[RPG] Suggestion: what is the verbal component?

dnd-5espells

The spell description states:

You suggest a course of activity (limited to a sentence or two) and magically influence a creature

Is the one or two sentence itself the verbal component, or are there some other sounds you need to make, that are the same no matter what the course of action is?

Best Answer

A verbal component can be literally anything spoken in a specific manner, pitch or timbre, and varies based on the world you are playing in. Source: PHB pg. 203

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.

Specific examples:

The Krynn play setting has verbal commands such as Shirak and Dumak to light and quench the light on Raistlin Majere's staff (the Staff of Magius). This can be shouted, spoken or whispered, as is evidenced many times throughout the War of the Lance and the Twins novels. These are single word spells that are quick and efficient for the effects. Later on in the novels, the more complex spells use more complicated forms of verbal components, an example of which can be found here:

http://dragonlancenexus.com/lexicon/index.php?title=Magius_Language

Forgotten Realms utilizes a rythmic chanting that can also be shouted, spoken or whispered as is evidenced by numerous books highlighting different kinds of spell casting in action. Drow elves muttering quietly while casting fireball is simply one example of such action. Priests and Clerics mouthing the words while whispering the phrases necessary to incite healing is another.

Since 5e doesn't actually give specific spell chants or state specific chants that are required, it's really between the player and the DM.

The bottom line is, a verbal component only requires that somebody make some sort of verbal incantation to use it. That can be a single word, a syllable spoken in a specific manner, or an entire string of magical sounding casting. So a caster could hide the verbal component in a simple introduction as a title to his name.

For this example I'll put the spell word in italics. Something like: "Hi, I'm Creston Driak Nullfire, blade for hire. Do you think your friends could help us out?"