"Ring, engage the cloaking device" "Aye, aye, captain"

[Len]

You are also only going to be invisible for one attack per round, on average. That's really much worse than Greater Invisibility.

No, you're invisible always except for part of your turn. That is, you're invisible when others are attacking you.

I still say it's worth a lot more that 30000 gp, if it acts that way.

Why are we trying to price an intelligent item anyway? You can't usually buy them, and selling one depends more on convincing a customer that it will be helpful, than on its basic powers.

 

[Staffan]

No, you're invisible always except for part of your turn. That is, you're invisible when others are attacking you.

But one of the main advantages of invisibility is that it enables you to sneak attack. And with the auto-invisibility ring, that only occurs once per round.

 

[Darkness]

No, you're invisible always except for part of your turn. That is, you're invisible when others are attacking you.

Though they can Ready an attack for when you appear.

 

[HeavyG]

But one of the main advantages of invisibility is that it enables you to sneak attack. And with the auto-invisibility ring, that only occurs once per round.

Yeah, that's what I meant. Yes, you'll be invisible when it's not your turn, provided the ring is smart enough to delay to just after you.

Darkness also has a very good point. If you are fighting someone with this ring, and you can't see invisible creatures, it's much less infuriating than fighting someone with Greater Invisibility.

And that makes me think of something :

In melee combat there's not much difference. When I'm attacked by a Greater Invisible fighter, I can tell the rest of the party and the wizard will know where to cast Glitterdust.

If I understand Da Rulez, and I'm not 100% sure about this point, if that Greater Invisible enemy starts his round within range of you, he can attack and then 5' step away. You'll know the square where the attacks came from, not the one in which the enemy is now. Of course, Glitterdust is an area spell, but the spell has to be targetted to avoid you, and the invisible enemy 5' stepped around you, then the spell might miss (about a 50% chance, I'd say).

 

[KarinsDad]

Depending on the character class, this ring is very similar in strength to a Permanent Greater Invisibility spell.

It is stronger than Greater Invisibility because it can be used by any character whom the ring likes, not just arcane spellcasters who know the Greater Invisibility spell.

It is weaker than Greater Invisibility because it only allows one invisible attack per round. But for spell casters, this is not that much of a limitation. Also, any character using it can attack, go invisible, and then do either a normal move or a 5 foot step, hence, confusing enemies on their location.

It is not quite a powerful as an item of Greater Invisibility, but it is pretty potent. I wouldn't allow such an item anywhere near my campaign. As is, I have put curses/limitations on all of my normal Rings of Invisibility because they are just too potent as written in the DMG.

 

[irdeggman]

What is the means of activation for the item (i.e., ring)?

Is it a command word or an action (like removing and placing it back on - or adjustment)?

How does the ring (intelligent item) perform this activation?

Can it speak? Can it make the required movement/adjustment of itself? Does it cause its wearer to perform the action necessary to activate it?

These are the things that make an intelligent item activating itself a limiting factor - it just doesn't automatically happen.

 

[Len]

It can activate itself. The rules don't say how exactly, but presumably it's a standard action.

Unlike most magic items, intelligent items can activate their own powers without waiting for a command word from their owner. Intelligent items act during their owner’s turn in the initiative order.

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

The RAW is a good place to start, but they were not written to cover these kinds of situations. In principle, I could get an "extra" action by creating an appropriate magic item to be activated by a Familiar. We are getting into dangerous ground when you allow one character effective direct control of multiple extra actions. The game balance will break.

"Raven, hit him with a Fireball! Ring, hit him with a Fireball. Here is my own Fireball! And a Sudden Quickened Fireball!" That is just a dumb example. I could come up with something much nastier easily enough.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Uh, RC, that's how things are supposed to work ...

 

[Shadeus]

There is potentially one way this would be better than greater invisibility:

- get hit invisibility with glitterdust
- attack and become visible
- have the ring turn you invisible again effectively negating the glitterdust.

Does that work by the RAW? I couldn't tell if the glitterdust would count as any other carried item at that point and also become invisible.

Regardless, to add to the discussion, I think its fairly powerful. Like having an unlimited use quickened invisibilty at your disposal. That's a 6th-level spell. Is it the end-all game-breaking spells? No. Isn't there a swift invisiblity in one of the splat books? Maybe price is similarly.