I’m not sure what would be refuse-able. You can speak to a creature telepathically. You aren’t reading their mind, just talking to them. That doesn’t mean it has to respond. It can ignore you freely. Much like how You can talk to anyone verbally, but they don’t have to do anything about it.
So if a warlock decides to pester someone (PC > NPC, NPC > PC), they can do it endlessly with no way to stop it, avoid it or tell who it is so long as they stay within 30 feet and line of sight.
The situation we had was a warlock speaking to the party barbarian who is suspicious of magic. It sounds like they warlock really has to decide how much of a jerk they want to be with it (in character, and between players).
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First D&D set: 1980 red box. Haven't stopped playing since. :)
So if a warlock decides to pester someone (PC > NPC, NPC > PC), they can do it endlessly with no way to stop it, avoid it or tell who it is so long as they stay within 30 feet and line of sight.
The situation we had was a warlock speaking to the party barbarian who is suspicious of magic. It sounds like they warlock really has to decide how much of a jerk they want to be with it (in character, and between players).
No where in the feature does it say that the recipient can't tell it is you. As far as I know, there is no rule for telepathy elsewhere that establishes this either.
Since awakened mind only does language, I would make the voice match the character.
Let's not be too hasty with the stabby stabby. We don't actually know the full context of the interaction. Talking to the Warlock and convincing them to stop might be a viable option. As are various charm spells and an (upcast) Sleep spell, and, more than likely a magic item that you can convince the DM to sell to the barbarian character. Quite often, an NPC doing this to a PC is actually trying to get something from the party. Find out what is. If it's entirely unreasonable, then threaten bodily harm.
1) [actual] Existing Warlock PC speaks into the mind of new Barbarian/Blood Hunter PC without advance notice or knowledge of that ability. BH freaks out at voices in his head, and then verbally gets in Warlock's face after combat (once he finds out he did it) and demands he never do it again. Warlock is confused, but BH makes case similar to entering someone's house without knocking. Good RP.
2) [proposed] Warlock would like to whisper to guards & other NPCs strange utterances in order to get advantage on sneak/cause disadvantage on perception or investigation. Seems fair enough and a good use of a non-combat ability.
3) [proposed] Warlock wants to harass NPC he doesn't like, but can't just attack outright and suggests spending hours in the vicinity (taverns, markets, etc.) mentally harassing NPC who he hasn't spoken to and so is not identifiable by his voice. Seems like fun/funny RP, but said player has a history of having grudges against NPCs so I don't want this to be an endless thing to moderate (especially if this is ever used to tease/annoy/provoke a PC), so I was thinking of a Cha save to resist at the end of each round. Once saved, the creature is immune until the next day.
2. I'd give the guards some kind of save before giving the advantage. Maye a wisdom to retain their concentration on their job.
3. I'd just maybe have a talk with the player out of character if it gets to be annoying. Of course, you want to let them have their fun, but it could get to be a problem if that bit of silliness starts to dominate the group's time. Just tell him to maybe rein it in a bit if it starts to be problematic. Or even just hand wave it. Say its understood that the warlock is trolling random people at the bar until or unless it starts to have actual consequences. Or if you want to have some fun with it, have the person he's doing it to recognize them. Turns out they were in line behind the warlock at the store yesterday, or they overheard him place his order at the bar, or heard him talking to other PCs. People can have heard his voice even if he didn't talk to them directly.
2) [proposed] Warlock would like to whisper to guards & other NPCs strange utterances in order to get advantage on sneak/cause disadvantage on perception or investigation. Seems fair enough and a good use of a non-combat ability.
Because nothing makes guards less alert than a strange voice... Unless you can somehow convince the guards to leave or focus somewhere else with your telepathy, you would probably have better results throwing a rock.
Does this require a willing target?
Can it be refused (unwilling target) or resisted? If so, how?
First D&D set: 1980 red box. Haven't stopped playing since. :)
I’m not sure what would be refuse-able. You can speak to a creature telepathically. You aren’t reading their mind, just talking to them. That doesn’t mean it has to respond. It can ignore you freely. Much like how You can talk to anyone verbally, but they don’t have to do anything about it.
It is as willing as choosing to hear a person talking straight into your ear.
So if a warlock decides to pester someone (PC > NPC, NPC > PC), they can do it endlessly with no way to stop it, avoid it or tell who it is so long as they stay within 30 feet and line of sight.
The situation we had was a warlock speaking to the party barbarian who is suspicious of magic. It sounds like they warlock really has to decide how much of a jerk they want to be with it (in character, and between players).
First D&D set: 1980 red box. Haven't stopped playing since. :)
Pretty much like using message or sending to contact someone. I'm not aware of an "opt out" feature in either those spells either.
"Not all those who wander are lost"
Lots of ways to stop it:
No where in the feature does it say that the recipient can't tell it is you. As far as I know, there is no rule for telepathy elsewhere that establishes this either.
Since awakened mind only does language, I would make the voice match the character.
Let's not be too hasty with the stabby stabby. We don't actually know the full context of the interaction. Talking to the Warlock and convincing them to stop might be a viable option. As are various charm spells and an (upcast) Sleep spell, and, more than likely a magic item that you can convince the DM to sell to the barbarian character. Quite often, an NPC doing this to a PC is actually trying to get something from the party. Find out what is. If it's entirely unreasonable, then threaten bodily harm.
The three scenarios that have come up so far:
1) [actual] Existing Warlock PC speaks into the mind of new Barbarian/Blood Hunter PC without advance notice or knowledge of that ability. BH freaks out at voices in his head, and then verbally gets in Warlock's face after combat (once he finds out he did it) and demands he never do it again. Warlock is confused, but BH makes case similar to entering someone's house without knocking. Good RP.
2) [proposed] Warlock would like to whisper to guards & other NPCs strange utterances in order to get advantage on sneak/cause disadvantage on perception or investigation. Seems fair enough and a good use of a non-combat ability.
3) [proposed] Warlock wants to harass NPC he doesn't like, but can't just attack outright and suggests spending hours in the vicinity (taverns, markets, etc.) mentally harassing NPC who he hasn't spoken to and so is not identifiable by his voice. Seems like fun/funny RP, but said player has a history of having grudges against NPCs so I don't want this to be an endless thing to moderate (especially if this is ever used to tease/annoy/provoke a PC), so I was thinking of a Cha save to resist at the end of each round. Once saved, the creature is immune until the next day.
First D&D set: 1980 red box. Haven't stopped playing since. :)
1. Sounds fun.
2. I'd give the guards some kind of save before giving the advantage. Maye a wisdom to retain their concentration on their job.
3. I'd just maybe have a talk with the player out of character if it gets to be annoying. Of course, you want to let them have their fun, but it could get to be a problem if that bit of silliness starts to dominate the group's time. Just tell him to maybe rein it in a bit if it starts to be problematic. Or even just hand wave it. Say its understood that the warlock is trolling random people at the bar until or unless it starts to have actual consequences. Or if you want to have some fun with it, have the person he's doing it to recognize them. Turns out they were in line behind the warlock at the store yesterday, or they overheard him place his order at the bar, or heard him talking to other PCs. People can have heard his voice even if he didn't talk to them directly.
Because nothing makes guards less alert than a strange voice... Unless you can somehow convince the guards to leave or focus somewhere else with your telepathy, you would probably have better results throwing a rock.