I am curious if anyone has a link to somewhere that discusses the sounds of spell casting. I do not specifically mean the Verbal component of casting a spell or the obvious sounds of a lighting bolt or fireball but what about spells like Misty Step? It would seem like a great spell to surprise an enemy but you first make a Verbal command and then are teleported 30 feet away. When you reach your destination, is there a sound made? Or would you most certainly surprise an enemy if you teleported behind them? Would it be an ability check for either of you? As I go through the spell lists I wonder about many of the spells. Any previous discussion about this? Thank you!
The sounds of spellcasting that are not mentioned in the spell (such as Thunderwave with its 300 ft. of audible sound) are up to the player and the DM. Someone may like their Destructive Wave to sound like a chaotic scream, someone may like the sounds of an angelic choir with their Daylight. If the DM doesn't disagree, there's no reason to restrain the flavor of your casting.
As such, your Misty Step could sound like chimes, or like a soft wind, or like nothing at all. Personally, however, I'd like some consistency - not chimes usually, but not when I try to sneak.
Verbal components are a different matter. Sage Advice and Jeremy Crawford have mentioned that sound is a necessary part of them, and it is like the chanting of mystic words (this is mentioned in the Player's Handbook too), mainly in discussions for spells like Charm Person or Suggestion that you can easily find if you search twitter for such. Arguably, you could whisper a verbal component (I think Jeremy Crawford has mentioned this somewhere, but I can't find it at the moment), but it has to carry some sound.
That said, I think you're overthinking it. If you're a guard, and you hear a one-second chant of a weird phrase, won't you glance that way? Would you not be surprised if, at practically the same time, someone materializes behind you and attacks you? Even if that materializing happens with the sounds of a New Year's gala?
Hiding while casting spells with verbal components is another matter. Even if you're invisible, the verbal component can give your position away to someone nearby.
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I am curious if anyone has a link to somewhere that discusses the sounds of spell casting. I do not specifically mean the Verbal component of casting a spell or the obvious sounds of a lighting bolt or fireball but what about spells like Misty Step? It would seem like a great spell to surprise an enemy but you first make a Verbal command and then are teleported 30 feet away. When you reach your destination, is there a sound made? Or would you most certainly surprise an enemy if you teleported behind them? Would it be an ability check for either of you? As I go through the spell lists I wonder about many of the spells. Any previous discussion about this? Thank you!
The sounds of spellcasting that are not mentioned in the spell (such as Thunderwave with its 300 ft. of audible sound) are up to the player and the DM. Someone may like their Destructive Wave to sound like a chaotic scream, someone may like the sounds of an angelic choir with their Daylight. If the DM doesn't disagree, there's no reason to restrain the flavor of your casting.
As such, your Misty Step could sound like chimes, or like a soft wind, or like nothing at all. Personally, however, I'd like some consistency - not chimes usually, but not when I try to sneak.
Verbal components are a different matter. Sage Advice and Jeremy Crawford have mentioned that sound is a necessary part of them, and it is like the chanting of mystic words (this is mentioned in the Player's Handbook too), mainly in discussions for spells like Charm Person or Suggestion that you can easily find if you search twitter for such. Arguably, you could whisper a verbal component (I think Jeremy Crawford has mentioned this somewhere, but I can't find it at the moment), but it has to carry some sound.
That said, I think you're overthinking it. If you're a guard, and you hear a one-second chant of a weird phrase, won't you glance that way? Would you not be surprised if, at practically the same time, someone materializes behind you and attacks you? Even if that materializing happens with the sounds of a New Year's gala?
Hiding while casting spells with verbal components is another matter. Even if you're invisible, the verbal component can give your position away to someone nearby.