D&D 5E Is silence pointless?

[PnPgamer]

More likely as a ritual. Other peeps at my table say that it has a requirement of constant massing like a bloody idiot, alerting everyone and killing the whole idea of ritualizing said spell, and then cast the spell of silence. I've suggested a houserule of removing V component from silence spell alltogether to DM.

if you guys can give actual uses for ritual version of the spell (without any houserules) I'd appreciate it.

 

[dmnqwk]

On my Bard I used the ritual spell to conceal my party breaking into a house by smashing the glass of the back window.

The sound of the casting was incidental, it prevented the loud crash of the glass which would've alerted the guards nearby to our criminal activities.

 

[NotActuallyTim]

The spell has a range of 120 feet. I think you're good.

 

[PnPgamer]

The spell has a range of 120 feet. I think you're good.

somehow I doubt that anyone can hear anything anyway from 120 feet, especially stealthing. could you elaborate?

 

[NotActuallyTim]

somehow I doubt that anyone can hear anything anyway from 120 feet, especially stealthing. could you elaborate?

You're asking if the spell is pointless as a ritual, right?

Since you can cast it as a ritual from 120 back from the actual area you need to be sneaking around in, you can set up a guaranteed silent area, where the party members won't need to be sneaky to be sneaky. For example, cast Silence as a ritual onto a wall, then blow up the wall to make a new entrance. Nobody is going to hear that because it's in the silent area.

 

[Hriston]

I thought the whole point was to keep enemy casters from uttering verbal components.

 

[NotActuallyTim]

I thought the whole point was to keep enemy casters from uttering verbal components.

It's kinda hard to pull that off as a ritual. Possible, but requires extra prep.

It's a multiple use spell.

 

[Mouseferatu]

I don't know if silence is pointless, exactly, but it's certainly...



...unsound.

 

[Hriston]

It's kinda hard to pull that off as a ritual. Possible, but requires extra prep.

It's a multiple use spell.

Okay, didn't notice we're talking only about ritual uses.

What about creating a "Cone of Silence" so certain party members can discuss sensitive information without others overhearing?

Or you could set up a defensible space from which to fight a creature that does thunder damage.

I agree that for stealth purposes the ritual version, or even the regular version, is a bit of a dead giveaway, even from 120 feet away. At least that's the way I adjudicate spellcasting.

 

[NotActuallyTim]

I think 120 feet is far enough that nobody will hear you. Background noises like breathing, wind and walking should cover it up.