Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Lupo1977 03-19-07, 09:56 AM	Hello Community, i got some Questions about the "Speak without Sound" Ability of the ghostwise Halfling from the FRCS. I searched the FAQ and the Errata and the Forum (via Google) but couldnīt find any help. What do you think about it, or are there any rules you know about solving the following questions - all according to this ability working within 20ft : 1. Is it possible to listen to a creature surface thoughts, without the creature knowing it ? (Guard : whats todayīs password ? Me : (concentrating) :" it is... it is...reading surface thoughts .. ah it is "Cormyr") 2. Is it possible to listen to a conversation, which the halfling normally couldnīt hear (maybe because of a closed window) when concentrating on the speakers thoughts ? 3. Is it possible to detect a nearby intelligent creature ? Maybe an invisible creature ? Maybe a very nervous creature (which wants to ambush me...) 4. Is it possible to wake an sleeping ally with this ability ? (Imagine the Camp silenced with a spell and me on guard beeing attacked ) 5. vice versa : can an ally wake me up when he concentrates on me ? (same situation, but this time i am sleeping and the guard is beeing grappeld) 6. Can i use this ability while paralyzed ? 7. vice versa again : can i communicate with a paralyzed creature ? ("You gotta pee... ? uuhmm.. sorry canīt help you with that !") 8. assuming i got the "tongues" or "comprehend languages" spell - will this work with the ability as well ? 9. Can i use Mashal abilitys to help at least one ally ? 10. can i use bardic music via this ability ? (mental-singing : "Sneak, Sneak, Sneak swift and silent....!") 11. does a creature i communicate with automaticly know my location, and that this voice comes from me ? ("Hey Orc - iīm Gruumsh, and i tell you to let these adventures go, because it is my will....") (okay - Bluff DC 48....) i know that some of theses opinions make it way to overpowerd for a racial ability without leveladjustment , but i want to hear your opinion about it.
Ashathar 03-19-07, 11:53 PM	1. Is it possible to listen to a creature surface thoughts, without the creature knowing it ? Definitely not. It's mental speech, not mind reading, and as such, has the same limitations of normal speech. You only hear what they intentionally project to you through this telepathic link. 2. Is it possible to listen to a conversation, which the halfling normally couldnīt hear (maybe because of a closed window) when concentrating on the speakers thoughts ? Again, no. You could probably initiate a mental conversation with someone you could see, but who was behind a barrier which blocked sound. The ability allows for telepathic communication, not unchecked clairaudience. 3. Is it possible to detect a nearby intelligent creature ? Maybe an invisible creature ? Maybe a very nervous creature (which wants to ambush me...) Absolutely not. See the above two for why. 4. Is it possible to wake an sleeping ally with this ability ? (Imagine the Camp silenced with a spell and me on guard beeing attacked ) Definitely. It works just like normal speech, but since it isn't dependent on you actually being able to make noise, you could easily start speaking in a sleeping party member's head. 5. vice versa : can an ally wake me up when he concentrates on me ? (same situation, but this time i am sleeping and the guard is beeing grappeld) I'd say no, since I think it would be dependent on the Ghostwise character initiating the telepathic link. It doesn't automatically grant telepathy to everyone within 20 feet of you. 6. Can i use this ability while paralyzed ? Yes. Paralysis doesn't prevent you from thinking. Just moving. 7. vice versa again : can i communicate with a paralyzed creature ? ("You gotta pee... ? uuhmm.. sorry canīt help you with that !") Yes, as long as you initiated the telepathic conversation. 8. assuming i got the "tongues" or "comprehend languages" spell - will this work with the ability as well ? Speak without sound works just like normal speech, so those spells should definitely work in conjunction with it. Comprehend Languages would be of limited usefulness, since it only lets you understand what the other person is saying without imparting any ability for them to understand what you are saying. 9. Can i use Mashal abilitys to help at least one ally ? 10. can i use bardic music via this ability ? (mental-singing : "Sneak, Sneak, Sneak swift and silent....!") Probably not, since the ability is basically just for normal speech. It shouldn't function for spellcasting or other special abilities, sort of like the Message spell. 11. does a creature i communicate with automaticly know my location, and that this voice comes from me ? I don't think it automatically transmits your location to them, but since you can only use it to communicate within 20 feet, you're already close enough to be seen, heard, and caught without too much trouble if they do find you.