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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Hriston" data-source="post: 6961260" data-attributes="member: 6787503">I had forgotten but was just reminded that the explanation for elves being "nearly invisible" in D&D, Vol. 2, is the "gray-green cloaks" they are all assumed to wear. In Chainmail, it's an apparently magical ability to become invisible at will, equivalent to a concealment spell and requiring the use of a detection spell to locate. No explanation is given, however.Yes, the MM restricts the ability to "natural surroundings" with adequate vegetation (which going back to Chainmail was a requirement of the hobbit's ability to become invisible), but is somewhat ambiguous as far as whether there is anything magical going on, reminiscent of Tolkien's emphasis on "the ordinary everyday sort" of magic. In the MM, the elf can "blend into the vegetation so as to be invisible (requiring the ability to see invisible objects to locate them) as long as they are not attacking." The "so as to be" suggests to me that the elf isn't really invisible, but the requirement of magic to locate them suggests that this is basically an innate elven equivalent to invisibility. How the elf accomplishes this blending in is left to the imagination, however, as the gray-green cloaks have been left out, and it is not suggested that the elf is invisible by default in natural surroundings. The most natural reading to me for what 's actually happening in the fiction would be that elves "blend" in and become "invisible" by hiding in the vegetation with a combination of superior (and perhaps magical) craft and skill, and that attacking not only makes them visible but prevents future attempts to become invisible for as long as combat continues. This all very strongly suggests to me that the intent for this ability was for it to be used primarily for setting up ambushes.It's unclear to me whether the AD&D rules allow an elf that has chosen to remain visible while parlaying with someone to then become invisible while under direct observation. The treatment of the ability as the equivalent of the invisibility spell would suggest that the answer is yes, but this passage from p 60 of the DMG would suggest that even an invisibility spell does not disguise location if cast under direct observation: Becoming invisible takes but a twinkling, but if the party is observed doing so, there is no reason why an opponent cannot attack with the standard penalty (-4) for inability to see the target.So while the elf could become as invisible at will under the appropriate circumstances, doing so under direct observation would not result in the elf having its location concealed, at least that's my understanding.Mask of the Wild is clearly descended from this earlier ability. It allows a wood elf to conceal its position in areas of moderate foliage, as well as other natural areas of lightly obscuring terrain/phenomena. But does it allow the wood elf to become invisible at will when only lightly obscured? Not really. Consider the wood elf in moderate foliage who doesn't try to hide. Why would that elf be invisible?Which leaves the question, how does the wood elf conceal its position when in moderate foliage if not by virtue of invisibility? How does it "blend" in? According to the feature, it does so by hiding. So I would think the rules for hiding ought to apply. You're welcome. I hope I've explained myself well enough. I'm not sure if even [MENTION=6788736]Flamestrike[/MENTION] thinks what I've posted makes sense. I'm glad someone does.</blockquote>

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