Silence
Level 2 · Illusion
- Concentration
- Ritual
- AOE
Listed under illusion, Silence costs a 2nd-level slot for bard, cleric, and ranger casters. Cast time: Action. Range 120 feet, components V/S, duration up to 10 minutes. Marked concentration and ritual. Effect: For the duration, no sound can be created within or pass through a 20-foot-radius Sphere centered on a point you choose within range.
Stat Block
- Level
- 2
- School
- Illusion
- Casting Time
- Action
- Range / Area
- 120 feet (20-foot radius sphere)
- Components
- V, S
- Duration
- up to 10 minutes
- Ritual
- Yes
- Concentration
- Yes
- Classes
- Bard, Cleric, Ranger
- Material
- —
Description
For the duration, no sound can be created within or pass through a 20-foot-radius Sphere centered on a point you choose within range. Any creature or object entirely inside the Sphere has Immunity to Thunder damage, and creatures have the Deafened condition while entirely inside it. Casting a spell that includes a Verbal component is impossible there.
5e (2014) vs 2024 changes
This spell has both a 5e (2014) and 2024 Player's Handbook version. Doungim shows the current 2024 stat block above. Differences between editions typically affect components, range, or scaling — check both source books for the table.
Doungim Lore
School Fit
The school of Illusion is the school of plausibility. A successful illusion is one the target's brain accepts; the spell does not pay the cost of disbelief. Silence reads as Illusion the moment you see the effect — the spell creates a perceptual fiction the target's senses report as real. At level 2, Silence sits in the mid-tier slot competition.
Class Fit
- Bard: Lore Bards reach Magical Secrets at level 6 and 10, which changes the calculus on Silence: if a non-Bard list has it cheaper, Magical Secrets is the way in. The 120-foot range on Silence leaves room for the caster to stay in the back line.
- Cleric: Domain-bonus spells fill some of the Cleric's prep automatically; check whether the chosen Domain already grants Silence before manual prepping. Note that Silence requires concentration; switching to a second concentration spell ends it.
- Ranger: Rangers tend to pick Silence when the campaign terrain matches the spell's strengths. Forest-heavy campaigns favor different spells than desert ones. Damage taken while concentrating on Silence forces a Con save at DC 10 or half damage, whichever is higher.
Related Spells
Frequently Asked Questions about Silence
- What level spell is Silence?
- In D&D 5e, Silence is classified as a level 2 spell of the Illusion school. Available classes: Bard, Cleric, Ranger.
- What is the range of Silence?
- Silence can target a point or creature within 120 feet of the caster.
- Is Silence a concentration spell?
- Yes — Silence requires concentration, lasting up to 10 minutes. Casting another concentration spell ends this one; damage taken triggers a Constitution save (DC 10 or half the damage, whichever is higher) to maintain it.
- What components and casting time does Silence need?
- To cast: the components are V, S. Additionally, Silence can be cast as a ritual: an extra 10 minutes of casting time, no spell slot consumed.