Awakened mind, Telepathic group conversations?

[Ralanr]

I already asked in the raw question thread, but this looks more like a RAI question. The awakened mind ability allows one to communicate with any creature within 30 feet. Can this creature communicate back mentally? And can this be with multiple creatures in range?

I'm writing a scene and one of the characters (a character that a friend is going to play) has this ability. The exact limits would be important to know since my friend tends to use things like this a lot (Such as conversing with his familiar in privacy about open knowledge things the group is trying to figure out) and his character would never open his mouth to speak if he could have all those conversations mentally.

[GiantOctopodes]

I was always under the impression RAI and RAW was two way communication, but looking at it again when you asked this question I no longer believe that to be the case. The reason for this is mainly because of the sentence "You don’t need to share a language with the creature for it to understand your telepathic utterances". Why specify that the creature understands Your telepathic utterances, and not "for you to understand each other", for example, if the intent is not to have it be one way communication?

However, there is absolutely no reason why it can't be two way communication if you want. Message is a cantrip and allows two way communication (thus, unlimited guaranteed covert communication), trading the communication being Mildly more overt for vastly superior range (120' vs 30'). Thieves Cant works at any range and is covert for most, albeit a bit slow to communicate meaningful ideas. So it wouldn't be overpowered to allow it to be two way.

That being said, if you allow them to automatically understand the utterances of the creature in return, you've granted them at will comprehend languages. Just so you understand exactly what you're giving them if you take it that far. Personally I think it's just way cooler to have someone able to never speak and do at will telepathic communication in a covert fashion, so I'd be tempted to allow it, but as far as I can tell the intent is that it's like one way sending with limited range combined with a one way comprehend languages, how far you take it from there is totally at your discretion.

In terms of multiple at once, I'm disinclined to believe that is the intention, due to "creature" being singular, but, especially if you make the communication one way, I really don't see how or why it would be an issue for it to be sent to multiple people at once.

Note the one thing it quite clearly does NOT do is allow creatures other than the Warlock to communicate with each other telepathically. Even if you allowed 2 way communication, should they want to engage in a silent dialogue, the Warlock would have to relay everyone's words to everyone else.

So on one extreme, you have a one way sending to a single creature within 30' with a guarantee the creature can understand it.
On the other extreme, you have the Warlock acting as a telepathic communication 'hotspot' allowing group communication in an entirely covert fashion.

Where, between those extremes, you end up falling is up to you!

[ryan92084]

As a DM if probably let it be 2 way after a certain level (5?) because it's generally the weakest patron path. RaI if not RaW is definitely one way though.

[Kryx]

Here is the tweet on the topic:

https://twitter.com/JeremyECrawford/status/505105541136674817

The intent is for it to be one-way communication, but a DM could certainly rule that it's two-way telepathy, as in monsters.

Based on that and the wording in the PHB I rule that it is indeed one way with one creature.


I do not agree that the Old One is the worst pact. I have a Warlock player using it currently (and a fiend as well)

Pact-making 101: A guide to the 5th edition Warlock (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?377591-Pact-making-101-A-guide-to-the-5th-edition-Warlock) Rates it blue, Archfey black, and Fiend sky blue.
Blade, Book, and Chain: the Warlock Guide (http://community.wizards.com/forum/player-help/threads/4133456) rates them all blue (not quite so helpful)

On a similar topic the telepathy is words, not a voice.
https://twitter.com/AntarianRanger/status/569913365063081984

It's communication of information--nothing more. The DM might rule otherwise, of course, but nothing in the text implies a voice.

[FatherLiir]

The GOO pact is 95% utility and 05% combat tricks.

In combat you got Evard's Black Tentickes and psychic damage resistance/reflection which is great but how many monsters give psychic damage outside of the underdark?


Utility you have one way communication which could be used for silent communication or to mess with creatures that you can see but can't see you AND you don't even have to speak the same language; it just has to understand language. You get to make permanent thralls so infecting the king of the land while he sleeps makes you the new baron of a small plot of land and you get to wed the princess or prince if you swing that way. You get plenty of divination spells and controlling spells like Dissonent Whispers, detect thoughts, clairvoyance, telekinesis etc.


None of the pacts are bad choices and they all have flavorful abilities to them. I wish that the Archfey Pact and GOO pact didn't share so many spells but oh well. You do have to accept that a GOO warlock will not have as many options to be an effective bladelock as compared to the Fiend pact.

[Ralanr]

Considering my friend is a tome lock. This isn't an issue.