What does Booming Blade look like?

[PancakeUniverse]

The booming blade spell says that the target is "sheathed in booming energy". Is effect this visible at all? Is there any other sensory effect? I just need to know how enemies react, if at all, to the spell.

[N810]

I imagine it to look like an explosive shockwave.
where you see a wave of distorted air moving at high speed.
http://media.gettyimages.com/videos/slow-motion-footage-of-a-large-explosion-with-a-visible-shock-wave-video-id511075450?s=640x640

[Sicarius Victis]

I imagine it to look like an explosive shockwave.
where you see a wave of distorted air moving at high speed.

That...actually makes a lot of sense. Congratulations, you've managed to do what WotC evidently can't.

[Aembrosia]

Booming blade, as with all skills and abilities your players take, was chosen with the desire to see it work from time to time.

An extremely subtle bubble of contracting concussive air encompassing the target; shrinking into the core of their body - it would look like a warped disturbance of light. As slow as its moving it would interact with any smoke elements like jello forced through a strain. Every hair on their body stands on end and they hear a quiet low rumble, it might feel like its emanating from inside their eardrum.

Or whatever.

If a creature hasnt seen it before they should probably be scared of it and want to leave. If they are relatively smart they should realize after the fact thats a bad idea.

[Fishyninja]

I imagine it to look like an explosive shockwave.
where you see a wave of distorted air moving at high speed.
http://media.gettyimages.com/videos/slow-motion-footage-of-a-large-explosion-with-a-visible-shock-wave-video-id511075450?s=640x640

To follow on from this I present to you Schlieren photography or Shadow Graphs

http://images.fineartamerica.com/images/artworkimages/mediumlarge/1/black-and-white-gun-firing-shadowgram-gary-s-settles-and-photo-researchers.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BUDsYGPCIAEdskr.jpg
https://people.rit.edu/andpph/2011-noncon/2011-intro-shadowgraph/2010-schlieren-mach-2S.jpg

[Arkhios]

Can you see sound? If not, then you know your answer. Thunder damage is the old 'sonic' damage and it's therefore "invisible".

[AttilatheYeon]

I imagine super static electricity. Hair standing up, clothes bunching up, the sound of poping from mini discharges, and a fuzzy feeling around the target.

[Tanarii]

I imagine it to look like an explosive shockwave.
where you see a wave of distorted air moving at high speed.
http://media.gettyimages.com/videos/slow-motion-footage-of-a-large-explosion-with-a-visible-shock-wave-video-id511075450?s=640x640
Nothing to contribute on topic, but this made my day.

[Zene]

Nothing to contribute on topic, but this made my day.

Same.

Best thread.

[furby076]

Can you see sound? If not, then you know your answer. Thunder damage is the old 'sonic' damage and it's therefore "invisible".

I disagree. I imagine it to be like a sonic boom from a jet.
https://s3.amazonaws.com/idme-wordpress-military/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/16142858/shutterstock_118012108.jpg

Given that, i like the imagesand descriptionabove

[LudicSavant]

Can you see sound?

http://www.livescience.com/32518-can-you-see-a-sonic-boom.html

[Malifice]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dJolYw8tnk

[Arkhios]

http://www.livescience.com/32518-can-you-see-a-sonic-boom.html

But is the visual sound itself or just air in a different form? (I believe it's the latter one, but YMMV). N810's picture earlier (sans the explosion) is probably the best visual for a sound wave, though.

[Plaguescarred]

I'd say a booming blade creates a vortex of invisible magical energy that resonate and then explode into a concussive burst of sound if the target willingly moves. The sheathing sound wave energy might be faintly visible due to a phenomenon of light waves distortion called acousto-optic effect if DM want.

http://www.snotr.com/video/13328/What_Does_Sound_Look_Like

[LudicSavant]

But is the visual sound itself or just air in a different form?

The question is whether the occurrence of a sonic effect is visually detectable by an observer. In that case, the answer is "potentially yes, because sound impacts its environment." The reason you can see tornadoes isn't because of "visual wind." But you can definitely see tornadoes.

[famousringo]

Heh. Seen this topic before. Curious that other spells don't provoke this kind of mystery over their physical appearance.

In my imagination it's a little goofy. The target is encompassed by a phantasmal bell. If the target tries to move, their head (the clapper) rings the bell.

[tkuremento]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dJolYw8tnk

This, exactly this. Though I imagine the person who is all glow-y like that wouldn't be happy and feel powerful, per se.

[Grod_The_Giant]

I imagine it kind of like invisible fireworks. There are all these little explosions going off all around you-- not fiery ones, really only visible if you look close and see the shockwaves, but you can hear and feel them. The more you move, the faster they go off and the louder/stronger they get. Take a step, and they all erupt in one giant thunderclap.

[krunchyfrogg]

Looks like an OP cantrip to me. 😎

[tkuremento]

Looks like an OP cantrip to me. 😎

Maybe once. If you use it against someone more than once they realize what happens. If a minion gets away and informs the BBEG's dudes, then they know as well.

[Fishyninja]

But is the visual sound itself or just air in a different form?


The reason you can see tornadoes isn't because of "visual wind." But you can definitely see tornadoes.

I beleive Arkhios's theory of a sonic boom changing the air around it causing a visual aspect to it is correct. As LudicSavant states yes tornadoes are visible as you can view how they interact around you (movement of trees, flying cows et :P), it links back to why you see pressure waves, normally as it is picking up detritus as it propogates or you are observing the movement of the wave. However in regards to seeing sound......My argument is that sound waves are not related to the electromagnetic spectrum therefore you cannot see sound. You can only see the environmental effects of a pressure wave.

[Specter]

I deacribe it as a ring of energy that is formed around the victim. If they move, it bursts like a small thunderclap.

[Saeviomage]

I start with the idea that whomever created the spell had a purpose in mind, which often helps.

The purpose of booming blade is NOT (counterintuitively) to cause MOAR DAMAGE. If that were the case, then it would simply put the energy into your foe and immediately trigger it.

The purpose is to cause a foe to not move.

Given that is the purpose, the spell is deliberately designed so that the target knows what the spell will do. Therefore the energy sheathe is obvious and obviously dangerous.

Similar thinking can determine that the verbal component of thaumaturgy is something disguisable and not obvious, that the spell suggestion doesn't require you to loudly yell the magic words before talking to the target, that concentrating on an illusion spell doesn't require that you direct a bright beam of purple energy into the illusion, and that scorching ray doesn't have a somatic component involving holding your hand over your eyes so you can't see.

Incidentally it would be pretty awesome to allow spellcasters to cast their unperfected spells (ie - the ones that they haven't levelled up to yet) with drawbacks like that.

[Dalebert]

Reminds me of that classic expression, "Look! It's thundering!"