CANTRIP #23: Message (5E)

[@ChancesSpellbook]

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[@shaylic3795]

Imagine being a normal person in town and you hear a voice in your head. This spell is absurd just like sending. I started a cult and issues commands through message as their god to a high priest. I was such a chaotic bard. I got modify memory and would implant visions into some of the cult followers. This was some of the most fun I’ve had. Collecting tithes was a great income.

[@ChancesSpellbook]

Haha that's awesome!

[@FormerRuling]

I never make a Bard without Message. Never underestimate the usefulness of being able to communicate with your team (or an important NPC) without being in line of sight of them. The classic use case is going to be as a lookout. Make yourself up like a beggar and keep an eye outside and alert the party to any suspicious comings or goings. The spell is particularly powerful because it carves specific exemptions to two things I think some groups struggle with: (1) It describes the exact somatic and verbal elements in a way that is easily masked. (2) It explicitly can go around corners or through any opening. To the first point I know a lot of casters that will try to sneak cast stuff with the DM by saying "I cast this without anyone noticing" - well this spell explicitly lets you cast it while easily hiding the fact that you are. To the second point, the 'barriers' restriction isn't nearly as restrictive when it says right in the description that it can weave around stuff and through any opening to get to the target.

[@ChancesSpellbook]

Great points! Thank you sooo much for the awesome comment!

[@trapical]

I highly recommend this spell on every caster, and pay attention to the material components as well. You need a piece of copper wire? Make yourself a crude copper ring out of a short bit of wire and you will not only have it on hand (literally) for the entire game, but it also serves as a great little bit of RP flair. "I subtly press my thumb against my copper wire ring and whisper..."

[@Trinity0809]

a spell with verbal and somatic components where at the end you neet to POINT to the target isn't really subtle...

[@SgtTeddybear66]

@@Trinity0809 You can easily do this subtly. Pretend your wiping your lip with the back of your hand and point at someone with your pinky. Pretend you're reading a book and leaning your head against your hand while making a subtle point. Point while pretending as if you're trying to think of something. Easy.

[@christiansandoval8366]

Do they two people speaking through message need to share a common language?

[@chaoscommentary2179]

It’s not the message spell but I had a character that had the telepathy as a race ability and I would try the Jedi mind truck on bandits. They would hear a voce in there head “ your friends are plotting to betrayal you” your last score they unfairly divided the lot in there favor” so I’m just trying to poison the mind of one of the bandits to turn on his former allies

[@ChancesSpellbook]

I like it! Great idea!

[@Sannypowa]

Sage advice says that nothing prevents PCs to use message to intimidate/persuade/deceive NPCs. I want to know all the creative uses of this cantrip as I can sense potentials for it

[@ChancesSpellbook]

Hmm I might have to roll that into my next campaign!

[@Sannypowa]

@@ChancesSpellbook I used message to persuade my allies affected by a charm effect giving 1 of them advantage on their next saving throw, how about that? :)

[@TDSFounder]

Can you combine this with Bardic Inspiration or some other verbal spell?

[@ChancesSpellbook]

Hmmm Technically and thematically yes. Although I'm not too sure how it would work mechanically. I think it would come down to the DM

[@mr.potato_cool437]

I'ma use this in my build

[@DustyTheKitty]

Just picked this up for my Artificer via Magic Initiate, along side Light and a level 1 once per day shield spell. Combine this with my Artificer's ability to infuse items with spells to create magical items and BAM, My party can use the Discord channel to send messages to one another, guilt-free meta gaming... provided its all in character Of course.