Up to the DM

The spell says:

A sphere of shimmering force

That's it. The rules don't say whether opaque or transparent. So the DM decides.

You can try to tie it in to other rules and build a logical structure that determines what the answer is, but the rules really just aren't that consistent.

So the DM decides.

Arguments for opacity

The spell says:

Nothing--not physical objects, energy, or other spell effects--can pass through

It's reasonable to assume that that means light and sound, they're energy, right? Basic physics. There you are in the sphere, and the only light or sound is from inside.

Counter-argument: "Physics"? Really? We broke physics back at the light cantrip. Earlier. Probably on page one of the Basic Rules.

Arguments for transparency

What's the point of:

An enclosed creature can use its action to push against the sphere's walls and thus roll the sphere at up to half the creature's speed.

What's the point of being able to move it if you can't see where you're going?

Also, and it's a thin thread, I admit, part of the spell component says "clear crystal". Why say "clear" if the resulting sphere is opaque?

Counter-argument: Physics. It says energy can't go through. Light and sound are energy.

How to decide

Pick whichever feels most reasonable and go with it. You're not going to break the game either way. If you decide you don't like how it works, you can change your mind later.

Personally, I prefer transparent, because I think it seems more fun, and that's the way we've used it in games in the past.

In a game I currently play in, I have a wizard who has resilient sphere in their book, although I've never cast it. I've always assumed it would be transparent, because that's the way I've played it in the past, but I asked the DM. I got that DM look, and they said, "What? It doesn't say? Hmm. It's transparent, it's a hamster ball." So there you have it.

But it's your game, you decide.

As a player

If there's any doubt how it's going to work at your table, I recommend you ask your DM ahead of time, so that you can figure it out before you need to use it in session.

Up to the DM

The spell says:

A sphere of shimmering force

That's it. The rules don't say whether opaque or transparent. So the DM decides.

You can try to tie it in to other rules and build a logical structure that determines what the answer is, but the rules really just aren't that consistent.

So the DM decides.

Arguments for opacity

The spell says:

Nothing--not physical objects, energy, or other spell effects--can pass through

It's reasonable to assume that that means light and sound, they're energy, right? Basic physics. There you are in the sphere, and the only light or sound is from inside.

Counter-argument: "Physics"? Really? We broke physics back at the light cantrip. Earlier. Probably on page one of the Basic Rules.

Arguments for transparency

The spell says:

An enclosed creature can use its action to push against the sphere's walls and thus roll the sphere at up to half the creature's speed.

What's the point of being able to move it if you can't see where you're going?

Also, and it's a thin thread, I admit, part of the spell component says "clear crystal". Why say "clear" if the resulting sphere is opaque?

Counter-argument: Physics. It says energy can't go through. Light and sound are energy.

How to decide

Pick whichever feels most reasonable and go with it. You're not going to break the game either way. If you decide you don't like how it works, you can change your mind later.

Personally, I prefer transparent, because I think it seems more fun, and that's the way we've used it in games in the past.

In a game I currently play in, I have a wizard who has resilient sphere in their book, although I've never cast it. I've always assumed it would be transparent, because that's the way I've played it in the past, but I asked the DM. I got that DM look, and they said, "What? It doesn't say? Hmm. It's transparent, it's a hamster ball." So there you have it.

But it's your game, you decide.

As a player

If there's any doubt how it's going to work at your table, I recommend you ask your DM ahead of time, so that you can figure it out before you need to use it in session.

Up to the DM

The spell says:

A sphere of shimmering force

That's it. The rules don't say whether opaque or transparent. So the DM decides.

You can try to tie it in to other rules and build a logical structure that determines what the answer is, but the rules really just aren't that consistent.

So the DM decides.

Arguments for opacity

The spell says:

Nothing--not physical objects, energy, or other spell effects--can pass through

It's reasonable to assume that that means light and sound, they're energy, right? Basic physics. There you are in the sphere, and the only light or sound is from inside.

Counter-argument: "Physics"? Really? We broke physics back at the light cantrip. Earlier. Probably on page one of the Basic Rules.

Arguments for transparency

What's the point of:

An enclosed creature can use its action to push against the sphere's walls and thus roll the sphere at up to half the creature's speed.

What's the point of being able to move it if you can't see where you're going?

Also, and it's a thin thread, I admit, part of the spell component says "clear crystal". Why say "clear" if the resulting sphere is opaque?

Counter-argument: Physics. It says energy can't go through. Light and sound are energy.

How to decide

Pick whichever feels most reasonable and go with it. You're not going to break the game either way. Personally, I prefer transparent, because I think it seems more fun, and that's the way we've used it. But it's your game, you decide. If you decide you don't like how it works, you can change your mind later.

As a player

If there's any doubt how it's going to work at your table, I recommend you ask your DM ahead of time, so that you can figure it out before you need to use it in session.

Up to the DM

The spell says:

A sphere of shimmering force

That's it. The rules don't say whether opaque or transparent. So the DM decides.

You can try to tie it in to other rules and build a logical structure that determines what the answer is, but the rules really just aren't that consistent.

So the DM decides.

Arguments for opacity

The spell says:

Nothing--not physical objects, energy, or other spell effects--can pass through

It's reasonable to assume that that means light and sound, they're energy, right? Basic physics. There you are in the sphere, and the only light or sound is from inside.

Counter-argument: "Physics"? Really? We broke physics back at the light cantrip. Earlier. Probably on page one of the Basic Rules.

Arguments for transparency

What's the point of:

An enclosed creature can use its action to push against the sphere's walls and thus roll the sphere at up to half the creature's speed.

What's the point of being able to move it if you can't see where you're going?

Also, and it's a thin thread, I admit, part of the spell component says "clear crystal". Why say "clear" if the resulting sphere is opaque?

Counter-argument: Physics. It says energy can't go through. Light and sound are energy.

How to decide

Pick whichever feels most reasonable and go with it. You're not going to break the game either way. If you decide you don't like how it works, you can change your mind later.

Personally, I prefer transparent, because I think it seems more fun, and that's the way we've used it in games in the past.

In a game I currently play in, I have a wizard who has resilient sphere in their book, although I've never cast it. I've always assumed it would be transparent, because that's the way I've played it in the past, but I asked the DM. I got that DM look, and they said, "What? It doesn't say? Hmm. It's transparent, it's a hamster ball." So there you have it.

But it's your game, you decide.

As a player

If there's any doubt how it's going to work at your table, I recommend you ask your DM ahead of time, so that you can figure it out before you need to use it in session.