Silence is a solid spell imo. You’re forgetting it’s usefulness in combat, making it impossible for spellcasters to cast any spell with a verbal component (which is most of them) in a large area without requiring a save.
If you want to cast the spell while around people, yeah, they could notice you casting it, unless you use subtle spell. Also, the spell has other situations where it could be useful, like to cover up the sound from a knock spell on a difficult or magic lock. Silence also has the ritual tag, meaning in a situation like that you could cast it without expending a spell slot.
Silence is a solid spell imo. You’re forgetting it’s usefulness in combat, making it impossible for spellcasters to cast any spell with a verbal component (which is most of them) in a large area without requiring a save.
If you want to cast the spell while around people, yeah, they could notice you casting it, unless you use subtle spell. Also, the spell has other situations where it could be useful, like to cover up the sound from a knock spell on a difficult or magic lock. Silence also has the ritual tag, meaning in a situation like that you could cast it without expending a spell slot.