Campaign Conundrum 1 - Silence

[Kobold Stew]

One way to approach the problem is to ask, If this is not the way to get silence at a distance, what is? The answer, I would think, is the Imbue arrow ability of the Arcane archer. If the OP's idea works, then Imbue arrow becomes useless, doesn't it? That would suggest the plan doesn't work...

RAW would perhaps suggest an arrow is ineffective, but I'd be tempted to allow it cast on a small object that gets lobbed to the square the enemy spellcaster (or whatever) is in. A one-round action would allow the ES to kick it away (having made a successful spellcraft check?) and the action has an effect on combat (allowing the players to be rewarded) but not a game-breaking one.

My 2cp.

 

[Mark Chance]

One way to approach the problem is to ask, If this is not the way to get silence at a distance, what is?

This might just be overthinking things, but silence has a range of 400 ft. + 40 ft./caster level. It can be centered on a creature (which gets a save), an object, or a point in space (the latter two getting a save only if in a creature's possession).

So, why bother with the arrow?

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

So, why bother with the arrow?

My guess is that it's because an arrow is moveable. You could cast it on the arrow, sneak up under the protection of the silence, and then fire it as soon as battle starts.

Of course, you could do the same with a rock, so ...

 

[Mark Chance]

My guess is that it's because an arrow is moveable. You could cast it on the arrow, sneak up under the protection of the silence, and then fire it as soon as battle starts.

Of course, you could do the same with a rock, so ...

Exactly. You can do the same thing on the party's front-line tank as well.

"Now, Grond, in a moment I'll cast silence on you. Then, you charge the naughty high wizard. Got it?"

 

[Ovinomancer]

Exactly. You can do the same thing on the party's front-line tank as well.

"Now, Grond, in a moment I'll cast silence on you. Then, you charge the naughty high wizard. Got it?"

Better to equip Grond with a stone on a chain and give him a small pouch in which to keep it. Whenever the party needs silence, cast it on the rock. When the party needs sound again during the duration, make hand signals to Grond to put the rock in the sack. I would reccomend clapping. Twice. Since silence is an emantation, the sack stops it, and, voila, sound! Silence on the clapper system.

 

[Jack Simth]

This might just be overthinking things, but silence has a range of 400 ft. + 40 ft./caster level. It can be centered on a creature (which gets a save), an object, or a point in space (the latter two getting a save only if in a creature's possession).

So, why bother with the arrow?

Because an archer can (true strike makes it quite practical, even at lower levels) manage 10 range increments with his bow - a longbow has a range increment of 100 feet; a Clr-3 can cast it on an arrow in the hands of a Wiz-3 with True Strike (Of course, the wiz needs to Silent Spell that True Strike...), casting Silence on the arrow, can get that arrow to go 1,000 feet (and land in the target square quite reliably), while that same caster could only cast Silence directly at a range of 520 feet (1,040 with Enlarge... but that requires at least Clr-5). A Composite Longbow brings that up to 1,100 feet; a Distance +1 Composite Longbow can manage 2,200 feet (while the 10th level wizard can only manage 800 feet; 1,600 with Enlarge); a Distance +1 Composite Longbow in the hands of a 10th level full BAB class character with the Far Shot feat can get that arrow 2,750 feet (I think). A clr-20, on the other hand, can only Enlarge that Silence to a range of 2,400 feet.

Granted, such extreme range won't often be useful....

 

[Rkhet]

Not to forget that once you have the arrow, you can have the party archer fire it. This frees an action from the caster, at no cost (the archer is going to shoot anyway).

 

[Jack Simth]

Only if you are casting it on an arrow already in the archer's possesion (which isn't a bad idea - if it's not already in the archer's posession, you have to hand it to the archer - which I suspect is at least a move-equivalent action for both the hander and the handee) but really, except for extreme range situations, it will usually be better to center the silence right next to the opponent that needs to be prevented from making sound - after all, that opponent might just have his initiative count between the Silence caster and the archer....

 

[Rkhet]

Do it before combat starts, if you're expecting trouble. It has a 1 min/level duration, which isn't bad.

 

[Jack Simth]

... and then keep everyone well away from the archer, so those pesky Listen rolls can be effective against the rogue sneaking up to hit you from behind with a full two-weapon Sneak attack....