Plaguescarred
Hero
Count me in the "shimmering aura" camp, i always ruled that you're aware the creature you see has the Invisible condition.
D&D 5E (2014) See Invisibility: awareness of Invisibility
- Thread starter Cyan Wisp
- Start date
TaranTheWanderer
Legend
I don’t like giving it the equivalent of Detect Magic on top of See Invisibility.
billd91
Not your screen monkey (he/him) 🇺🇦🇵🇸🏳️⚧️
If see invisible is only making it evident which creatures are under the effects of some kind of invisibility magic, it's hardly giving out the equivalent of detect magic.
TaranTheWanderer
Legend
You know if they’re under the effects of a spell. That’s extra knowledge See invisibility doesn’t specifically provide and it’s not the kind of info I’d give out. I’d prefer the person with the see invisibility have to figure it out themselves. I think it makes for more interesting situations if they don’t specifically know.
Honestly, what kind of situation? Since the character casting See Invisibility is doing this to defeat the presence of invisible creature, he would be very well founded to devise a modus operandi with his group that whenever he's under See Invisibility, he will point with his hand and name any creature or object when entering a room and if it doesn't match the other PC's vision, they would answer with "invisible". It might be socially awkward to do that when entering a regular inn, but wizards have a reputation of being strange anyway.
Basically, they'd turn the "5 wizards? That's a convention!" into a regular way of behaving whenver the spell is cast, to close a glaring limitation. It would be a gotcha once, and since it's obvious, it is reasonable it's even mentionned in the footnotes of the spell in Magical Arts 101 for all students of magic to know this trick as they learn the spell.
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TaranTheWanderer
Legend
It's a role playing game. You can't predict every situation.
Mannahnin
Scion of Murgen (He/Him)
Definitely. Historically See (FKA Detect) Invisibility also includes stuff that's ethereal or out of phase, so that would totally be a thing. Similar to "the second sight" from folklore.
The bit about extra-planar nasties which can't see/take no notice of us unless we see them is also reminiscent of 1E Psionics, where a big downside of having psionic powers was drawing the attention of psionic monsters/predators.
FitzTheRuke
Legend
Why not? It's a higher level spell that still won't be as useful as detect magic is.
For me, any spell or effect that gets used like once every 20 sessions (if that) is one that should have as broad an application as possible. In fact, I'll usually give a player extra sauce on it if/when they do use it because it's an original feature that's finally getting used after all this time. There's not a single ability that is "overpowered" but only used every 20 sessions.
This is where the whole "Ruled As Written" thing to me is just stupid. We'll have no problem with the players throwing out a dozen Perception checks every session and rule those all in their standard way as per the rules... giving out more information to them with those checks than they will get with almost anything else. But heaven forbid they use an obscure ability that almost never shows up... we for some dumb reason still stick with "Nope! Gonna rule this feature exactly as it states!"... pretty much assuring us we'll never see anyone use that thing again.
You can't complain about being bored with your players all selecting and using the same 6 features or builds over and over while simultaneously cutting them off at the knees when they try and choose something different and new.
This is where the whole "Ruled As Written" thing to me is just stupid. We'll have no problem with the players throwing out a dozen Perception checks every session and rule those all in their standard way as per the rules... giving out more information to them with those checks than they will get with almost anything else. But heaven forbid they use an obscure ability that almost never shows up... we for some dumb reason still stick with "Nope! Gonna rule this feature exactly as it states!"... pretty much assuring us we'll never see anyone use that thing again.
You can't complain about being bored with your players all selecting and using the same 6 features or builds over and over while simultaneously cutting them off at the knees when they try and choose something different and new.
TaranTheWanderer
Legend
it’s useful in a different way. I guess they can’t stack anymore.
