw against the spell. If the saving throw succeeds, the spell ends.
Using a Higher-Level Spell Slot. When you cast this spell using a 5th-level spell slot, the duration is concentration, up to 10 minutes. When you use a 6th-level spell slot, the duration is concentration, up to 1 hour. When you use a spell slot of 7th level or higher, the duration is concentration, up to 8 hours.
Tactical Usage
Beast Control: Dominate Beast provides complete control over animal creatures for tactical advantage. This 4th-level enchantment spell excels at turning enemy beasts into allies or gaining animal companions.
Optimal Timing: Deploy against powerful beasts threatening the party, when needing animal allies, or for reconnaissance using beast senses.
Resource Management: Uses a 4th-level spell slot - available from character level 7+. 1-minute concentration provides substantial control duration.
Target Selection: Single beast within 60 feet. Wisdom save to resist. Must see target to maintain control.
Spell Combinations
Synergistic Spells:
- Communication Magic: Combine with speak with animals for enhanced beast coordination
- Enhancement Magic: Layer with animal friendship for improved beast relations
- Detection Magic: Pair with detect thoughts to understand beast motivations
Class Feature Interactions:
- Beast Master: Ranger abilities complement controlled beast coordination
- Wild Shape: Druid understanding of animal nature improves control effectiveness
- Animal Handling: Enhanced social skills improve beast interaction
Multi-Caster Coordination: Multiple beast controllers can coordinate animal tactics for complex operations.
Material Component Details
Component Acquisition: No material components required - only verbal and somatic components needed.
Component Handling: Simple V, S casting allows battlefield deployment without material preparation.
Roleplay Opportunities: Different control manifestations reflect druidic traditions, ranger training, or natural magical affinity.
Economic Considerations: No costs make this economically viable for regular beast control operations.
Creator Notes
Encounter Balancing: Turning enemy beasts into allies dramatically shifts encounter balance and party capabilities.
NPC Usage: Druids, rangers, or beast masters might control animals for protection, reconnaissance, or environmental management.
Environmental Considerations: 60-foot range requires line of sight. Most effective in beast-heavy environments.
Campaign Integration: Excellent utility magic for wilderness campaigns or encounters featuring significant beast presence.
Environmental Interactions
Terrain Effects: 60-foot range works effectively in most wilderness encounters. Line of sight required.
Weather Influence: Unaffected by weather conditions, though visibility affects targeting.
Structural Interactions: Indoor environments limit effectiveness due to reduced beast presence.
Elemental Interactions: Mental control magic unaffected by elemental conditions affecting the controlled beast.
Common Rulings & Clarifications
Timing Questions: Action casting time with 1-minute concentration. Control begins immediately on failed save.
Target Limitations: Single beast with Intelligence 3 or lower. Must maintain line of sight for control.
Duration Interactions: Concentration required. Beast acts on your turn using your mental commands.
Mechanical Interactions: Complete control over beast actions. Beast uses its stats but follows your commands.
Alternative Applications
Non-Combat Uses: Animal reconnaissance, wilderness transportation, beast communication, or environmental protection.
Social Encounters: Demonstrating natural authority, wilderness negotiations, or environmental diplomacy.
Exploration Applications: Scouting dangerous areas, crossing difficult terrain, or gathering environmental intelligence.
Utility Functions: Transportation, reconnaissance, environmental management, or wilderness survival assistance.
Related Spells
Same School: Other enchantment spells like animal friendship (1st level beast charm), dominate person (5th level humanoid control), charm monster (4th level creature charm).
Similar Effects: animal friendship (1st level beast charm), dominate beast (4th level beast control), dominate person (5th level humanoid control).
Progression Options: animal friendship (1st level basic charm), dominate beast (4th level beast control), dominate monster (8th level any creature).
Complementary Magic: speak with animals (beast communication), locate animals or plants (target finding), animal messenger (beast services).
Scaling Analysis
Level Progression: Remains valuable throughout campaigns in beast-heavy environments or wilderness settings.
Upcast Benefits: No improvement from higher spell slots, making this a pure 4th-level tactical investment.
Campaign Phases: Most effective in wilderness-focused campaigns where beast encounters are common.
Comparative Value: Excellent control magic for specific environments that provides tactical versatility.
Narrative Flavor
Casting Description: Your will reaches out to override the beast's natural instincts as magical dominance asserts complete mental control.
Effect Manifestation: The beast's eyes glaze over with magical compulsion as it becomes completely subservient to your mental commands.
Personal Style: Druids establish natural dominance through primal authority, while wizards impose intellectual control through magical manipulation.
World Integration: Represents advanced beast control magic available to nature-focused casters, often associated with wilderness mastery, druidic authority, or natural magical traditions.