This came up in my game the other night. I had two different PC casters try at various points in the game to cast spells in a stealthy fashion. I ruled that any spellcasting that has a Verbal or Somatic component would be blatantly obvious to anyone in the immediate vicinity. I'm not positive I'm correct in that though. I recall in a very hazy fashion reading rules about casting spells without appearing to or in a disguised way. I think it required a skill check, or perhaps a feat then a skill check. (It might also have been something I read in Dark Sun back in the 2ed days and I'm mashing it into a more recent memory of game rules.)
Can anyone think of such a rule/skill check variant/feat to allow subtle spellcasting? I did a quick search of all the obvious places in my books and found nothing.
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I think you've got the right of it.
But, get ready, because others will argue till their blue in the face about this.
There was some things in 3.5 that let you directly do this.
However, for verbal components you just need to speak in a strong voice. I read this to mean clearly. I used to think like you but it was reactionary. The more I thought about it the less it made sense as did reading a lot of the topic from other threads here. Watch Merlin for an example of hushed, clear words. You just speak not-loudly yet clearly. Give it a try.
As for somatic components, these aren't defined at all. IMO, let your characters roleplay these but require that something be done even if it's just a finger snap or wave of the hand.
For more guaranteed results there's always the silent and still spell feats.
For more guaranteed results there's always the silent and still spell feats.
That was my reasoning. If they wanted to cast without being noticed, invest in those feats or take ranks in Sleight of Hand and I would let them make a skill check using that to hide the casting. Since its a trained-only skill and only a class skill for the skill monkey classes, I figured that would be a good trade off/house rule.
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A spellcaster must speak magic words in a strong voice and make precise and unrestricted arcane gestures using various odd substances and devices. If the character can cast without one or all of these (the feats to do it are Still Spell, Silent Spell and Eschew Materials), then it merely requires several seconds of intense concentration that a combatant within 5 feet to 20 feet or more can easily notice and respond to with an attack.
That was my reasoning. If they wanted to cast without being noticed, invest in those feats or take ranks in Sleight of Hand and I would let them make a skill check using that to hide the casting. Since its a trained-only skill and only a class skill for the skill monkey classes, I figured that would be a good trade off/house rule.
I'm not saying it would negate a perception check. But, at the very least, give them the favorable conditions +2 on the DC to be detected for being inventive.
@Starglim - Both of the situations were outside combat, which is the only place I would allow the Sleight of Hand check to be used. In both situations they wanted to cast a non-combat utility spell and both decided not to once I explained that anyone around would be aware. I then explained after the second incident that I would allow the SoH check if they had any ranks(which neither do). So I guess I've already house-ruled myself an answer, I was just wondering if there was a written rule/guideline that addressed this already in Pathfinder.
All that's RAW in Pathfinder is vague words meant for GM interpretation.
In 3.5, PHB2 had a skill trick to fool Spellcraft into misidentifying a spell.
I think Bards may have some performance trick that allows them to Bluff others into not realizing they are casting. That may have been 3.5 as well.
Using Bluff to make others think your gestures are not really magical, or your words actually are some foreign language rather than magical could be done. Don't know what the DC should be. Deliver Secret Message (DSM) has a DC of 15 (simple) or 20 (complex). Maybe a DC of 15 + SL? Perhaps add +5 if you need to fake both S and V. DSM also doubles speaking time, so *I* would treat it as adding a metamagic to a spontaneous spell for increased casting time.
/cevah
In 3.5, in the book 'complete scoundrel' there was a skill trick for this: http://dndtools.eu/feats/complete-scoundrel--60/conceal-spellcasting--3281/
(skill tricks cost 2 skillpoints tolearn... you could drop the concentration requirement and copy the rest... probably with lower requirement in ranks of SoH because pathfinder/3.5 differences) :p
Aother cool one: http://dndtools.eu/feats/complete-scoundrel--60/false-theurgy--3287/
For bards, there is this pathfinder legal feat: http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/general-feats/spellsong
And then there is this from the inner sea world guide: http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/general-feats/secret-signs-local
Still and Silent Spell are for casting in restricted conditions. They do nothing to disguise casting except at GM discretion.
That's nice, but it's irrelevant in a Pathfinder rules discussion.
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Secret Signs, prereq of INT 13:
You gain a +4 bonus on Bluff checks made to pass secret messages. In addition, you are adept at hiding the somatic components of spellcasting. If you cast a spell that has only somatic components, an observer must make a Perception check opposed by your Sleight of Hand check to notice your spellcasting. Spellcraft checks made to identify any spell you cast that has somatic components take a –2 penalty.
Secret Signs, prereq of INT 13:
You gain a +4 bonus on Bluff checks made to pass secret messages. In addition, you are adept at hiding the somatic components of spellcasting. If you cast a spell that has only somatic components, an observer must make a Perception check opposed by your Sleight of Hand check to notice your spellcasting. Spellcraft checks made to identify any spell you cast that has somatic components take a –2 penalty.
Excellent! I knew there had to be something like this it there. Where did you find it?
...If you cast a spell that has only somatic components, an observer must make a Perception check opposed by your Sleight of Hand check to notice your spellcasting...
This would suggest that casting a spell with somatic and verbal components would not require an observer to make a Perception check to notice your spellcasting. Presumably because it is obvious when you are using verbal components to cast a spell.