[RPG] Would a Ghostwise Halfling Druid be able to use Silent Speech to communicate while in Wild Shape

character-creationdnd-5ehalflingtelepathywild-shape

A player in the campaign I am preparing to run has asked me if he could play a Ghostwise Halfling from Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide so he could mitigate not being able to communicate with the party while in Wild Shape, thus allowing him to spend more time as a beast.

My initial decision is no, because:

  1. the book states that is an extremely rare race of halfling
  2. he just wants it to min/max his character, not for any thematic or
    storyline value, which I have a slight problem with.

I am curious, however, if this would even work the way he thinks.

Also, am I being overbearing and unreasonable by not allowing this?

Best Answer

Yes, this would work.

The ghostwise halfling's Silent Speech trait (SCAG, p. 110) says:

You can speak telepathically to any creature within 30 feet of you. The creature understands you only if the two of you share a language. You can speak telepathically in this way to one creature at a time.

The druid's Wild Shape feature says, in part:

You retain the benefit of any features from your class, race, or other source and can use them if the new form is physically capable of doing so. However, you can’t use any of your special senses, such as darkvision, unless your new form also has that sense.

Since Silent Speech is a feature of that race, the rules very much explicitly state that it will work, unless you rule that Silent Speech involves a special sense - which would be a stretch.

As to whether you are too harsh - it's your game, but if you are worried about balance this does not seem like it is game breaking. Far from it, IMO. If there are strong story reasons to deny this combo then ban it, otherwise just let it slide. I have come to find that (in 5e, at least) most of the time players pick an option because it would be fun for them to play - not because it gives them an uber character.

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