Invisibility=Hide in plain sight?

[CrimsonWineGlass]

In my last campaign I had somebody who managed to get their hands on a ring of invisibility. In a battle this player put on the ring and moved around behind an enemy. Next turn he wanted to make a sneak attack. Would he be able to do that? Or would he need hide in plain sight? If he did have hide in plain sight would that simply give him a bonus? Please help, I have another game tonight and I'd like to have it resolved.

 

[Demoquin]

I think there is a a high hide check +40 and a +20 Move silently check. If the target is unaware of the rogue then you get your sneak attack.

 

[pallandrome]

If the enemy is unaware of the rogue (entirely reasonable, since the rogue is invisible) then the rogue gets the sneak attack.

 

[lebkin]

The fact that the rogue is invisible gives him the ability to make a sneak attack. No hide needed. Take a look at the following rules from the SRD (emphasis mine):

The rogue’s attack deals extra damage any time her target would be denied a Dexterity bonus to AC (whether the target actually has a Dexterity bonus or not), or when the rogue flanks her target. This extra damage is 1d6 at 1st level, and it increases by 1d6 every two rogue levels thereafter. Should the rogue score a critical hit with a sneak attack, this extra damage is not multiplied.

Visually undetectable. An invisible creature gains a +2 bonus on attack rolls against sighted opponents, and ignores its opponents’ Dexterity bonuses to AC (if any). (See Invisibility, under Special Abilities.)

 

[billd91]

The target can even be aware of exactly which square the rogue is in. Awareness doesn't really factor into it. The fact that the target cannot see the attack coming (because the attacker is invisible) makes him a target for sneak attack (barring uncanny dodge, of course).

 

[Nail]

Awareness doesn't really factor into it.

Exactly.


...barring blindsight, true sight, see invisible, etc

Scent, blindsense, tremorsense, etc doesn't take away the sneak attack from an invisible rogue.

 

[Dei]

As for hide in plain sight, yes, it is essentially invisibility in this situation but gives no bonus to hide and move silently checks like being invisible does. However if the rogue (or in this case Shadowdancer) was able to beat the opponent's spot check he would be essentially invisible to that opponent and thus would be granted sneak attack which is one of the main benefits of the ability. Especially considering that it can be activated in combat as a move action without the -20 penalty that a normal hide check would have and without drawing AoOs meaning sneak attack is obtained again and again. It's also very handy when the meatshield goes down and you need to withdraw discretely.

 

[DungeonMaester]

Dont forget about listen. Enemies can hear a invisible person at a normal Listen Vrs. Move Silently.

---Rusty

 

[javcs]

Doesn't help them much, though, other than to know where the chap is, which does not provide the listener with Dex bonus while the rogue is invisible.

 

[moritheil]

This is why invisible rogues (and by extension rogue/mages) scare most people.