[RPG] How to use Silence effectively against spellcasters?

dnd-5espells

In our games, we've been finding the Silence spell to be relatively useless against spellcasters because they can just move out of the area of silence to do their casting.

There doesn't seem to be a way to create a silence effect that moves with the target. So is the only viable option to also have the caster physically restrained within the area of the silence spell?

Have you or your players found good ways to capitalize on the Silence spell?

Best Answer

Effective use of Silence depends on a coordinated strategy involving battle field positioning/control. There are a number of ways to limit/control caster movement, but here are some of the more effective ones:

  1. Cast Silence after your melee characters are in range of the casters (thereby limiting their escape/provoking OA). This tactic is especially deadly if your melee characters have taken the Sentinel + Mage Slayer feats. If not, when facing a very dangerous caster, one melee character should consider grappling. Grappling a caster inside Silence will severely limit their spellcasting. Further, most (if not all) 'escape spells' (Dimension Door, Misty Step, etc.) have Verbal components, so, if they can't walk out, they can't cast out either.
  2. Coordinate with another caster to first cast a spell that limits movement, either by immobilising enemies or creating difficult terrain.
  3. Coordinate with PCs that can move enemies around (Warlock with Repelling Blast, Druid with Thorn Whip, etc.) to move casters back into the zone (especially useful if combined with 1: move them next to your melee allies). Characters with the Charger feat can also shove casters back.

If you provide more specifics about the scenario, I can develop the answer a bit more.

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