Silence: Everybody STFU
Usable By: Bard, Cleric, Ranger
Spell Level: 2
School: Illusion
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 120 feet
Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes
Components: V, S
For the duration, no sound can be created within or pass through a 20-‐‑foot-‐‑radius sphere centered on a point you choose within range. Any creature or object entirely inside the sphere is immune to thunder damage, and creatures are deafened while entirely inside it. Casting a spell that includes a verbal component is impossible there.
Review by Sam West, Twitter: @CrierKobold
I adore Silence. This stupid little spell may not overtly seem robustly complex, but it has a myriad of interesting uses that make it something I will want on my sheet in most tiers of play.
A 20 ft. radius sphere of silence does so many things. First, it shuts off spellcasting in the area. This is a rarity in 5e; having a tool to entirely decimate an enemy’s ability to cast spells at this cheap a cost can be debilitating. Paired with a grappling ally or spell and you can take a lethal archmage functionally turn them into a commoner with a few extra hit points, as the vast majority of spells cease functioning in the area. At minimum, you can force a villainous spellcaster off of their perch to be able to contribute to a battle or push them closer to the raging barbarian and paladin.
Beyond counteracting magic, Silence is an amazing tool for stealth and infiltration. Breaking through a window can draw a lot of attention, as glass doesn’t typically shatter quietly. With Silence, it can go completely unnoticed. Silence can mask footsteps, deafen an unsuspecting guard for long enough to sneak by, or lockout sound from a doorway to keep unwanted listeners away.
All of these uses absolutely justify casting it for a 2nd level spell slot. But you don’t even have to spend a slot on it, because it also has the ritual tag, meaning you’re not even going to have to spend resources masking your sounds as you progress if you’ve got time. It has a massive range, a solid duration, and an impactful effect in and out of fights. Maybe you’ll even come against a horrific monster dealing huge amounts of thunder damage; Silence can protect you in that random encounter as well.
Silence is a certified banger of a spell that I will regularly find I want on my sheet. It's cheap, effective, and flexible, all things I want out of my spells. Its effect is powerful at all tiers and is one of few ways to actually challenge powerful magic in the upper tiers beyond just Counterspell and Dispel Magic. I can’t recommend it enough.
Silence FAQ
Can Silence be cast on an object?
Sadly, no. It would be fantastic for a rogue to be able to cast Silence on a coin or small stone to enhance their stealth checks, but Silence can only be cast on a fixed point in space.
Will Silence cancel out the noise from a Knock spell?
Absolutely. In fact, that’s another good example of when to use a ritual casting. It’s worth remembering, however, that Knock has a verbal component. So if a Silence spell is in effect, you’ll have to cast Knock from a distance.
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