So, essentially one party member using this spell as a cantrip (way of the shadow/shadow arts), can grant their entire party the ability to traverse dungeons nearly unnoticed so long as they're all within the 30ft radius of traveler as they move in a 'scooby-doo line'? This happened in-session and gave the entire party essentially a permanent +23 to stealth. Is that not broken? Or is that just why it pays to have a 'ninja' in your group?

Right? I'm a DM for my group and two members have this ability. It's like there's no point in stealth checks anymore. So I'm trying to figure out if there's something I'm missing. I read that even if you have a stealth roll of say 34, if you're in a well lit area and in line of sight then it doesn't matter and you'll get caught. ....but that's like the only situation and if the party just throws a pebble as a distraction they're golden. .....Soooo yea. Broken? 

Why would this grant +23 to the whole party? A party moving together as a group is only as stealthy as their least stealthy party member; If the Rogue gets a 19 +10 they're at 29, but if the Fighter rolls a 2 +10, they're at 12, & they drag the whole group's stealth down to 12 with them. 

If the lowest roll among your whole party was 13, that's pretty good & reflects either an unusually lucky group of rolls, or some significant degree of their character builds devoted to Stealth. 

Also note that the spell lasts 1 hour, so if it's cast before enemies are encountered, the GM may choose to play out the clock with rockfalls or other delays. (I'd probably let them reach an encounter with 1 or 2 Turns left, to make use of Surprise.) 

It is pretty powerful; especially since almost 100 creatures (or more if they're small or flying) can benefit from it! (Edit: Initially, I said "over 120" but I was looking at a square, not a sphere! Even with rounded off corners, 30ft radius is a huge area.)

Quote from wercooler >>

It sounds like its any creature within the circle when you cast it and remains no matter what but you can't add more after you chose the creatures in the original circle

 It does not read as a spell with a finite number of affected creatures: 

"A veil of shadows and silence radiates from you, masking you and your companions from detection. For the duration, each creature you choose within 30 feet of you" 

• Its range is listed as Self, meaning the initial casting targets *you*, not a fixed location, nor specific creatures within 30ft of you.

• "A veil of shadows and silence radiates from you" This is a description of the spell's effect, which lasts for up to an hour. You're not tied to one spot, so long as you can cross without breaking Stealth, & the effect is located on you, so it moves with you. 

• "For the duration, each creature you choose within 30 feet of you" This is not phrased like other spells, which make you choose affected creatures within range & then specify duration later (or only in the stat block). Normally this line would read something like "Choose any number of creatures within 30 feet of you. For the duration, {effects}". Instead, here we see very different phrasing. By contrast, "For the duration, each creature you choose" indicates that you can choose creatures throughout the duration. 

Note that the effect (shadows & silence) won't remain on a creature moving outside that 30ft radius. Also, you're not wholly invisible or inaudible, just much *less* detectable. You're not hidden yet either: Shadows are Dim lighting, so you still need Cover & a Hide action. 

The good news is that Pass Without Trace doesn't prevent using Verbal components, so Mind Sliver & other non-Concentration spells remain available. Assuming a Deception roll is not applicable, maintaining Stealth while casting Verbal components still requires another Stealth check, but you're getting a +10 on those, so... 

This spell does require Concentration, but if that's maintained you can potentially use this to buff everyone's Stealth rolls, let them engage in combat, move out of sight to another location with Full Cover, & Hide again with a new roll at +10! You don't even have to be able to see them.  ;D

So if someone takes the Metamagic Adept feat and uses Distant spell, does the target then become the center of the sphere? And who chooses the affected creatures? And what about a level 15 Beastmaster Ranger using Share Spell?

I would have thought that shadow sorcerers would get this. I know they dont but it just seems like a missed opportunity.

no

it has a range of self, so distant spell does nothing 

Characters that are already stealthy often don't really need this... The real benefit is giving a big stealth bonus to the members of your party that would otherwise give away the group's position

Quote from Aesirion >>

Characters that are already stealthy often don't really need this... The real benefit is giving a big stealth bonus to the members of your party that would otherwise give away the group's position

 This.

Even the cleric/fighter/paladin might be able to stealth despite their armor's disadvantage on stealth checks.

L

Very good spell

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I love how simulacrum is illusion but this isn't.

As a gm I really despise this spell. If it had a limit like 3 other creatures that would be super nice. But no they can literally hide 169 people. You can literally hide evidence of an entire army with this spell. Nerf plz.

Yes they do

It’s a 30’ radius. Good luck putting an army in a 20 yard circle 

It’s designed for a party who is smart enough to not travel too bunched up. 

Haha my character has expertise in stealth and gets a +20. Granted, I am level 9, but I would've had it before.

Does a character add their original stealth modifier in addition to the +10 for pass without a trace or does the +10 replace their modifier?

Quote from Tyranthraxes >>

Casting word is:

Departium Beyondicus

 

 

Beyond 20

 

 

 

 

 

 No it isn't 🛑