Silence spell

[Darklone]

Go figure

 

[HighlandsBear]

Cast on the party's scout so that he always succeeds on move silently.

I never thought this was a reasonable use of the spell. They should've made it like grease where you have a different effect when you cast it on the ground, on an item, or on a person. If you are walking around silencing everything within 15' of yourself you may technically be moving silently, but if there is normal background noise it seems to me like you would be much easier to detect than normal. I personally would just give a flat DC on a listen check depending on what background noises you're possibly silencing. And, getting within 15' should be an automatic alert.

 

[Altamont Ravenard]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but there was an extensive discussion, not so long ago, concerning the feasibility (sp?) of using Silence as a Counterspell, regarding the following situation:

Cleric readies to cast a Silence spell near the first enemy spellcaster who starts casting.

Enemy spellcaster starts to cast, and the area around him goes silent.

Does the enemy spellcaster:
a) lose the spell
b) fail to get the spell off without losing it
c) move out of the area and cast his spell
?

AR

 

[Spatula]

Cast on the party's scout so that he always succeeds on move silently.

I never thought this was a reasonable use of the spell. They should've made it like grease where you have a different effect when you cast it on the ground, on an item, or on a person. If you are walking around silencing everything within 15' of yourself you may technically be moving silently, but if there is normal background noise it seems to me like you would be much easier to detect than normal.

Unless the background noise is originating from inside the spell's area of effect, it would still be heard. The only problem with using silence as a sneaking tool is that you can't get within 15' of any guards without tipping them off.

 

[Scion]

It wouldnt matter, it kills all sound within its radius whether it originates within the radius or outside of it. So the person inside of it will hear nothing at all.

 

[James McMurray]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but there was an extensive discussion, not so long ago, concerning the feasibility (sp?) of using Silence as a Counterspell, regarding the following situation:

Cleric readies to cast a Silence spell near the first enemy spellcaster who starts casting.

Enemy spellcaster starts to cast, and the area around him goes silent.

Does the enemy spellcaster:
a) lose the spell
b) fail to get the spell off without losing it
c) move out of the area and cast his spell
?

AR

The spell is lost. The casting has already been started, so its too late to save the spell, apply metamagic, or move. And just like every other spell interuption, it ruins th spell.

Its an incredibly powerful use of a secod level spell (ask my epic party, its given the cleric fits )

 

[fourthmensch]

Original post by hong:
" I have found that shutting up is a really good way to go silent."

Why, hong, whatever do you mean?

Original post by Silverglass:
"Casting it on a pebble and throwing it is easily countered by either a) covering the pebble thereby blocking the emanation or b) throwing it back at you or c) having a fighting type pick it up and move to the party, thus silencing the parties spellcasters.

The next 2 are very valid uses however the silenced rogue cannot verbally communicate with the party and risks silencing the party spellcasters if forced back within 20ft of them."

The reason a pebble is used is that it is small, difficult to find (especially in a natural area), and may not even be noticed unless it is directly targeted at someone. If it were found, however, a) b) and c) would all work. Its not a perfect spell, after all.

I have played the party's scout before, and we circumvented this problem by working out a set of hand signals and nature calls (bird noises, etc). It is certainly not foolproof, but it often works.

 

[Ovinomancer]

Of course, if the party has a 9th level wizard/sorcerer, then a Rary's would nicely circumvent then no talkie bit.

 

[Spatula]

It wouldnt matter, it kills all sound within its radius whether it originates within the radius or outside of it. So the person inside of it will hear nothing at all.

Which has nothing to do with alerting guards while silenced.