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Old 11-07-2022, 10:54 AM   #1
Shostak
 
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Default Talent/Spell of the Week: Silent Movement (Spell)

This IQ 11 Thrown spell renders its subject able to move without any sound whatsoever at any speed. As written, this spell outclasses the Silent Movement talent (to be covered in its own thread), which requires a slower speed, has limits on armor, and does not evade the those with Acute Hearing and actively listening from within about 8 hexes. But that difference in performance comes at a price; the Silent Movement spell will cost 1 ST per turn to enjoy its benefits, so any extended silent activity is going to tax the caster dearly.

In my experience stretching back to the 1980s when Advanced Wizard was released, the Silent Movement spell has seldom been chosen by characters, but I have given it to many adversary NPCs. The maintenance cost makes this an expensive spell, which might be a reason why so few players have picked it for their characters. That said, as a buff spell cast on a companion, Silent Movement has great potential, especially in situations where visibility is limited.

Conversation Starters
  • How often do players choose this spell for their characters in your games?
  • If you use a house rule version, how does it differ from RAW?
  • Does Silent Movement offer any synergies with other spells or talents that might be exploited?
  • To what creatures (RAW or homebrewed) would Silent Movement would render one undetectable?
  • If you have any memorable uses of Silent Movement from your games, please share!
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Old 11-07-2022, 01:26 PM   #2
hcobb
 
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Default Re: Talent/Spell of the Week: Silent Movement (Spell)

Note that "spell" is added at ITL 59 every time a spell is required so the "Wizardly thief" "job" requires the Silent Movement talent. (But not Streetwise.)
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Last edited by hcobb; 11-07-2022 at 01:31 PM.
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Old 11-07-2022, 08:34 PM   #3
TippetsTX
 
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Default Re: Talent/Spell of the Week: Silent Movement (Spell)

The scope of this spell always struck me as uncharacteristically specific. Out of necessity, many TFT spells are designed w/ multiple applications in mind, but not this one. Thus, I find the value in this choice very limited. Better to replace it w/ a spell that suppresses all sound.

TBH, I think the ST cost is almost in line w/ such an effect.
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Last edited by TippetsTX; 11-08-2022 at 09:39 AM.
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Old 11-08-2022, 12:34 AM   #4
Steve Plambeck
 
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Default Re: Talent/Spell of the Week: Silent Movement (Spell)

I actually had to peek back at Advanced Wizard because I have no recollection of the spell existing back then. I'm certain I've never seen it used, or learned by any character, ever. I can say that for a few other spells that made their debut in Advanced Wizard.

Some spells like this one just don't do enough to be useful for a short duration, and are too expensive at 1 ST every turn to run for a long duration.
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Old 11-09-2022, 07:41 PM   #5
Bill_in_IN
 
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Default Re: Talent/Spell of the Week: Silent Movement (Spell)

This spell, like so many others, is noticed as a wizard is being built but doesn't make the final cut due to the cost.

It would be interesting if an Unarmed Combatist learned it but Silent Movement Talent is much cheaper at 2 IQ points and no ST cost instead of 3 IQ points and 1ST/turn.

Now, getting silent movement in a ring/item would be a cool. Per the table in ITL, page 150, it's $2000. Not cheap unless you through money around like candy as a GM. Even then, it will still cost 1 ST/turn unless you spend at least 10 times that for self-powered.

It's still an expensive spell no matter how you access it but it would be a bit of a game changer. Sort of like an unexpected use of Mage Sight.

I can see some NPCs getting this ability in the future. Thanks for the reminder @Shostak.

Last edited by Bill_in_IN; 11-09-2022 at 08:01 PM.
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Old 11-09-2022, 10:55 PM   #6
Axly Suregrip
 
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Default Re: Talent/Spell of the Week: Silent Movement (Spell)

I enjoy TFT with a group of players and characters. Silent Movement really fits an individual thief and not a group. The situations where one play goes off alone are limited (scout ahead, break into a place, thieving, assassination) mostly because being alone in TFT is very risky. The uses exist, but does the wizard or thief want to spend the IQ to own this spell or talent?

Both the Silent Movement talent and spell suffer from being something that is good for an individual but not for a group. The talent is limited to an individual as that is what talents are, but the spell in theory could be used on others if it was not so expensive. That is, your wizard is not casting Silent Movement on more than 1 person (self or friend) for a sneaking job.

For player characters I only saw this spell taken to fit a job requirement on the career table. I have seen players try silence to send a scout ahead but eventually this end poorly and it is dropped. It depend on the GM finding situations for its use.
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Old 11-10-2022, 02:54 AM   #7
Steve Plambeck
 
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Default Re: Talent/Spell of the Week: Silent Movement (Spell)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Axly Suregrip View Post
I enjoy TFT with a group of players and characters. Silent Movement really fits an individual thief and not a group. The situations where one play goes off alone are limited...
Well exactly.

I wrote a spell similar to Silent Movement for a different game that gets around that problem. In TFT terms it would be a type (S) spell that lasts several minutes, affecting not only the wizard who casts it but anyone in the same megahex as the wizard, and this zone moves as the wizard does. Thus a party of 7 could all move silently together. Actually they can make all the noise they want, talking, shouting, drumming, or singing as they move, because no sound leaves the megahex zone.

And yeah I should have put that in House Rules, but this discussion keeps blurring the lines between sub-forums.
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Old 11-10-2022, 08:17 AM   #8
Axly Suregrip
 
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Default Re: Talent/Spell of the Week: Silent Movement (Spell)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Plambeck View Post
I wrote a spell similar to Silent Movement for a different game that gets around that problem. In TFT terms it would be a type (S) spell that lasts several minutes, affecting not only the wizard who casts it but anyone in the same megahex as the wizard, and this zone moves as the wizard does.
Ah, the Cone of Silence! Let me guess, the casting wizard must frequently say things like, "Sorry about that Chief", "Would you believe..." and "Missed me by that much."

;-) yep, I'm old.
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Old 11-10-2022, 10:33 AM   #9
Bill_in_IN
 
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Default Re: Talent/Spell of the Week: Silent Movement (Spell)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Axly Suregrip View Post
Ah, the Cone of Silence! Let me guess, the casting wizard must frequently say things like, "Sorry about that Chief", "Would you believe..." and "Missed me by that much."

;-) yep, I'm old.
Well...I'm also old because I understood your reference at first glance.
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Old 11-10-2022, 11:14 AM   #10
Skarg
 
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Default Re: Talent/Spell of the Week: Silent Movement (Spell)

As written, because of the 1/turn maintenance cost, the Silent Movement spell is pretty expensive for what it provides. But it CAN be useful, in the right circumstances . . . (if there is some short distance you need to get past without being heard).

* How often do players choose this spell for their characters in your games?

Not often, but it has been done.


* If you use a house rule version, how does it differ from RAW?

I have a little-known variant of the spell that can manage 1/minute maintenance (which has some other requirements).

I also converted my original TFT/Cidri campaign to GURPS (and for some adventures, back to TFT) which means that some wizards/places in my Cidri campaign have many of the spells from the GURPS Magic college of sound spells, so there are several related spells with different abilities. With clever wizard players, those have been put to very effective use.

Those spells are still pretty expensive, the most efficient of which are 2/minute, or a immobile effect for 1/minute for one hex.


* Does Silent Movement offer any synergies with other spells or talents that might be exploited?

Yes. Speed Movement, Invisibility, Running, being an elf, casting Speed Movement on a mount.

Also, casting it on the one party member who would otherwise make a lot of noise. Or, using it when you're doing something noisy, or walking across a surface that would make obvious noise.

And, getting past very sensitive listening guards, such as guard animals, or people with Acute Hearing, a squeaky floor or staircase, which others may rely on as being completely reliable.


* To what creatures (RAW or homebrewed) would Silent Movement would render one undetectable?


Anything in complete darkness, fog, smoke, or where there are obstacles to sight.


* If you have any memorable uses of Silent Movement from your games, please share!


It's been used to escape from people who haven't got sight yet, and/or when there are multiple escape routes. Even one or two turns behind, the pursuers couldn't tell which path the silent one had taken, and sometimes thought they hadn't run at all but were hiding, or had flown or teleported away, since they couldn't hear footsteps.

It's also been used to cause a subject to freak out, by casting it on them while they were walking where they made noise . . . and then stopped making noise - causing them to get confused and panic.
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