Is this homebrew spell that briefly mind-controls an enemy and then paralyzes it for a round balanced?

Question

I've given the following spell to a PC in the party:

Blood Puppet

2nd-level necromancy

Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 60 feet
Components: V, S
Duration: 1 round

Choose a living creature with blood that you can see within range. The target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be forced to move up to half its speed and perform any one physical action such as dropping an item, lying down or making one attack (if the action requires a roll, substitute your proficiency bonus in place of the target's and add your spellcasting modifier to the roll instead of any other bonuses). After being controlled the target is paralysed until the start of your next turn.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, you can target one additional target for each slot level above 2nd. The targets must be within 30 feet of each other when you target them.

The player I gave it to has concerns that it is too strong.

When balancing the spell I modeled it after Hold Person, trading off the chance to paralyse the target for more than one round with the chance to make an extra attack or get some utility. The spell seems roughly equal in terms of action economy.

Not requiring concentration and having a broader range of targets seems like the major advantages to me and I may be underestimating them.

Answer 1

No way is this a balanced 2nd-level spell.

This is very powerful for second level. As a comparison, I refer you to Hold Person, a 2nd-level wizard spell.

Hold Person

2nd-level enchantment

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 60 feet

Components: V, S, M (a small, straight piece of iron)

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

Choose a humanoid that you can see within range. The target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be paralyzed for the duration. At the end of each of its turns, the target can make another Wisdom saving throw. On a success, the spell ends on the target.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, you can target one additional humanoid for each slot level above 2nd. The humanoids must be within 30 feet of each other when you target them.

Essentially what you have done here is combine two castings of Command (a Divine spell, I remind you) and one casting of Hold Person, with almost insignificant debuffs.

Though less duration is a debuff, it is a very small one, as in Hold Person, the creature may succeed on a Wisdom saving throw on their turn.

Additionally, you have no wording that prohibits you from making the creature attack itself, providing an enormous loophole for some hungry players.

I would advise putting something in about not allowing the creature to harm itself or its allies (just too buff for this level of spell), and you must include something that makes it only affect humanoids, as in Hold Person. Also, move this spell 1 or 2 spell levels up, as you are essentially casting 3 spells at once.

One more thing: If you target multiple creatures, you potentially give yourself multiple attacks through other creatures' bodies, which is insanely powerful. If you cast this as a 6th-level spell, you have a potential 5 attacks through your targets that use your spellcasting modifier, something not even a Fighter can match without Action Surge. The fact that the creature are paralyzed afterward makes it even more powerful.