Silence

[fusangite]

There is a debate in my gaming group right now. Due to the ambiguous wording of the spell, there is contention over saving throws associated with it.

Here are the two positions:
(a) Everyone within the area of effect of a Silence spell gets a saving throw against the spell's effects.
(b) If the spell is targeted at an area no one may save but, if it is targeted at an individual (thus attempting to prohibit her from running outside the area of effect), that one individual gets a save.

Anyway, please post your views, in addition to voting.

 

[Darklone]

Everything is wrong...

You have several possibilities:
- Cast it on a creature: Only this creature would get a save then, if it succeeds, the spell does not work. Advantage: the silence moves with the creature.
- Cast it on a point in space or unattended: Every creature in the area is silenced and gets no save but they can easily leave the area.

 

[fusangite]

Everything is wrong...

You have several possibilities:
- Cast it on a creature: Only this creature would get a save then, if it succeeds, the spell does not work. Advantage: the silence moves with the creature.
- Cast it on a point in space or unattended: Every creature in the area is silenced and gets no save but they can easily leave the area.

How is what you're saying different from option B?

 

[Darklone]

Ouch... I'm sorry, I misread B).

 

[hong]

What Darklone said. The area-effect version of silence is a pretty well-known anti-caster trick. Combine with solid fog, wall of force, forcecage or Evard's tentacles for best effect.

 

[fusangite]

Darklone, Hong, others,

Is your response based on the text of the spell in the 3.5E PHB or is it based on customary interpretations of the spell from the past?

 

[Pax]

What you have to do is CLOSELY read that "Saving Throw" line. What does it say, exactly? This:

Will negates; see text or none (object)

Now, read the text. The text refers to a saving throw only after mentioning the option to center the spell on a creature. It then elaborates that items in a creature's possession (the evil wizard's boot-lace, for example) and sound-producing magic items get saving throws, but unattended objects or points in space do not receive saving throws.

How many times does a point in space receive a saving throw from a spell, in D&D? Often enough that that especial reference should be needed in general, do you think ... ?

Or perhaps does that reference clearly show that the saving throw is solely for the point-of-origin target ... ?

That last sentence, by the by, is the truth: the save only applies to the creature, object, etc, that is the target for the spell's point-of-origin. Not for everything in the spell's area of effect.

A point in space doesn't move, so the people in the silenced area can simply leave that area and make noise again.

If, however, you ram the spell past the Wizard's probably-high will save, then the silence moves WITH him ... and he can't escape it, except to succeed on that saving throw.

That's how the spell works. It's how it has worked, since at least 1E.

 

[FrankTrollman]

Note also that Silence is still misprinted as an Illusion. It is an Evocation.

If it were actually a Glamer it could not stop sonic damage or sonic-based effects or verbal spell components - and it specifically does.

Other than that - option B is correct.

-Frank

 

[Dinkeldog]

Note also that Silence is still misprinted as an Illusion. It is an Evocation.

Not an Alteration? I think I like the Alteration school better for it.

 

[Thanee]

If you don't want to let the Wizard make us of his high Will save, cast it on a coin and let the Arcane Trickster plant it on the Wizard via Ranged Legerdemain!

Bye
Thanee