Spell: NoXFeR's Personal Silencer

[-Eä-]

I wonder: Is this spell ok? Is the level ok? Any appropriate changes?


NoXFeR's Personal Silencer
Illusion (Glamer)
Level: Wiz 2
Casting Time: 1 round
Components: V, S
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 10 minutes/level (D)
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

NoXFeR deduced after numrous adventures which required some sort of dungeon delving that it might sometimes be useful to emit no sound. Of course she knew that would inhibit his own implementations of verbal components in her sorcery, but she saw that as no hindrance as she indulged in the advantages of being totally silent, so she pursued her studies. The result of these studies was a spell most unlikely to intrigue an arcane spellcaster, but nonetheless, in NoXFeR's opinion, a most useful one.

The effect of this spell is that the caster and all things in the caster's 5*5 foot square emits no sounds. The caster can therefore not be heard as she moves, but although all things that are within this area do not emit sound waves, a rock that falls due to these actions and is not within this area will emit sound when it, for instance, hits the ground.
Additionally, when the caster targets a foe with a spell or initiates an attack, the spell ends.

 

[Technik4]

So for opposed listen/move silently checks would she automatically roll a 20, or just automatically beat the opposition? Just a note as to how I feel, anyone may spot an invisible creature on a spot roll of 20, I would say a listen roll of 20+ detects this spell as well.

5 cm. is in metric and dnd is in "american" measurements. Maybe 1 foot radius. I feel your spell is sort of the opposite of invisibility, though generally less powerful because you are also under the effects and can't cast spells.

And is this a full-round casting or 1 action. You listed round, so I assume full-round, but there really is no need for it to be longer than 1 action, imo.

Another interesting situation is vs a creature with only blindsight, since you arent making noise are you effectively invisible towards said creature? If so, it leads to more applications and the need for a clause like invisibility where as soon as you attack you lose your personal silence.

If you were going for a spell that would silence your weapons attacks, I would say that could be as low as level 1 with the proper duration. Nice for a snip... archer

Very nice spell.

Technik

 

[Spatzimaus]

It's not quite okay as-is. Some of these are nitpicks. Overall I think it's a nice idea.

> First of all, the "area" isn't appropriate for a Personal spell. Ranges in 3E are measured in squares (5' increments) so there are two options I can see:
A> (Range: 0', Target: you) It affects everything in your 5'x5' square
B> (Range: Personal, Target: you) It only dampens your sound.
Personally I'd go with A. If you try to pick a lock or steal an object it doesn't make any noise.

> You didn't list any components (verbal and/or somatic, especially). I'd go V,S by default.

> Is it dismissable by the caster? If so, write duration as 10 minutes/level (D). If not, you might have problems.

> Add the clarification that since he can't generate sounds, he also can't use any sound-based abilities like Sonic attacks or Bardic Music.

> One problem I have with the general concept is that it makes the Move Silently skill entirely redundant for multiclassed Rogues. I'd treat it as the analog of Invisibility, so you can still be heard with a higher Listen DC. I forget what the exact value for Invisibility is, but call it a +20?

> If you're modeling it on Invisibility, you should probably have it drop after an attack in the same way Invis does. Hearing in general is less useful than vision so I didn't think this was a big balance issue.

 

[Airwolf]

I think Technik4 made some good suggestions. The spell looks sound to me (no pun intended).

The only comment I have is on the duration. For the silence spell the duration is only 1 minute/level, since this is, for the most part, the same as silence I would make the duration the same.

 

[-Eä-]

So for opposed listen/move silently checks would she automatically roll a 20, or just automatically beat the opposition? Just a note as to how I feel, anyone may spot an invisible creature on a spot roll of 20, I would say a listen roll of 20+ detects this spell as well.

5 cm. is in metric and dnd is in "american" measurements. Maybe 1 foot radius. I feel your spell is sort of the opposite of invisibility, though generally less powerful because you are also under the effects and can't cast spells.

And is this a full-round casting or 1 action. You listed round, so I assume full-round, but there really is no need for it to be longer than 1 action, imo.

Another interesting situation is vs a creature with only blindsight, since you arent making noise are you effectively invisible towards said creature? If so, it leads to more applications and the need for a clause like invisibility where as soon as you attack you lose your personal silence.

If you were going for a spell that would silence your weapons attacks, I would say that could be as low as level 1 with the proper duration. Nice for a snip... archer

Very nice spell.

Technik

I like your ideas on how to interpret the effects of the spell, but I'll leave that interpretation to the DMs and giving your examples as a couple of options.

The reason why I'm designing this spell is that I want my wizard to go spying while both invisible and flying when for example exploring caves. It will allow for much more secure investigation of the nearby areas, which indeed may be paramount as we sometimes face nigh immortal creatures of extreme strength (but often limited intellect), so we want not to be taken off guard.

 

[-Eä-]

One problem I have with the general concept is that it makes the Move Silently skill entirely redundant for multiclassed Rogues. I'd treat it as the analog of Invisibility, so you can still be heard with a higher Listen DC. I forget what the exact value for Invisibility is, but call it a +20?

What about doing a +30, as per the Jump spell? I.e. a creature has to listen actively and receives a -30 penalty to the check? Would this perhaps be a plausible interpretation? I mean, the only thing creatures may hear is some disturbance in the air that is created by the caster. A creature that isn't activlety listening may hear "something" where that "something" seem natural in the surroundings.

 

[Technik4]

My interpretation

Ok to spot any invisible schmo it is a spot DC 20, but it isnt very accurate, in other words, you know which square but you cant make out any definite features.

However, if you are invisible and hiding, then I would rule that they first needed to pass the 20, then whatever your hide check is. And they still wouldn't know much about where you are except which 5x5 grid.

For your spell, lets say youre trying to creep along past a guard. Because of the guard who is making active listening checks, he would need to beat a 20 to hear "something". Now if you are also moving silently, he would then have to beat whatever DC your check was.

In this way, the integrity of these spells is kept at 2nd level power. In other words, a reknown ranger with max ranks in spot and listen may spot either arcane trick, but it will get you past most "regular" people, even high level fighters, druids, clerics, etc.

The parallel to the jump spell isnt quite accurate because jump only applies to 1 jump, whereas you could sneak past a barracks of guards with this spell.

Also, just because they hear "something" if they beat a 20 (and your move silently check), unless they are on some kind of alert it would probably be dismissed. Also note negatives for listen checks per distance. The same applies to spot, but I would say if a guard actually sees anything he may act on it. In this way, hearing is more powerful because it won't be jumped on the way sight would be.

Whew,

Technik

 

[the Jester]

I like the looks of this- it reminds me of the sound bubble spell from the ol' 2e bard's handbook. I also agree that there needs to be an opposed listen check mechanic described in the spell though; how I would do it would be to increase the DC to hear the caster by 20 (so if you rolled a move silently check of 15 the overall DC to pinpoint you would be a 35). If the listener beats a DC20 listen check he's aware that "something is moving" (the sounds of the air, any little objects like pebbles that scrabble out from underfoot, etc.)