Enchantment • Legacy Witch Spell
Silver Tongue (Lie)
Silver Tongue supernaturally sharpens one brief piece of spoken persuasion. It does not rewrite reality or override obvious evidence: it magnifies a Charisma-based attempt for only a few sentences.
Silver Tongue at a Glance
| Role | Short social boost |
|---|---|
| Legacy level | Witch 1, Bard 1, Sorcerer/Wizard 2 |
| Modern status | No direct 5.5e, 2014 or Pathfinder 1e conversion is published here |
| Key limit | One short spoken exchange, not an ongoing charm |
Spell Rules by Edition
Silver Tongue — 5.5e / 2024
Status: there is no named Silver Tongue spell in SRD 5.2.1. Use the current Witch spell list and official social or enchantment spells rather than importing the legacy +10 bonus.
Silver Tongue — 5e / 2014
Status: no core 2014 spell by this name. Charm Person and Suggestion cover different effects and are not direct conversions.
Silver Tongue — Pathfinder 1e
Status: not added to the Pathfinder Witch list by default. Use Pathfinder’s own Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate and enchantment rules rather than importing the legacy bonus automatically.
Silver Tongue — D&D 3.x Legacy
| School | Enchantment (Compulsion) [Sonic] |
|---|---|
| Level | Witch 1, Bard 1, Sorcerer/Wizard 2 |
| Components | V |
| Casting Time | 1 action |
| Range | 50 ft. in the legacy source |
| Area | Creatures within 10 ft. of the apparent speaker |
| Duration | One spoken sentence per 3 caster levels |
| Saving Throw | Will; success halves the bonus |
| Spell Resistance | Yes |
The caster gains a +10 bonus on one Charisma-based check made through speech, limited by the number of sentences allowed by caster level. A successful Will save reduces that bonus to +5.
The original material component is a holly berry whose juice touches the caster’s tongue.
What Changed?
No automatic modern conversion is assumed. The unusually large +10 legacy social bonus remains confined to the d20 archive rather than being imported into 5.5e or Pathfinder 1e.
Best Uses
- One decisive Bluff before the lie grows complicated.
- A sharp Intimidate threat where a single sentence matters.
- A brief performance flourish or formal declaration.
Long conversations rapidly outgrow the spell. The caster still needs a believable story and a relevant skill check.
Counterplay and GM Rulings
- Counterspelling: use the legacy edition’s normal counterspell procedure while the spell is being cast.
- Dispel Magic: there is usually little practical window because the benefit applies to only a few spoken sentences; an ongoing effect can still be dispelled under normal legacy rules.
- Evidence still matters: a listener does not ignore something plainly contradictory merely because the caster gains a check bonus.
- Ring of truth: preserve the old interaction only in campaigns using that legacy item and its original rules.
In Play
In courts, markets and coven negotiations, Silver Tongue is feared because it helps a practiced liar land the crucial first claim. Wise officials therefore separate testimony from proof and rely on witnesses, records and divination before acting.
Related Spells
Charm Person · Suggestion · Comprehend Languages · Witch Spell Lists
FAQ
Does Silver Tongue force belief?
No. The legacy rule grants a very large Charisma-check bonus; it is not absolute mind control.
Can it sustain a long fabricated story?
Not well. The spell is deliberately limited by the number of sentences the caster can empower.
Sources and Licensing
Rules-source boundary: the 5.5e/2024 and 5e/2014 panels on this page are edition-status guidance only and do not reproduce a modern conversion. The legacy mechanics are preserved from Open Game Content.
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game and Revised System Reference Document rules material identified as Open Game Content is used under the Open Game License v1.0a. Original explanations, comparisons, rulings, setting material, tactical guidance and the primary illustration are SpiralWorlds editorial material except where another credit is stated.
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