See Invisability, Cone?

[DM with a vengence]

How exactly does See Invisibilty work. It is a cone spell, so does it create a cone and any invis creatures in it are revealed, does this cone move with the caster, or does it simply mean the caster can only check a certain arc?

I'd perfer that this spell be rewritten with a Target of Creature, Range Touch, and let the affected creature see invisible objects.

 

[fba827]

How exactly does See Invisibilty work. It is a cone spell, so does it create a cone and any invis creatures in it are revealed, does this cone move with the caster, or does it simply mean the caster can only check a certain arc?

Yeah, as I see it (no pun intended), the cone emmenates from the caster. Anything invisible in the cone is revealed. If the caster moves, the cone moves with him.

I think of it as a special flashlight (perhaps afixed to the caster's head), anything invisible in the beam (cone) gets revealed. If you turn away, the beam no longer shines on it so it is once again invisible.

I'd perfer that this spell be rewritten with a Target of Creature, Range Touch, and let the affected creature see invisible objects.

I don't believe that would be a bad house rule. Not to mention it would greatly simply things! (less need for tactical placement during non-combat situations since you won't need to figure out if someone invisible would fall inside the arc, etc.

 

[shilsen]

It's similar to the detect spells, with a longer range and allowing the caster to see invisible creatures within a narrower area.

 

[Derren]

But there is no facing in combat. So the cone becomes efficiently a radius

 

[Destil]

Basicly, it's supposted to represent your natural field of vision, I believe. Anyplace you look within range you can see invis. That's how I run it, makes things simples, that way.

 

[Dr_Rictus]

But there is no facing in combat. So the cone becomes efficiently a radius

There is no facing, but the fact that characters don't have facing doesn't mean that their spells aren't oriented in a certain direction. Technically, a spellcaster using see invisibility should be required to indicate what direction the cone faces.

Though of course it is simpler if you dont' bother with this, it makes the spell somewhat more powerful.

 

[Derren]

hmmm

I hevent thought about that.

One question. Is the direction of the cone permanent or can the wizard change it?

 

[Xeriar]

hmmm

I hevent thought about that.

One question. Is the direction of the cone permanent or can the wizard change it?

It's oriented to the caster, presumably on his field of vision (else the spell would be rather silly)

 

[Dr_Rictus]

It's oriented to the caster, presumably on his field of vision (else the spell would be rather silly)

As previously pointed out, all characters have a 360 degree field of vision in the game we're talking about, so it doesn't really have an orientation.

I don't know that non-circular spells that move with the caster are really discussed all that specifically in the rules, but the implication is pretty clearly that you can reorient them as you wish.

 

[Murrdox]

In combat, I agree, this spell would effectively become a radius instead of a cone.

If you were walking around outside of combat with this spell cast, I supposed I could think of a couple of applications where it might matter that it's a "cone".

This kinda smells like a holdover from 2nd edition... has this been errated out?