When does Invisibility drop while attacking?

kreynolds said:


You are partially right about logic. The rules are basically a giant system of mathematics. So logic does have a place in the rules, maybe not in the RPG itself, but definately in regards to the rules. Although, I admit there are times when the rules seem a little "funny".

A little funny, come on a guy frozen in air 6 seconds as he waits until his turn comes up again so he can continue his jump is a lot funny.
 

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attack definition

Shard and Kobold, it all comes down to how you interpret attack in the spell. If a full attack full round action is a direct attack (and not the individual attacks that make them up) then the spell ends immediately after the multiple attacks of the full attack action. However, I think it is more reasonable to say a single attack is a direct attack whether it is a standard attack action or the first attack of a full attack action.

Do you allow your PCs to direct their attacks from a full attack action sequentially or do you require them to announce them all up front and follow through regardless of the results of the attacks? (If they are shooting arrows at goblins can they shoot as many as it takes to drop an individual and then move on to the next one or must they tacticaly guess at the beginning of their full attacks) If the events of a full attack all happened simultaneously then there could be no reacting to the effects of earlier attacks in the full round action.

Here is the srd quote on the full attack:

Full attack [Full][AoO: No]

Description: If a combatant gets more than one attack per action, the combatant must use the full attack action to use those additional attacks. A combatant does not need to specify the targets of a the attacks ahead of time. A combatant can see how the earlier attacks turn out before assigning the later ones.

The combatant may take a 5 ft. step before, after, or between the attacks.

If a combatant gets multiple attacks based on a combatant's base attack bonus, the combatant must make the attacks in order from highest bonus to lowest.

Deciding between an Attack or a Full Attack Action: After a combatant's first attack, if the combatant has not yet taken a 5-foot step, a combatant can decide to move instead of making a combatant's remaining attacks.

From this quote I would say that even the attacks of a full attack happen sequentially and invisibility can be ended between those attacks.
 

You guys are not going to believe this. In fact, I'm not sure that I do either. I sent The Sage an email regarding this issue and here is his response...

From: Kelly Reynolds
Reply To: kbreynolds@attbi.com
Posted At: Friday, March 15, 2002 9:38 PM
Conversation: Invisibility and attacking
Subject: Invisibility and attacking

I have a question about the invisibility spell. The description states that if you attack a target, the spell is cancelled. An invisible attacker always receives a bonus to hit a target, unless they have blindsight or something similar. So my question is this; If you are under the effects of invisibility, and you have three attacks at +16/+11/+6, do you gain the usual bonus to hit with the first attack, all of the attacks, or none of the attacks?

All of them. (Note you have to use the full attack action to make all those attacks, so you opponent must be close by.)

Skip Williams
RPG R&D


Well. There it is. Hmmm...interesting. Not the response I expected, let me assure you. But, de rules is de rules, no? :)
 

Well...I've said it before and I'll say it again: I take the Sage as official "advice". As far as I'm concerned, a single swing of the sword is an "attack" and that ends the spell and all bonuses associated with it. I'm going to mention this to the other DM in my group because we've been using Invisibility a lot in his game and we're starting to get iterative attacks...so this could come up...
 

You know...a good follow up question to the Sage would be:

*********************************
If you are considered invisible during all the attacks of a Full Attack action, what about other "extra" attacks? For instance, what if you attack with a weapon of Speed? Are you invisible during it's extra attack? What if you are hasted and do a move and single attack + another single attack with your partial action from haste? Are you invisible for both those attacks or just one? What about extra attacks from Cleave, Great Cleave, Supreme Cleave, Whirlwind attack? Are you invisible for all those as well?
*********************************

Anyway...it seems to me that the easist answer is you are invisible for ALL your attacks during your turn or exactly one of them(the first).
 

Uller said:
Anyway...it seems to me that the easist answer is you are invisible for ALL your attacks during your turn or exactly one of them(the first).

Startin' to look that way. Although, he seemed to imply that the spell ends after you take your full attack action, because he said your enemy needs to be close by. Hmmm.
 
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sage answer

I do believe it. I disagree with him, but I have no problem believing that is his answer.

That was how I ran things the first time with a ranger rogue with an invisibility ring. Then I thought about it, checked out the spell's wording, the wordings of the combat section in the srd, and concluded that an attack is a single attack.

It makes a huge difference when the character is getting multiple attacks and multiple dice sneak attacks.
 

"Close by"

You can get multiple attacks with a bow using the full attack option and not be close by. When invisibility breaks is not a matter of whether you are in melee or using missile fire, it is immediately upon making a direct attack.
 



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