DavyGreenwind
Just some guy
There's been some debate about the Hide action and the Invisible condition. Basically, when you succeed on a DC 15 stealth check in three-quarters cover or heavily obscured, you get the Invisible condition. The text states that it ends when you make a sound louder than a whisper, an enemy finds you, you make an attack roll, or you cast a spell with a verbal component. Even though "enemy finds you," is undefined, some people think that the previous sentence, setting the DC for a "creature to find you with a Wisdom (perception) check," means that a Search action is necessary for "an enemy to find you." (I personally believe that reading is not necessarily supported). Others believe that the "Invisible condition" means that you become translucent, or unable to be seen. It is clear from context that the more mundane definition of invisible is being used here, i.e. "unseen."
But for folks unwilling to accept those arguments, there's a weird loophole in the text of the Invisible condition itself that may prevent a player from crouching behind a bush and turning into H.G. Wells's "The Invisible Man."
The text of the Invisible condition specifies that "You aren't affected by any effect that requires its target to be seen unless the effect's creator can somehow see you." Also, "Attack rolls against you have Disadvantage, and your attack rolls have Advantage. If a creature can somehow see you, you don't gain this benefit against that creature."
Weirdly enough, then, the Invisible condition is phrased in a way where you can lose most of the benefits of the condition (by being seen), without losing the condition itself! The only condition that does not require you to remain unseen is advantage on initiative rolls. Which makes sense. If you jump out and ambush, you want that initiative advantage given by the surprise rules.
It's poor design, but does not require absurd results. RAW you get to have the condition, but almost none of its benefits. What this means for the Invisibility spell, of course, will require clarification...
But for folks unwilling to accept those arguments, there's a weird loophole in the text of the Invisible condition itself that may prevent a player from crouching behind a bush and turning into H.G. Wells's "The Invisible Man."
The text of the Invisible condition specifies that "You aren't affected by any effect that requires its target to be seen unless the effect's creator can somehow see you." Also, "Attack rolls against you have Disadvantage, and your attack rolls have Advantage. If a creature can somehow see you, you don't gain this benefit against that creature."
Weirdly enough, then, the Invisible condition is phrased in a way where you can lose most of the benefits of the condition (by being seen), without losing the condition itself! The only condition that does not require you to remain unseen is advantage on initiative rolls. Which makes sense. If you jump out and ambush, you want that initiative advantage given by the surprise rules.
It's poor design, but does not require absurd results. RAW you get to have the condition, but almost none of its benefits. What this means for the Invisibility spell, of course, will require clarification...
