Blind People Get Dogs or Sticks: What Do You Give A Mute Spellcaster?

[LF219]

Starting a short-term campaign (12 weeks or so, just passing time before my/our current DM finishes classes and continues HotD,) and tonight was character creation and dinner. Everyone seems okay, typical race/class combos...

Chris wants to play a wizard.

One that is mute.

True, true, there are spells a caster can evoke without verbal input. Minor Illusion is one, "its volume can range from a whisper to a scream. It can be your voice, someone else's voice [...] or any other sound you choose, etc. etc." That's the current thought.
However, he's my friend and I want to accommodate his character's quirk, and the fact the campaign is so short-term they all know they're going to die in the end anyway. I don't really want to just make a "ye grande scrolle of magical DM healing" and poof, he can talk. I'd rather make some enablement for a slightly disabled spellcaster, (which begs the question how he's learned the spells he has knows... lol)

One idea I have is a magic item with permanent Magic Mouth for x/day uses? Basically replacing his actual spell slots per rest. (Maybe an enchanted 'talking' skull? That would be thematically cool.) He surrendered his extra languages for Thieves' Cant, so is ASL (or would that be 'Common' Sign Language?) able to be accommodated here somehow?
Another option is Sorcerer's Metamagic- Silent Casting. I can't find my handbook, so I don't recall is that's verbal to start with, and beside, that's only feasible as long as you have sorcery points.

I want to make this work. I don't want to make it too easy.

Brainstorm, please. :)

[Vaz]

Silent Spell feat and later on Practical Metamagic.

[Potato_Priest]

His arcane focus could be a whistle that he plays for his verbal components.

Edit: If you want this to be at least somewhat debilitating, playing all your spells on an instrument would tend to prevent stealth casts.

[Potato_Priest]

Silent Spell feat and later on Practical Metamagic.

Not on a 5e thread you don't.

[Quoxis]

The "silent casting" metamagic is called subtle spell and for the cost of one sorcery point per spell level (cantrips still cost 1) removes any verbal and somatic component a spell has.

I'd say look into spells without a verbal component, i believe one could make a viable spellcaster of it. I'll list all spells of the lower levels i can find with this requirement below. Edit: Looks like without SCAG and EE you're not able to do anything without a little "abra kadabra".
Edit 2: No. You can't build a viable silent caster anyway. Only possible with subtle spell or fiddling with the rules, see below.

If that doesn't work, homebrew to adapt it. Give him one attack cantrip free of verbal, and maybe invent a feat for casting without verbal under certain conditions (like having to have two free hands for somatic components). You could also make a warlock invocation that allows to cast certain spells without saying anything. Or let him choose silent spells from any class without multiclassing.

Other ideas:
- don't make a spellcaster (ha)
- go sorcerer, concentrate on spells without verbal component (see below) and use sorcery points only for subtle spell to make rest possible
- allow the verbal component to be spoken by a familiar (maybe Warlock only, but i think there's this invocation that lets you speak through your familiar)
- allow the verbal component to be "spoken" by a casting of minor illusion (it can fake your voice after all), and make minor illusion either a bonus action or part of the spellcasting action (the latter is way too easy i think, but that's up to you)

Edit:
List of verbal-free spells by class

Really bad here, not possible for a single class i fear. Only 1 spell at 1st, 3rd and 5th level.

Friends (s,m)
minor illusion (s,m)
thunderclap (s)
True strike (s)
Illusory script (s,m with price)
Hypnotic pattern (s,m)
Mislead (s)

Nothing. Not a single spell, not even the cantrips.

Looks like bard, almost nothing really.

Control Flames (s)
Mold earth (s)
Shape water (s)
Thunderclap (s)
Absorb elements (s)
Ice knife (s,m)
Beast sense (s)

Probably not what you had in mind, but never mind, this hasn't got anything without verbal. Funny enough if you consider that bards, a class built around music, got more potentially silent magic than the magic oath knight.

Nobody plays this class anyway, but if they did, here are the two spells a mute ranger could cast:

Absorb elements (s)
Beast sense (s)

NOW we're talking (bad pun, i know). Decent cantrip selection when it comes to social and elemental fun, and a few spells on level 1 and 3. You won't come around taking subtle spell if you want it to work, but these naturally silent ones can help to lower the overall sorcery point cost.

Control flames (s)
Friends (s,m)
Minor Illusion (s,m)
Mold earth (s)
Shape water (s)
Thunderclap (s)
True strike (s)
catapult (s)
Ice knife (s,m)
counterspell (s)
Hypnotic pattern (s,m)

First class with a high level spell. Let's see...

Friends (s,m)
Minor illusion (s,m)
Thunderclap (s)
True strike (s)
Illusory script (s,m with price)
Counterspell (s)
Hypnotic pattern (s,m)
Demiplane (s)

The biggest pile of options, but that shouldn't be surprising considering wizards have the biggest spell list by default.

Control flames (s)
Friends (s,m)
Minor illusion (s,m)
Mold earth (s)
Shape water (s)
Thunderclap (s)
True Strike (s)
Absord elements (s)
Catapult (s)
Ice knife (s,m)
Illusory script (s,m with price)
Counterspell (s)
Hypnotic pattern (s,m)
Mislead (s)
Demiplane (s)

[LF219]

Donjon has a good list of spells, sorted by V/S/M. The list is so, so small.
But if I get a good mechanic for this idea, I could work a magic item-esque like the "Figurines of Wonderous Power" DMG169 that grants a raven or parrot that squawks spell words, and the one that matches the components in his hands activates the spell he wants to cast. Or a psychic bond with a Familiar of sorts...

[Vaz]

Not on a 5e thread you don't.
Thats what I get for going direct to thread from front page.

[gooddragon1]

I'm aware this is 5e, but if you allow familiars:

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/pseudodragon.htm

Or the 5e counterpart: http://5e.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/pseudodragon.htm

Note how only simple ideas can be broadcast (with the 5e version). Which means it's like playing a telephone game with 3 people. He'll have to choose his thoughts carefully.

[LF219]

I am flirting with a varied non-verbal Find Familiar spell/item/animal for wizards, or as an extreme... (Animal Friendship -> Tongues) for those silly dungeon rats?
I like the idea of modifying a Pseudodragon to 5e, with such weak attacks the party won't use it for melee... Maybe a hatchling, then?
NEVERMIND I FORGOT IT'S ALREADY IN THE MONSTER MANUAL

It's tired and I feel very late. :smalltongue:

[Quoxis]

Finished the list. Also put some other possible ideas there, some of them should even be doable by RAW (or let's say: RAW doesn't explicitely forbid it).

[LF219]

Finished the list. Also put some other possible ideas there, some of them should even be doable by RAW (or let's say: RAW doesn't explicitely forbid it).

Thanks a heap, Quoxis!
I already was planning to give him Ice Knife from a book "lying around" somewhere, so I'll print this out and we can work with some replacements later.

[Quoxis]

Thanks a heap, Quoxis!
I already was planning to give him Ice Knife from a book "lying around" somewhere, so I'll print this out and we can work with some replacements later.

No problem, glad to help.
May i ask if you could give an update whether and how well it worked?

[LF219]

No problem, glad to help.
May i ask if you could give an update whether and how well it worked?

Certainly. :)

[Sans.]

It's tired and I feel very late. :smalltongue:

... I get it! :D

[Plaguescarred]

Chris wants to play a wizard.

One that is mute.You don't have to change anything necessarily as mute people still emit sounds and resonance, which verbal components is all about, rather than being about saying specific words being the source of spell’s powers. One could go on similar to tuvan throat singing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPN4ImIoVm0



Verbal (V): Most spells require the chanting of mystic words. The words themselves aren’t the source of the spell’s power; rather, the particular combination of sounds, with specific pitch and resonance, sets the threads of magic in motion. Thus, a character who is gagged or in an area of silence, such as one created by the silence spell, can’t cast a spell with a verbal component.

[LF219]

Okay, I WAS going to make a summonable parrot (pining for the fjords, of course,) like the "Figurines of Wonderous Power" but I like this idea better. Thank you to everyone for your inspiration and suggestions.

"Magic-whatever MacGuffin ring" that casts only Tongues.
For regular spells under a minute/action/reaction, Chris has Minor Illusion, that causes one minute of a verbal sound.
Cast Minor Illusion -> Cast all of the spells (from Burning Hands to Thunderwave.)
Actions per turn of combat take about 6 seconds, with the average combat taking a minute or so, [YMMV] therefore I don't see any problems with this method.
I don't need to give him any freebie spells, as he can already cast them this way.

For lengthier spells, (ex. Clairvoyance 10m, Glyph of Warding 1h, ect.)
-Cast Tongues (with the ring/whatever) which lasts 1 hour.
-Use Tongues to cast Find Familiar (1 hour) Slightly-nerfed Pseudodragon Familiar appears. Pseudodragon communicates telepathically with caster.
-Cast Tongues on Pseudodragon (another hour) Caster now can telepathically tell Pseudodragon the verbal componant, while manipulating the somatic and material componants himself.
-Total time to get combat-ready: 3 hours That's less time than my ex-wife! jk jk

I'm implementing an (I don't know, probably 5%) chance to dismiss itself after each turn, and another percentile to misconstrue the given message (for humour.)
I don't see any snags so far. And what should the MacGuffin have in way of charges? I'm thinking 1+1d4/24 hours. That way he gets base 2 uses, and can cast one hour of verbal spells a minimum of once per day. Now all I need to do is make more than one combat per day, mwa ha ha...

Also, I want to make the MacGuffin 'cursed' so he can't remove it, and because he can't remove it and it's attached to him, the ring's magic interferes and he can't cast Tongues on himself.
Because the DM rules. Though I don't think Chris would anyhow, as that's the whole point of me making this post in the first place.

Feel free to poke holes.

[Vaz]

One question I feel does need amswerong though; Have you spoken with the player about him wanting to play a mute? Are they mute through unwilligness/choice or inability to do so?

As a wizard, perhaps you could go the 3.53 route of allowing him to cast spells out of a higher level slot, without having any additional benefit except of that it no longer requires a Verbal Component?

And how else are they going to get invested in the game? Telepathic Bond, Tongues etc are well and good if they want to speak, but if they don't, you can't force them to.

Are they trying to be snowflake edgelord and be the silent type with a slight refluff? Is this a one shot in which case it doesn't matter. I'm just concious of all this trouble going to a character who is basically nigh unplayable, when there is a valid alternative; a Sorcerer, with Subtle Spell, already there. Alternatively, a mute GoO Warlock who is essentially possessed by his patron and talks with Telepathy, but in battle, the patron breaks through the mental barriers and can cast the insane burblings of great Cthulu.

I know the DM's job isn't to say 'No' and is instead "Yes, but'. However, It is like someone picking up a Barbarian and saying ' I want to cast spells', which is when you pick up the Handbook and say 'Here is a Druid' or 'Here is a Nature Cleric'.

This is a roleplaying game, and you can't play a game if all you are doing is sat a table waiting for combat to come around until you can roll a dice, or have a ring of Microsoft Sam doing your talking for you.

It also opens him up to the metaknowledge of the DM going for said magic item and taking it off him. It is bad enough getting Rust Monster'd or Ethereal Filcher'd but to have your entire ability to contribute either in a Roleplaying Aspect or mechanical completely removed, it is a question of 'why'? I applaud the intention behind you wanting to play a character, but it is like trying to adventure with Lieutenant Dan. You can't do much with no legs despite how good a character it can theoretically make.

There is only so much you can do before it will annoy others at the table.

I'm talking from experience here as I played a naive little fisherman from an island new to the world. I was introduced to the party who bought me a horse so I could adventure with them, but after asking what a horse was, was soon told I did know what one was, despite growing up on an island where there were none. A language and cultural barrier is hard enough to roleplay when you can speak. When you simply cannot speak, you aren't even roleplaying.

I'd suggest sitting down and having a rethink.

[MustacheManny]

A raven or crow is a pretty common familiar for most spell casters. The nerf would be that it would always have to be on their shoulder or very nearby for it to work. One of the familiar features is telepathic communication so it wouldn't be too difficult for the bird to create the sounds needed for the spell. Of course, any bandit or monster who notices that this mage only can cast with the help of their familiar will probably start taking pot shots at the HP 2 bird. So that would add another layer of difficulty.

[Dr. Cliché]

A bullet. :smallamused:

[Zaq]

I guess the best thing to do is talk to the player and see what he actually wants the character to be able to do. Find out what kind of penalties and/or investment he feels is appropriate for this sort of thing.

I'd be tempted to say that you should just let him cast spells normally (ignoring the verbal component), with the cost being that the character can't speak. That's a pretty big limitation in most games. Even in a pure dungeon crawl with minimal or no social interaction, it's still worthwhile to be able to talk to your teammates (shouting warnings, calling for help, sharing the result of knowledge rolls, etc.), and if you're doing more than just breaking and entering looting dungeons, this becomes an even bigger deal.

Now sure, people who can't speak normally can and will find ways of communicating, which is a good thing. But the fact remains that if the player is willing to commit to roleplaying those workarounds, that's probably enough investment to not prevent them from playing a caster.

Alternatively, if you don't want to actually bend the rules, maybe look at the UA Mystic? Psionics traditionally don't require components, but they're just as magical as spells.

[Dalebert]

His arcane focus could be a whistle that he plays for his verbal components.

This. I believe as long as it includes the normal limitations that verbal is intended to impose, it should be fine, i.e. he can't be gagged and it has to have audible components that someone will hear that alerts them to the casting of a spell. I'd even allow him to make clicks and whistles with his mouth. Every caster makes a spell their own when they practice it and copy it into their own spellbook as it is. This could be his personalization.

Now if you're one of those DMs who allows people to sometimes identify a spell before it's finished casting in order to decide whether to Counterspell it, you've opened another can of worms. I suppose you could decide that, somehow, they can do the same with this wizard. It's a lot easier to justify this degree of personalization if you just don't do that.

"He's making clicks and whistles with his mouth and pointing a finger at you. You're pretty sure he's casting a spell."

"Can I tell what he's casting?"

"In about 3/4 of a second, you will probably know what he's casting because that's when it will go off. Do you counterspell?"

[GorogIrongut]

Bards theoretically get 'some' component of their casting via music and not just speaking... I would simply suggest that your player, while mute, plays a flute (or some other instrument that conveys loneliness) and casts their magic by playing the aforementioned instrument which serves as the vocal component of their spell as well as their spell focus.

There's a long history in both mythology and fiction of casters using nothing more than their musical instrument to use magic, so there's quite a bit of precedent.

[N810]

That's an easy one...

A chalkboard.



... also chalk.



Mostly because the party will be getting tired of charades at this point. :P