D&D 5E How do you restrain a captured spellcaster?

[transtemporal]

I've never really had a situation in a game where the party spellcasters have been taken prisoner but one might be coming up in the next game. I assume in a world where spellcasters exist, the city guard must've put some thought into how to practically restrain captured spellcasters (aside from simply killing them). Assuming the existence of mundane resources available to the city guard only (no anti-magic cages or elaborate Hannibal Lector trolleys), how do you prevent a spellcaster from simply destroying everything in a 10 block radius and escaping?*

The best realistic solution I came up with that the city guard might have access to is manacles, a hood and a gag. The gag prevents verbal components. The hood blinds the spellcaster and removes line of effect (this doesn't stop area effect spells though I guess). The manacles... I'm not sure what the manacles do really. Gut feel, they give disadvantage to attacks or skill checks that involve using your hands but I'm not sure they would stop somatic gestures? I'm thinking of requiring a dexterity check (easy DC) to cast. What do you guys reckon?

*Exaggeration for effect

 

[ad_hoc]

Manacles would absolutely stop somatic components.

Why wouldn't they?

 

[Lanliss]

As Ad_hoc says, manacles would stop the wizard from waving his hands about, which he needs to do for any Somatic conponents. Using a gag and manacles leaves him with only Material components, so confiscate his bag/arcane focus. Then he cannot meet the requirements for any of the spells.

 

[mrpopstar]

A gag and manacles would effectively silence and restrain a spellcaster.

 

[Horwath]

except sorcerer with subtle spell metamagic.

 

[mrpopstar]

except sorcerer with subtle spell metamagic.

There are always exceptions!

 

[transtemporal]

Cool, thanks guys! So you reckon the hood is overkill?

 

[bedir than]

It might not be necessary, but I think it helps the vibe of the encounter.

 

[Sadras]

Well if we are talking about the vibe of the encounter, you could always have the guard working him over a little, depending on the crime, and of course the spellcaster was resisting arrest.

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

The best realistic solution I came up with that the city guard might have access to is manacles, a hood and a gag. The gag prevents verbal components. The hood blinds the spellcaster and removes line of effect (this doesn't stop area effect spells though I guess). The manacles... I'm not sure what the manacles do really. Gut feel, they give disadvantage to attacks or skill checks that involve using your hands but I'm not sure they would stop somatic gestures? I'm thinking of requiring a dexterity check (easy DC) to cast. What do you guys reckon?

Nice solution: put him in heavy armor. No spellcasting without proficiency. (Do this on top of manacles + gag just in case he really does have proficiency anyway.)

Less-nice solution: beat him unconscious and keep him at 0 HP.

Even less-nice solution: cut out his tongue and sever both of his hands.