Detecting Invisibility

[mach1.9pants]

I asked because I am curious, do other wizards use invisibility without floating disk?

Well even using floating disk I enforce a stealth check, because it is not just your footsteps that make noise, disturb the air etc. And we stick with stealth not Arcana (I fail to see how Arcana makes you quiet). Although the disk would negate some scenario specific invisibility stealth stoppers (like aforesaid dust, or puddles of water etc).

 

[Hereticus]

Well even using floating disk I enforce a stealth check, because it is not just your footsteps that make noise, disturb the air etc.

Yes, especially if you are close to your opponent. But floating by someone two squares away (without metal weapons or armor) at a rate of six squares, to me, seems pretty darn undetectable.

Stealth failures usually result from leaving footprints, noisy walking, or clanking armor. All three have been reduced to zero.

And we stick with stealth not Arcana (I fail to see how Arcana makes you quiet). Although the disk would negate some scenario specific invisibility stealth stoppers (like aforesaid dust, or puddles of water etc).

Rules are imperfect, as are people, and I guess so is magic. If you have near perfect stealth, there may be more imperfections in your magical invisibility, such as fluctuations.

No rule is perfect in application or detail, and it just made more sense to us with the special circumstances.

 

[Infiniti2000]

Is there anything in the description of Tenser's Floating Disk that says it's silent or moves things silently?

 

[Switchback]

Excuse this question if there is an obvious answer. But why is the disc invisible just because the wizard is? Is it considered his 'gear' or that he is wearing it or something? If the wizard jumps on a moving cart, *It* wouldn't become invisible, so why the disc?

 

[mach1.9pants]

Excuse this question if there is an obvious answer. But why is the disc invisible just because the wizard is? Is it considered his 'gear' or that he is wearing it or something? If the wizard jumps on a moving cart, *It* wouldn't become invisible, so why the disc?

LOL good point!

 

[Stalker0]

Is there anything in the description of Tenser's Floating Disk that says it's silent or moves things silently?

I thought all Tenser's had a loud electric motor in the back?

 

[Flipguarder]

As all stealthy ritual casters eventually learn, for good or for ill, Tenser was a deaf paraplegic. Thus his design for a magical carrying device didn't bother him even though it pumped out 100 decibels of jet-engine-like humming.

 

[ryryguy]

I asked because I am curious, do other wizards use invisibility without floating disk?

I think that out of combat, I would be pretty liberal in granting a circumstance bonus to Stealth for using a floating disk while invisible. Certainly it would negate most terrain-based penalties. I wouldn't have it turn you into an undetectable stealth drone. Against alert opponents the bonus would be lower. In combat I wouldn't give any bonus. (I'm unsure in general about the use of floating disk in combat.)

I'd also be willing to try a house rule allowing use of Arcana instead of stealth, though I wouldn't give any special bonus to that check. I'd allow enemies to use Arcana instead of Perception if you choose Arcana for your check.

 

[Hereticus]

Is there anything in the description of Tenser's Floating Disk that says it's silent or moves things silently?

Unfortunately the Players Handbook is very sparse in its definition.

Excuse this question if there is an obvious answer. But why is the disc invisible just because the wizard is? Is it considered his 'gear' or that he is wearing it or something? If the wizard jumps on a moving cart, *It* wouldn't become invisible, so why the disc?

Again the Players Handbook is very sparse in its definition of invisibility. We interpreted the rule as having invisibility include all items you are wearing or carrying when the spell was cast. With a floating disk being the size of a shield, which would be made invisible on a martial character, we included the disk, as would we include a six foot staff or large sack. However the benefit would not extend to a mount or a cart that was being pulled.

 

[Hereticus]

I think that out of combat, I would be pretty liberal in granting a circumstance bonus to Stealth for using a floating disk while invisible. Certainly it would negate most terrain-based penalties. I wouldn't have it turn you into an undetectable stealth drone. Against alert opponents the bonus would be lower. In combat I wouldn't give any bonus. (I'm unsure in general about the use of floating disk in combat.)

I'd also be willing to try a house rule allowing use of Arcana instead of stealth, though I wouldn't give any special bonus to that check. I'd allow enemies to use Arcana instead of Perception if you choose Arcana for your check.

Good points.

Invisibility requires a standard action to maintain, so it is not a combat spell.