pinpointing invisible opponents

[Elethiomel]

Maybe it sounds a bit silly from a pure rule mechanics perspective, but I find that it makes perfect sense. And it isn't as easy as that makes it sound; many invisible creatures are also flying, and finding out in what general vicinity they are at any one time is the hard part.

 

[Nail]

Sounds a bit silly that a 4th level spell can be so easily countered with mundane means....

Explain how you think using flour to detect an invisible creature is "easy".

 

[Aust Diamondew]

Maybe it sounds a bit silly from a pure rule mechanics perspective, but I find that it makes perfect sense. And it isn't as easy as that makes it sound; many invisible creatures are also flying, and finding out in what general vicinity they are at any one time is the hard part.

I don't think it proably make them totally visible either unless you got them very well covered, but rather like the glitter dust spell the previously invisible foe would merely have concealment.

 

[Hypersmurf]

The spell's description states that items in the invisible creature's possetion also become invisible, so wouldn't the flour become invisible upon contacting the invisible creature?

Items in the invisible creature's possetion also become invisible at casting time.

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.

So if you dump flour on top of someone, it stays visible unless they turn all their clothes inside out, or cast invisibility again.

-Hyp.

 

[Hypersmurf]

I don't think it proably make them totally visible either unless you got them very well covered, but rather like the glitter dust spell the previously invisible foe would merely have concealment.

A Glitterdusted invisible creature doesn't have concealment.

-Hyp.

 

[Nail]

... but rather like the glitter dust spell the previously invisible foe would merely have concealment.

???? Errr....???

 

[kolikeos]

Can a bag of flour be used as a splash weapon? That way I can throw it in the general direction I think he is and if he really is there I’ll see bits of flour hovering around in midair. Would that totally negate his concealment or merely pinpoint him? And if i hear his footsteps (Maybe Listen vs Move silently checks) do i know in which general direction he might be?

 

[phindar]

My group plays it that Invisibility is invisiblity, no matter how much flour, fog, rain, water, or what have you is thrown about. My personal take is less restrictive. I'm all for letting player creativity help out in pinpointing the invisible creature's hex (footprints in the sand or flour, the vague outline of a person displacing fog or rain, the splashing of invisible feet in shallow water), but retaining the 50% miss chance.

Using unconventional methods to suss out the invisible person isn't really covered in terms of hard numbers, its one of those things that GMs have to adjudicate on the fly (does covering the floor in flour not help in locating an invisible person, locate them immediately, or give a bonus of some sort to the spot check?) and so there's going to be some variations there.

 

[RigaMortus2]

Under the Special Conditions section, Invisible:

"A Listen check that beats the DC by 20 pinpoints the invisible creature’s location."

"It's practically impossible (+20 DC) to pinpoint an invisible creature’s location with a Spot check..."

I sit corrected... I knew they were there somewhere. I just naturally assumed it would be listed under Spot and Listen skills.

 

[Nail]

I sit corrected... I knew they were there somewhere. I just naturally assumed it would be listed under Spot and Listen skills.

I remember thinking the same thing when I first looked...in the middle of a tense battle years ago.

Grrrr.