At what range do you *Spot* an invisible creature?

[dead]

I was wondering at what range can you make a Spot check versus an invisible creature?

Also, what is the DC of the Spot check? Is the DC fixed, or do you roll Spot versus the invisible creature's Hide? And, if you do the latter, what bonus to the Hide check do you get for being invisible?

 

[Hypersmurf]

I was wondering at what range can you make a Spot check versus an invisible creature?

Also, what is the DC of the Spot check? Is the DC fixed, or do you roll Spot versus the invisible creature's Hide? And, if you do the latter, what bonus to the Hide check do you get for being invisible?

Invisible condition:
"A creature can generally notice the presence of an active invisible creature within 30 feet with a DC 20 Spot check. The observer gains a hunch that “something’s there” but can’t see it or target it accurately with an attack. A creature who is holding still is very hard to notice (DC 30). An inanimate object, an unliving creature holding still, or a completely immobile creature is even harder to spot (DC 40). It’s practically impossible (+20 DC) to pinpoint an invisible creature’s location with a Spot check, and even if a character succeeds on such a check, the invisible creature still benefits from total concealment (50% miss chance)."

Hide skill:
"Special: If you are invisible, you gain a +40 bonus on Hide checks if you are immobile, or a +20 bonus on Hide checks if you’re moving."

-Hyp.

 

[dead]

Two questions.

1) When an invisible creature is moving, do you use a Spot check or a Listen check (or both!) to know it's there?

2) When you are in melee with an invisible creature, do you have to make a Spot check before you can attempt to strike it?

Thanks.

 

[Furtive Noise]

I wonder how one would 'see' the invisible creature. I can imagine noticing little bits of dust or something that they kick up with their feet, just enough of a disturbance to make someone detect something fishy. What if they're flying, as many always invisible/hovering mages seem to do- would it make a difference? Hmmm, a rule I didn't know existed and have to think of the ramifications of. After all, a DC 20 spot check is not all that hard for some characters. Anyone ever have this come up in their games? How did you describe it? I know may players would protest- "But invisible is invisible, they can't see me!!"

 

[Saeviomagy]

I know may players would protest- "But invisible is invisible, they can't see me!!"

Predator. Nuff said.

 

[Hypersmurf]

1) When an invisible creature is moving, do you use a Spot check or a Listen check (or both!) to know it's there?

Either or both.

Look up Invisibility in the Special Abilities and Conditions section of the DMG, or in this document.

2) When you are in melee with an invisible creature, do you have to make a Spot check before you can attempt to strike it?

You don't have to, but it can help.

There is a difference between knowing there is an invisible creature nearby (base Spot DC 20 for a creature who is not actively trying to be still), and knowing which square it is in (which adds 20 to the Spot DC).

So with a DC 40 Spot check, you know which square the invisible creature is in. (This is the meaning of the term 'pinpoint'.)

If you have an invisible creature pinpointed, you can attack it, with a 50% miss chance.

If you don't, you can still attack it with a 50% miss chance... but you also need to state which square you are attacking into. If you guess the wrong square, you will miss no matter what your attack roll and miss chance roll say.

There are other ways of pinpointing an invisible creature (for example, if he makes a melee attack from an adjacent square and hits, you know which square he attacked from... although he might move before your turn comes up), but with a Spot check, it's generally DC 40.

Most of this is in the document linked above.

-Hyp.