invisibility question

[kcmopd1913]

if a character is magically invisible (i.e. invisibility spell), can another character who cast detect magic see a magic aura of the character who is invisible?

 

[Hypersmurf]

if a character is magically invisible (i.e. invisibility spell), can another character who cast detect magic see a magic aura of the character who is invisible?

Eventually.

It takes a few rounds to narrow it down... if you read the text of Detect Magic, you'll see that you have to be detecting in the right area for three rounds before you learn the location of an aura...

-Hyp.

 

[shilsen]

What Hyp said. So unless the invisible character holds still in exactly the same place for 18 seconds (i.e.3 rds of concentration), you'll never pinpoint the location.

 

[Len]

I don't see why the invisible guy has to keep still in one spot. It seems to me that as long as he's within the area of the spell, you find out where he is on the 3rd round. I don't see anything in the spell description about losing track of auras if they move around a bit. (Of course, if the character leaves the area of the spell, then you lose him.)

 

[taliesin15]

Len says:
I don't see why the invisible guy has to keep still in one spot.

natch--but if you get triangulation, say 3 casters using Detect Magic, even a moving target can be found fast

but you know, something about this reminds me of that Silence thread--the question would be is this person *actually* invisible, or only seems to be invisible to the viewers...IMO it seems to be the former, in which case I wonder whether that affects the question of Silence being actual

 

[HellHound]

I thought that this tactic had been ruled against by the (old) sage at some point? That until you got around the invisibility, the detect magic wouldn't help...

 

[Hypersmurf]

I thought that this tactic had been ruled against by the (old) sage at some point?

Exactly the opposite.

From the 3E Main FAQ:

Is it possible to use a spell such as detect magic or detect
evil to detect an invisible foe?

Yes, but not very efficiently. Let’s say a character uses a
detect magic spell; the spell reveals nothing about the invisible
foe unless the character happens to aim the spell at the area
containing the invisible foe. If the foe is using an invisibility
spell, a spell-like invisibility power, or a supernatural
invisibility power, the detect magic spell merely reveals that
there is magic somewhere in the area. The detect magic caster
has no idea where the magical aura is, what sort of creature or
object bears the aura, or if the aura is in motion or not.

One round later, the detect magic user can search for magical
auras again. If the user aims the spell at the invisible foe again,
detect magic spell will reveal the number of magical auras on
the foe and the strength of the strongest aura. (The user has
scanned the same subject for 2 consecutive rounds.) The detect
magic user still has no idea exactly where the foe is, what the
foe is like, or whether the foe is moving.

After another round goes by, the detect magic user can scan
for magical auras once again. If the user is lucky enough to
catch the invisible foe for a third time, she will have scanned
the same subject for 3 consecutive rounds. The detect magic
spell now reveals the strength and location of each aura. The
detect magic user still does not “see” the foe and does not know
whether it’s moving or not. She only knows the strength and
locations of magical auras during her turn in the initiative
order. In this case a “location” is the 5-foot square that contains
the aura. If the creature or item bearing the aura takes up more
than one square, the detect magic user can get some idea of its
size. (See Big and Little Creatures in Combat in Chapter 8 of
the Player’s Handbook.) It is possible for the detect magic user
to attack the location of one of the auras the spell has revealed.

If the spell revealed auras in different locations, the detect
magic user still might not choose the right location to attack.
Even if she does, the foe has 100% concealment and the attack
has a 50% chance to miss no matter what the attack roll is.

Remember that all of the foregoing depends on the detect
magic spell user scanning the invisible foe for 3 consecutive
rounds. If the detect magic user guesses wrong about where to
scan even once, she’ll have to start the process of zeroing in on
the invisible foe all over again.

-Hyp.

 

[RangerWickett]

Arcane sight is much more useful. Favorite character I ever had for a one-shot was the wizard with a mask that granted permanent greater arcane sight. Just a little expensive.

 

[HellHound]

Cool, thanks Smurf!

 

[DaveStebbins]

By the way, welcome to the boards kcmopd1913.