So I am here with my ranger looking if I should pick Silence. Especially because if I look around on the internet, it is supposed to be the best option for a second level spell for a hunter...
Silence seem good at first sight, although, it is situational. For a ranger, it will also cost my concentration for the combat and my action for the turn which is bad.
- Utility: Can be good if you need to do something that will make lots of noise when stealth is not an option. For instance, blowing up a door. - Defensive: Immune to thunder damage while in it, but the thunder damage is almost never a thing in dnd - Offensive: Good to prevent the enemy (as well as allies) to cast spell while in the area Although, abilities and non verbal spell will not be affected. Furthermore, the caster can simply leave the area during its turn and then cast his spell. Provoking an attack of opportunity is not a big deal because in the end, you've already sacrifice your multiple attacks for casting this spell. To make it viable, you need to be in a location that prevents the npc from leaving the area of effect or otherwise have another group member use abilities or spells to prevent the npc from moving. The sacrifice of 2 spells is usually at the cost of dps for that same turn which will simply slow them down. Now I can see a tank with Sentinel or Monk grabbing abilities help in this way. But in the end, with all those "if", is it really something to look for?
I don't feel its the best course of action, more especially for a ranger as you'd want to use your concentration for something like Hunter's Mark... It is good though for a spell to have all 3 options available; utility, defensive and offensive
I’d expect the “best” 2nd level spells for a Ranger to be Pass Without Trace and Spike Growth, before Silence. Silence is very good against spellcasters though. Yes, it doesn’t help against spells without verbal components and yes, the enemy spellcaster can (attempt to) move out of it and yes, it requires concentration but it’d be utterly broken without those limitations since it doesn’t allow for a save and is only 2nd level. You’ll have to work with the rest of the party in order to make effective use out of it and it’s always going to be situational, but shutting down enemy spellcasting to the extent it does is very, very strong when you need it.
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So I am here with my ranger looking if I should pick Silence. Especially because if I look around on the internet, it is supposed to be the best option for a second level spell for a hunter...
Silence seem good at first sight, although, it is situational. For a ranger, it will also cost my concentration for the combat and my action for the turn which is bad.
- Utility: Can be good if you need to do something that will make lots of noise when stealth is not an option. For instance, blowing up a door.
- Defensive: Immune to thunder damage while in it, but the thunder damage is almost never a thing in dnd
- Offensive: Good to prevent the enemy (as well as allies) to cast spell while in the area
Although, abilities and non verbal spell will not be affected.
Furthermore, the caster can simply leave the area during its turn and then cast his spell.
Provoking an attack of opportunity is not a big deal because in the end, you've already sacrifice your multiple attacks for casting this spell.
To make it viable, you need to be in a location that prevents the npc from leaving the area of effect or otherwise have another group member use abilities or spells to prevent the npc from moving. The sacrifice of 2 spells is usually at the cost of dps for that same turn which will simply slow them down. Now I can see a tank with Sentinel or Monk grabbing abilities help in this way. But in the end, with all those "if", is it really something to look for?
I don't feel its the best course of action, more especially for a ranger as you'd want to use your concentration for something like Hunter's Mark...
It is good though for a spell to have all 3 options available; utility, defensive and offensive
Anyone have a different idea?
I’d expect the “best” 2nd level spells for a Ranger to be Pass Without Trace and Spike Growth, before Silence. Silence is very good against spellcasters though. Yes, it doesn’t help against spells without verbal components and yes, the enemy spellcaster can (attempt to) move out of it and yes, it requires concentration but it’d be utterly broken without those limitations since it doesn’t allow for a save and is only 2nd level. You’ll have to work with the rest of the party in order to make effective use out of it and it’s always going to be situational, but shutting down enemy spellcasting to the extent it does is very, very strong when you need it.
Want to start playing but don't have anyone to play with? You can try these options: [link].