Why did Invisibility get the shaft?

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

Invisibility is not so difficult to defeat. It neither negates sound, nor smell. It does not prevent the disturbance of the surface being trod upon by the subject--mud, dust, dirt on the floor or in the air etc. would easily show an invisible spy.

Or deliberately squeaky floors Unfortunately not everyone is paranoid ... the players aren't always sneaking through the BBEG's castle.

See the Dungeon Masters Guide (1E, pp. 59-60). The section of The Hobbit describing Bilbo's experience in the elven forest city is more accessible and just as descriptive.

You might want to post that, since the 1E DMG isn't exactly widely available.

What's the point of the passage? I'm pretty sure Bilbo wasn't using his artifact ring to sneak around...

 

[drnuncheon]

It's bad enough that you can detect the presence (though not the exact location) of an invisible creature by rolling a spot check. I'd love to hear an explanation of that one.

An invisible creature can still have visible effects on the environment. How many movies have you seen where they show you someone is invisible by their footprints? The spot roll - a tough spot roll to make, I might add - could well be for seeing things like disturbances in dust, crushed grass, a stray pebble that got dislodged or kicked, etc.

J

 

[Sledge]

The explanation for a spot check revealing invisible creatures is not that they saw it, but that a consequence of the invisible creature was seen. The dust on the floor of an ancient crypt. The rustling leaves of a tree. Footprints in the mud.

 

[VirgilCaine]

Or deliberately squeaky floors Unfortunately not everyone is paranoid ... the players aren't always sneaking through the BBEG's castle.

You might want to post that, since the 1E DMG isn't exactly widely available.

What's the point of the passage? I'm pretty sure Bilbo wasn't using his artifact ring to sneak around...

Thats true, but mud, dirt, and sand aren't exclusive to BBEG's castles.

That section is basically what I just said--Invis doesn't affect sound or smell, and the environment is affected by an invisible creatures.

He was using it to sneak around the city. He spent a while using it--at least several days, probably much longer, weeks perhaps. The book mentions that he was constantly in fear of being discovered and barely dared to come out of hiding.

 

[MerakSpielman]

The wizard CAN still sub for a rogue in a pinch.

The problem is that you don't want the wizard to be able to substitute for EVERYONE ALL THE TIME. Hence 1min/level instead of removing the spell outright.

The thing is, is I haven't ever had this problem. I don't recall anybody who has. Theoretically a wizard can usurp other party members' jobs with the 3.0 rules, but I can't recall it ever actually happening.