Still & Silent Spell Feats - Invisible Effects

Glim · Post by **Glim** » Wed Sep 28, 2005 7:27 am

I was curious, but could it be made for certain spells so that when you cast them with the silent spell and still spell metamagic feats, for the actual effect to only be visible to the caster and the target?

My ever present examples:

Mage A would see...
Silent spell mode set to on.
Still spell mode set to on.
cast 'mnemonic enhancer' Fighter A
Fighter A's mind opens to a mnemonic enhancer.

Fighter A would see...
Your mind opens to a mnemonic enhancer.

And of course, everyone else would see nothing.

This would allow a more sneakier use of still and silent spells and allow them to be used more like they are meant to be.

Now, this would just be for certain spells as others would have much more visible results, such as fly and levitation, but spells like mnemonic enhancer, slink, ect wouldnt be visible to the naked eye. I was thinking maybe this should be brought up as spells are being worked upon at the moment.

Hviti · Post by **Hviti** » Thu Sep 29, 2005 1:47 am

Cool idea. I can see wizards hovering around pkills 'doing nothing' but really spelling up their fighter buddies (without giving it away).

Boe · Post by **Boe** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 5:41 am

I was wondering, since this topic seemed proper, if it would be possible to modify the program on the MS guard so when casting with silent and still spell on he does not talk to you. I think this has been brought up with ventriloquism which was silent and still before the feat system was even introduced but I remember the answer being that it couldn't be done because the spell was casted none the less...so I am hoping that it would be possible to work silent and still spell out so it doesn't get caught by the guard.

Another thing that I'd like to suggest, while I'm at it, is spellcraft with silent and still spell...if someone isn't moving, and isn't speaking, how can I tell what they are thinking? Would it be possible to make spellcraft not pick up on silent/still spell affects?

Just some thoughts.

-Boe

Dalvyn · Post by **Dalvyn** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 6:16 am

Not without a hard code change.

The current program triggers each time someone types "cast", and we have no way to determine whether or not silent spell or still spell is used.

Boe · Post by **Boe** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 7:23 am

That was what I was afraid of..Perhaps an OOC acknowledgement that when someone casts something with silent spell and still spell in the square and the guard does infact go, "Hey! You can't do that!" it is disregarded because the silent/still feat was used?

What about the spellcraft seeing stilent/still spells? Is that also due to hard code?

-Boe

Kregor · Post by **Kregor** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 4:17 pm

The rationale, I believe for spellcraft still being able to recognize a silent/still spell ICly, is that firstly, there is no Eschew Material feat, so that an oopponent can see the component being produced for a spell, and possibly note the component and its use.

Otherwise, for componentless spells, the rationale is seeing the visual effect of the spell upoon casting, etc.

Things like Bull's strength and Trollish Vigor, for example, have a visual affect (the target's muscles actually ripple and grow, the person's face turns bestial, etc.) Note that ability enhancement spells, per 3E, are NOT enchantment spells, but transmutation spells. So there is actually a physical alteration in the target that takes place, so they're not as covert as some would think.

There are some cases, where a spell should probably truly be totally undetectable with all the proper feats, but I believe they would be the exception, rather than the rule.

Tyr · Post by **Tyr** » Mon Oct 24, 2005 8:54 pm

Spellcraft is more difficult when the spell is still/silent but not impossible. This is already reflected in the code.

Tyr

Glim · Post by **Glim** » Sat Dec 24, 2005 2:08 am

Hmm, how about instead of just making still and silent spell feats invisible, there be another feat added that does this?

Hidden Spell Feat

Makes some (very few attack spells, mostly buffing spells and other cool spells) spell effects invisible to the eye?

Glim · Post by **Glim** » Sat Dec 24, 2005 2:19 am

As for the stat enhancement spells:

Slink: Wouldnt really have a visible effect anyways.

Sagacity: Same

Mnemonic Enhancer: Same

Friends: Your positive qualities stand out more than usual. So this wouldnt really be a visual change, in a way. It could be very subtle.

Trollish Vigor: Well, your face doesnt necessarily have much to do with your constitution. So this wouldnt really be necessary, unless you take into account your lowered charisma. See Friends above, this isnt necessarily a visible change, it could be very subtle.

Bulls Strength: It might make your muscles ripple and grow, but then again, this is magic. Your muscles dont necessarily have to get bigger and ripple for you to be stronger. When under layers of armor, also, your muscles arent always visible, so this wouldnt necessarily be visible under layers of padding, chain, platemail, ect.