D&D 5E Invisibility and holding items.

[Lanefan]

Of course this is DM interpretation, but I would focus on the carried part. A rope tied to the ceiling that you are climbing would not be invisible. If you were lowering that same rope down to your buddy using yourself as an anchor, it would be. If you tie it and stretch it across a hallway, since you are only partly carrying it I would say that is visible. This also avoids the problem of ladders disappearing as you climb them.

All good, though I'd say the tied rope across the hallway would fade out as it neared the invisible person holding one end - like that's not suspicious at all to anyone who notices it!

 

[Blue]

I would rule that the whole rope is visible.

In case of a weapon, even if it's long I would rule it's invisible, even a whip. If thrown, it becomes visible.

Generally speaking, I would ask myself if the object feels like it's part of the person: a weapon does, a rope doesn't.

I generally agree, but there's a lot of fuzzy lines.

If an invisible character on top of a pit ties a rope around something and tosses it down, it's obvious it becomes visible. But what if they lower downt he 20' feeded and brace, still holding it and completely supporting it? In that case the rope still seems to be part of their person and I'd let it stay invisible. But maybe once someone starts to climb up the other end it's now shared, so it's not just that person and it becomes visible.

I think my issue is I agree with you, but see too many fuzzy lines to want to impose it on my players as is.

 

[Damian Henderson]

I believe they are invisible until the object is released.

 

[Li Shenron]

I generally agree, but there's a lot of fuzzy lines.

Of course there are. I won't try to shoehorn my general decision into every single corner case. I don't want to prove my point I just think it's good to have a baseline but be open to rule it differently when it feels appropriate.

 

[Horwath]

I would say that the rope is visible.

Rope would be invisible if you drag it behind you as you are only one with "firm" connection to the rope or you let it hang from a cliff.

Workaround would be 2 invisible characters holding the rope between them or casting invisibility on the other anchor point as well.