So, I'm grappled by Evard's black tentacles ...

[DumbPaladin]

... and I don't have freedom of movement cast on me right now.

I do, however, have the ability to cast any spell I know as if it had silent spell and still spell attached to it, without increasing the caster level.

If I cast a spell with components: V, S ... what happens? Does it turn into a spell-like ability? Can anything (like grappling, or being paralyzed) stop me from casting this spell that now lacks components for me?

Also, can anyone point out what book & page I should look at for clarification on this particular D&D rule?

Thanks for the help.

 

[akbearfoot]

Still have to make the relevant concentration check to cast the spell. It does not change into a different action because you modify the components. It does however let you cast a lot of spells you could not otherwise. For instance, while grappled you cannot cast any spell with Somatic components, which is almost all of them. Normally, you can cast spells with verbal components while grappled though. So there would be no need to cast Silent spells, only Still ones.

Also, you might check with your DM about mutually deleting Black tentacles from the game world...it is one of those spells that is extremely poorly balanced, and almost always slows the game down to a crawl and/or causes TPKs against PCs with ease. Especially at low-mid levels when its really really hard to avoid/escape.

 

[Persiflage]

... and I don't have freedom of movement cast on me right now.

I do, however, have the ability to cast any spell I know as if it had silent spell and still spell attached to it, without increasing the caster level.

If I cast a spell with components: V, S ... what happens?

You have to make a DC20 + spell level Concentration check to cast the spell: see the Concentration skill in the PHB...

Concentration DC 20: Grappling or pinned. (You can cast only spells without somatic components for which you have any required material component in hand.)

1 If you are trying to cast, concentrate on, or direct a spell when the distraction occurs, add the level of the spell to the indicated DC.

If you're casting the spell stilled, it has no somatic components...

Benefit: A stilled spell can be cast with no somatic components.

If you're grappled by Black Tentacles, you're still able to speak, so - as akbearfoot said - you don't need to worry about it being Silent. Only pinned characters can be prevented from speaking, and the Black Tentacles spell won't pin you.

Once the tentacles grapple an opponent, they may make a grapple check each round on your turn to deal 1d6+4 points of bludgeoning damage. The tentacles continue to crush the opponent until the spell ends or the opponent escapes.

Nothing in there about them doing anything other than crushing you to a pulp.

Does it turn into a spell-like ability?

No, absolutely not. Spell-like abilities don't require material components, for one thing. A Stilled, Silent spell that still has a material component requires you to have the component in hand or you can't use it whilst grappled. A DM might well allow you to make a grapple check to withdraw a spell component from a pouch, but - if you succeed - you can't then cast the spell until next round.

You also can't cast a spell with a casting time of longer than a standard action whilst being grappled: it's not harder, you just "can't". This is important for spontaneous casters: applying metamagic to a spontaneous spell - making a spell Stilled, for instance - is a full-round action, meaning that it can't be cast in a grapple.

You said that you can cast spells "without increasing the caster level", (I assume you actually mean "without increasing the level of the spell"), but can you do it without increasing the casting time? If not, you're limited to verbal-only spells.

Can anything (like grappling, or being paralyzed) stop me from casting this spell that now lacks components for me?

Yes, you can fail a Concentration check due to being grappled or taking damage during spellcasting. Someone could still disrupt your casting with an attack or spell: counter-intuitive though it may seem, there's no reason why someone couldn't ready an action to disrupt a Stilled, Silent spell you're casting, even though it has no components.

Also, can anyone point out what book & page I should look at for clarification on this particular D&D rule?

If only there were a particular D&D rule! You need to check the grapple rules, the Concentration skill, the Still Spell and Silent Spell feats and the general rules about spellcasting.

The Rules Compendium has this to say on the subject of spellcasting whilst grappled:

"Cast a Spell: You can attempt to cast a spell while grappling or pinned, provided its casting time is no more than 1 standard action, it has no somatic component, and you have in hand any material components or focuses you might need. Any spell that requires precise and careful action is impossible to cast while grappling or pinned. If the spell is one that you can cast while grappling, you must succeed on a Concentration check (DC 20 + spell level) or lose the spell. You don’t have to make a grapple check to cast the spell, but it takes its normal casting time to cast."

Hopefully, all your bases are now covered

 

[DumbPaladin]

"You must spread experience points around before giving it to Persiflage again."

Well, I've been trying!

Thank you for your excellent response, Persiflage. You pretty much covered everything I need to know next time I get trapped in some crazy situation.

I'm still learning new spells each time I level, but currently my best way for getting out of this situation is benign transposition (verbal only) to put someone with freedom of movement in my place, or the fighter with a very good chance of beating the grapple score in my place....

Edit: Thanks for the cover, ValhallaGH!

 

[Persiflage]

Ah pity, could have done with the boost this evening

Anyway, no problem, you're welcome m'man. Benign transposition is a great way to get out of grapples if you can manage the Concentration check without a sweat... although, for the record, my last caster tended to use the spell to save other party members by getting into grapples, which he'd promptly leave again by one of a variety of means.

Regardless, it's a great spell. Also good in corridors for swapping out the warrior who has taken a full attack for the one who hasn't.

 

[krupintupple]

not to intentionally monkey-wrench anyone's plans, but i noticed this under the epic section of the SRD. doesn't directly relate, but it might be interesting to see how it could establish a baseline for grappling in such a situation:

Epic Skills :: d20srd.org

 

[DumbPaladin]

Ah pity, could have done with the boost this evening

Anyway, no problem, you're welcome m'man. Benign transposition is a great way to get out of grapples if you can manage the Concentration check without a sweat... although, for the record, my last caster tended to use the spell to save other party members by getting into grapples, which he'd promptly leave again by one of a variety of means.

Regardless, it's a great spell. Also good in corridors for swapping out the warrior who has taken a full attack for the one who hasn't.

Benign transposition was one of the first 2 spells I ever knew, way back at level 1. The other was true strike. Verbal-only spells are great for getting out of a jam, and for casting while in full plate. The last time I used it, I quaffed a potion of freedom of movement, then had my cohort jump into some Evard's so he could attack a few guys, before I switched places with him and waltzed out of the tentacle field.

It is indeed a fabulous spell. It's pretty much been my best bet for getting out of a grapple, up until I purchased my boots of big stepping.

 

[Persiflage]

The last time I used it, I quaffed a potion of freedom of movement, then had my cohort jump into some Evard's so he could attack a few guys, before I switched places with him and waltzed out of the tentacle field.

And what's even more impressive is that freedom of movement is a 4th-level spell... one level higher than can be put in a potion

Never mind: I suspect the Rule of Cool was in force there

 

[DumbPaladin]

I suspect more like ... the DM forgot that rule. Yay us!
But it's okay -- we were kind of being sent on a wacky mission by an agent of a deity. Maybe she helped us out.