D&D 5E Dominate Creature casts on a Conjured Creature

[cooperjer]

In last week's game I had an NPC with a conjured water elemental. The PCs defeated Scholar and obtained Drown. Since were near the end of the game time the PCs wanted to get past this conjured water elemental without a fight. They used Drown's ability to cast Dominate Monster. They then instruct the water elemental to step to the side and let them pass so they can move to the Fane of the Eye. I put a Marid in the room instead of what the book recommends, and the Marid had conjured the water elemental. Does the water elemental step to the side until the Marid tells the elemental to step back into the PCs way and guard the stair way, or does the elemental guard the stairway from all intruders regardless of what the caster tells the elemental?

In the game, I also wanted the PCs to get to the Fane of the Eye, so the water elemental stepped to the side after a contested persuasion check was made by the Marid vs the PC paladin.

 

[KahlessNestor]

In last week's game I had an NPC with a conjured water elemental. The PCs defeated Scholar and obtained Drown. Since were near the end of the game time the PCs wanted to get past this conjured water elemental without a fight. They used Drown's ability to cast Dominate Monster. They then instruct the water elemental to step to the side and let them pass so they can move to the Fane of the Eye. I put a Marid in the room instead of what the book recommends, and the Marid had conjured the water elemental. Does the water elemental step to the side until the Marid tells the elemental to step back into the PCs way and guard the stair way, or does the elemental guard the stairway from all intruders regardless of what the caster tells the elemental?

In the game, I also wanted the PCs to get to the Fane of the Eye, so the water elemental stepped to the side after a contested persuasion check was made by the Marid vs the PC paladin.

I think you handled it well. You have two sources of control. Whoever holds Drown and cast the spell should make the Cha check. Or maybe a spellcasting check. The Marid could get control back by spending an action on another opposed spellcasting check. Or she could just dismiss the summonex elemental.

That's how I would run it.

Sent from my SM-G900P using EN World mobile app

 

[cooperjer]

I think you handled it well. You have two sources of control. Whoever holds Drown and cast the spell should make the Cha check. Or maybe a spellcasting check. The Marid could get control back by spending an action on another opposed spellcasting check. Or she could just dismiss the summonex elemental.

That's how I would run it.

Sent from my SM-G900P using EN World mobile app

Control is the tricky part. Neither the PC or the NPC loose control of the elemental. In addition, giving a command to the elemental is not an action per either spell. The situation could have turned into 5 minutes of the PC commanding and the NPC commanding with the water elemental turning in circles. Fortunately, in reality there was no slippery slope.

 

[MechaTarrasque]

I think if you use your action to "take total and precise control of the target" after hitting dominate monster, then there is no contest over who controls the monster, but the summoner can still end the summoning unless he/she/it has lost concentration. If you are just issuing commands (which doesn't take an action), then a contest seems appropriate. Regardless, the monster can't attack you, because of the charmed condition.