D&D 5E True Seeing vs Invisibility/Mind Blank

[Ganymede81]

Seems to me that seeing through an invisibility spell is an effect to 'gain information about the target'.

Casting light in order to see a Mind Blanked figure in a dark room is also an effect to "gain information about the target."

This particular interpretation here is a black hole I do not wish to traverse. That's why I'm swayed by the alternative interpretation that Mind Blank does not nullify the truesight of True Seeing.

 

[Stalker0]

For reference, if you go with the ruling that Mind Blank only blocks divinations that target you specifically, here are only spells it affects.

Detect Thoughts (specific thoughts, not the general detection of thinking creatures)
Hunter's Mark
Scrying
You might think Locate Creature is one, but it doesn't target, again just provides info about you.

 

[Oofta]

For reference, if you go with the ruling that Mind Blank only blocks divinations that target you specifically, here are only spells it affects.

Detect Thoughts (specific thoughts, not the general detection of thinking creatures)
Hunter's Mark
Scrying
You might think Locate Creature is one, but it doesn't target, again just provides info about you.

I would rule that knowing someone's direction is information about them, so Locate Creature would not work.

Then again I'd also rule that things like a Paladin's Divine Sense would not work against a vampire with mind blank up as well, so YMMV.

In any case, when in doubt ask your DM.

 

[Stalker0]

Fear auras do target creatures -- if you're in the area of effect, you are targeted by it's effect. True Seeing doesn't do anything to anyone other than the target of True Seeing.

I looked at pg 204 of the players handbook. It says that spells generally have one of 3 targets: Creatures, Objects, or a point location for an area of effect.

The section of area of effect does not ever mention targets.

The 3 aura spells in the PH all have a target of SELF. I think it would make more sense to say a fear's aura target is the monster who generates it.

 

[Ovinomancer]

I looked at pg 204 of the players handbook. It says that spells generally have one of 3 targets: Creatures, Objects, or a point location for an area of effect.

The section of area of effect does not ever mention targets.

The 3 aura spells in the PH all have a target of SELF. I think it would make more sense to say a fear's aura target is the monster who generates it.

Well, first, what fear aura effect are you talking about?

Second, yes, the spells target self, but the effect of the aura clearly target creatures within the aura according to the description. If you had an Aura Blank spell, I'd say you were immune because those spells affect you. If there was an aura that affected something that wasn't you, I wouldn't say you were immune to it because you aren't affected by it. For instance, if I had an aura that dispelled illusion within it, and you had a Mirror Image up, your Aura Blank wouldn't help you because the effect targeted is the illusion spell affecting you, not you. For Mind Blank, True Sight doesn't do anything at all to you, therefore, not affected.

 

[Gadget]

Casting light in order to see a Mind Blanked figure in a dark room is also an effect to "gain information about the target."

This particular interpretation here is a black hole I do not wish to traverse. That's why I'm swayed by the alternative interpretation that Mind Blank does not nullify the truesight of True Seeing.

Good example. Is light a divination spell? Is the spell directly revealing anything about you? It is magically providing illumination. True sight is magically enhanced vision to 'see' you. Light does not magically enhance your vision. I think it is pretty clear that using magical means to divine information about the target is a no-go with Mind Blank. Otherwise the spell is much reduced in power and effectiveness.

 

[Satyrn]

I would rule that true seeing sees through the invisibility.

My reasoning: While the invisible creature would indeed be immune to true seeing if the spell is cast on him, what's actually happening is true seeing is affecting the true seer.

 

[Ristamar]

Mind Blank defeats the True Seeing spell. Creatures with truesight, however, are not affected by Mind Blank since it presumably doesn't rely on divinations.

https://www.sageadvice.eu/2016/06/27/alter-self-mind-blank-vs-truesight-what-wins/

 

[Oofta]

Mind Blank defeats the True Seeing spell. Creatures with truesight, however, are not affected by Mind Blank since it presumably doesn't rely on divinations.

https://www.sageadvice.eu/2016/06/27/alter-self-mind-blank-vs-truesight-what-wins/

It doesn't seem to be particularly consistent, because other related posts say that truesight is not affected by nondetection which hides you from divination magic.

https://www.sageadvice.eu/2016/11/17/does-nondetection-spell-hide-you-from-a-monsters-truesight/

Does nondetection also hide you from a monster's truesight?
Jeremy Crawford [MENTION=4036]Jeremy[/MENTION]ECrawford
The nondetection spell hides you from divination magic. Truesight is a sense, not a form of divination magic.​

Which is part of why I don't put too much stock in the twitter responses, they aren't particularly detailed and can be confusing IMHO.

If the intent of his response is that a monster's truesight would detect someone but truesight granted by a spell would not ... well let's just say that it's not how I would rule.

 

[Caliban]

It doesn't seem to be particularly consistent, because other related posts say that truesight is not affected by nondetection which hides you from divination magic.

https://www.sageadvice.eu/2016/11/17/does-nondetection-spell-hide-you-from-a-monsters-truesight/

Does nondetection also hide you from a monster's truesight?
Jeremy Crawford [MENTION=4036]Jeremy[/MENTION]ECrawford
The nondetection spell hides you from divination magic. Truesight is a sense, not a form of divination magic.​

Which is part of why I don't put too much stock in the twitter responses, they aren't particularly detailed and can be confusing IMHO.

If the intent of his response is that a monster's truesight would detect someone but truesight granted by a spell would not ... well let's just say that it's not how I would rule.

Well, the True Seeing spell specifically grants you the Truesight ability, so his response would seem to apply to the spell as well.