Invisibility and Light Source

[waterdhavian]

Last night an interesting question came up. If a character has an item that emits light, as a torch, (such as an everburning torch) and has invisibility on, will the effect of the light cancel the invisibility or will the light not shine?

The question arose after one character had activated his armor which has an everburning torch built in and activates on command. We figured the light would shine from an invisible source. For combat purposes the character would still be invisible and get the benefits of miss chance but would be easy to find which square he is located in.

Anyone have any thoughts on this matter? Everyone agreed with what we did, have the light give away position but not break the spell.

 

[kreynolds]

To keep things simple, I'd say the light source was invisibile, hence could not shed light.

 

[lukelightning]

Read the spell (emphasis mine):

Items dropped or put down by an invisible creature become visible; items picked up disappear if tucked into the clothing or pouches worn by the creature. Light, however, never becomes invisible, although a source of light can become so (thus, the effect is that of a light with no visible source). Any part of an item that the subject carries but that extends more than 10 feet from it becomes visible.

 

[kreynolds]

Ah, so the source of the light would need to be "tucked away" then. Still simple enough. Thanks, Luke.

 

[TheGogmagog]

Ah, so the source of the light would need to be "tucked away" then. Still simple enough. Thanks, Luke.

Are you reading the same text as I am? Light Never becomes invisible.

Note that light, continual flame, and darkness have effect target, not emination. Contrast those to Silence "Area: 20-ft.-radius emanation centered on a creature, object, or point in space ". A silenced object placed in a pouch would still be contained (no line of effect) by an invisible pouch.

 

[werk]

Anyone have any thoughts on this matter? Everyone agreed with what we did, have the light give away position but not break the spell.

I think that is pretty much correct. Like automatically failing the spot check and using the normal rules from there: "If a character tries to attack an invisible creature whose location he has pinpointed, he attacks normally, but the invisible creature still benefits from full concealment (and thus a 50% miss chance)."

 

[lukelightning]

Toss in a dancing lights spell and confusion will abound!

 

[Plane Sailing]

Since the light is a 20ft radius, it would give away the presence, but almost certainly not the position of the invisible person. How easily could anyone work out where the centre of the illumination is when you can't see the actual thing that is shining?

(unless, I suppose, you rule that the flames of the everburning torch are actually visible?)

 

[mvincent]

Are you reading the same text as I am? Light Never becomes invisible.

Note that light, continual flame, and darkness have effect target, not emination. Contrast those to Silence "Area: 20-ft.-radius emanation centered on a creature, object, or point in space ". A silenced object placed in a pouch would still be contained (no line of effect) by an invisible pouch.

From the Rules of the Game (if desired):
"The rules don't explain what happens when you carry a concealed light source when you become invisible. They also don't say what happens if you're invisible and you tuck a light source into your clothing. If you follow the rules to the letter, the concealed light source just keeps right on shining. In that case, it's best to dump any continual flame effects you might have tucked away in your gear so that their light won't give you away while you're invisible.

On the other hand, it's perfectly reasonable to assume that anything that doesn't shed light when you conceal it on your person while visible also doesn't shed light when you conceal it on your person while invisible. So, for example, if you carry a coin with a continual flame spell on it in a belt pouch, where it doesn't shed light, it won't start shedding light when you become invisible. If you later pull it out of the pouch, but hold onto it, the coin stays invisible, but it sheds visible light. Later, you can douse the light by putting the coin back into the pouch."

Alternately, you could just put the light source in your handy haversack or bag of holding.

 

[kreynolds]

Are you reading the same text as I am?

Yes, friend.