Unnoticeable Caster [Archive] - Wizards Community

Unnoticeable Caster [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
efraker
02-26-08, 12:15 AM What are the ways to make a caster who cannot be discerned as casting?

If spells are Silent & Stilled, do they have any display? If I cast a Silent & Stilled spell that doesn't emanate from me, can others necessarily know I have cast anything?

What about CAdv's Disguise Spell? It notes "Unless... observers have some means of determining its source, they don't know where the effect came from". What other means are they thinking of?

What about psychic powers? Is there a way to remove their displays?
SquashMonster
02-26-08, 03:09 AM In Complete Scoundrel, there is the skill trick "Conceal Spellcasting", which lets you make a sleight of hand check to hide the fact that you're casting a spell.

Cityscape has better:
A +1 level metamagic, Deceptive Spell, makes a spell look like it's coming from a different angle.

Then there's Invisible Spell, which is a +0 metamagic that makes the spell invisible. So you can, according to their example, cast an invisible fireball that does full damage and lights things in the radius on fire, but doesn't have any other ways to notice it without magically enhanced vision (note that pretty much anything will let you see it: even detect magic). How something like Invisible Black Tentacles is balanced is beyond me, but if your goal is not getting noticed, not having the spell telling people "Hey guys there's a spellcaster near here!" is going to help.
CrimsonDeath
02-27-08, 07:20 PM What about psychic powers? Is there a way to remove their displays?

Concentration check, DC 15 + power level (XPH p. 58)

If you fail the check, the power still manifests but it has displays anyway.
NoldorForce
02-27-08, 10:57 PM In Complete Scoundrel, there is the skill trick "Conceal Spellcasting", which lets you make a sleight of hand check to hide the fact that you're casting a spell.Then there's Races of Stone, which does the same thing. Except that it allows it for free and at will.
Surreal
02-28-08, 02:17 AM Divine Prankster can disguise their spells as well.
CrimsonDeath
02-28-08, 03:49 AM There's a feat somewhere-- Complete Adventurer?-- that lets a Bard cast a spell during a performance without letting the audience realize that he's casting a spell. Of course, he's still very obviously performing...

Then there's Invisible Spell, which is a +0 metamagic that makes the spell invisible. So you can, according to their example, cast an invisible fireball that does full damage and lights things in the radius on fire, but doesn't have any other ways to notice it without magically enhanced vision (note that pretty much anything will let you see it: even detect magic).

One of my favorite tricks is to use Invisible Obscuring Mist in order to foil True Seeing (if you happen to be using Invisibility).
The_Mad_Linguist
02-28-08, 08:45 PM One of my favorite tricks is to use Invisible Obscuring Mist in order to foil True Seeing (if you happen to be using Invisibility).

Also useful for illusionists.
Omen_of_Peace
02-29-08, 07:03 PM What about CAdv's Disguise Spell? It notes "Unless... observers have some means of determining its source, they don't know where the effect came from". What other means are they thinking of?

There are some spells (Battlemagic Perception (HoB), Spellcaster's Bane (CM)) and items (Ring of Spell-Battle (MIC)) that allow you to automatically be aware of any spellcasting going on within 60' or 100'. Unfortunately I don't know of any way of directly countering them. Being invisible/hidden/in a fog would work around them somehow.

Actually, now that I'm re-reading it Disguise Spell works pretty well against the above since it prevents the use of Spellcraft (it is worded very broadly). BmP still allows you to know a spell is cast, but you can't identify it.

Also, combining Disguise Spell with Subsonics (CAdv) might be interesting - Subsonics was meant for Bardic Musics but I think it works with disguised spells.
WombleHunter
03-07-08, 07:44 AM Could you have a permanent effect like an Invisible Spell Wall of Stone?
The_Mad_Linguist
03-07-08, 01:18 PM Could you have a permanent effect like an Invisible Spell Wall of Stone?

No reason why not.

Yes, invisible raise dead/reincarnate is very silly.
CrimsonDeath
03-08-08, 01:08 PM Could you have a permanent effect like an Invisible Spell Wall of Stone?

Even better: Wall of Stone is instantaneous.
Operation_Shoestring
03-13-08, 02:54 AM Where is invisible spell from?
WombleHunter
03-13-08, 12:14 PM Cityscape.
Heliomance
03-18-08, 03:10 PM For Bards, from CA:

Disguise Spell lets a Bard conceal the fact he is casting by hiding the spell in his performance.

Subsonics lets a Bard conceal the fact he is performing by making the sounds produced lie outside of auditory range.

Combine the two, and I feel that's rather disgusting.
SageBahamut
03-21-08, 02:37 AM I did that once. Sudden Still, Sudden Silent, Invisible with Eschew Materials. I think I played that character for a whole level before the group realized he was a Sorcerer. It's not exactly TO-worthy levels of broken, but it was righteously hilarious.

"My gods, the Prime Minister is on fire!"
"Did anyone notice any spellcasting?"
"No."
"... Spontaneous human combustion?"

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
efraker 02-26-08, 12:15 AM	What are the ways to make a caster who cannot be discerned as casting? If spells are Silent & Stilled, do they have any display? If I cast a Silent & Stilled spell that doesn't emanate from me, can others necessarily know I have cast anything? What about CAdv's Disguise Spell? It notes "Unless... observers have some means of determining its source, they don't know where the effect came from". What other means are they thinking of? What about psychic powers? Is there a way to remove their displays?
SquashMonster 02-26-08, 03:09 AM	In Complete Scoundrel, there is the skill trick "Conceal Spellcasting", which lets you make a sleight of hand check to hide the fact that you're casting a spell. Cityscape has better: A +1 level metamagic, Deceptive Spell, makes a spell look like it's coming from a different angle. Then there's Invisible Spell, which is a +0 metamagic that makes the spell invisible. So you can, according to their example, cast an invisible fireball that does full damage and lights things in the radius on fire, but doesn't have any other ways to notice it without magically enhanced vision (note that pretty much anything will let you see it: even detect magic). How something like Invisible Black Tentacles is balanced is beyond me, but if your goal is not getting noticed, not having the spell telling people "Hey guys there's a spellcaster near here!" is going to help.
CrimsonDeath 02-27-08, 07:20 PM	What about psychic powers? Is there a way to remove their displays? Concentration check, DC 15 + power level (XPH p. 58) If you fail the check, the power still manifests but it has displays anyway.
NoldorForce 02-27-08, 10:57 PM	In Complete Scoundrel, there is the skill trick "Conceal Spellcasting", which lets you make a sleight of hand check to hide the fact that you're casting a spell.Then there's Races of Stone, which does the same thing. Except that it allows it for free and at will.
Surreal 02-28-08, 02:17 AM	Divine Prankster can disguise their spells as well.
CrimsonDeath 02-28-08, 03:49 AM	There's a feat somewhere-- Complete Adventurer?-- that lets a Bard cast a spell during a performance without letting the audience realize that he's casting a spell. Of course, he's still very obviously performing... Then there's Invisible Spell, which is a +0 metamagic that makes the spell invisible. So you can, according to their example, cast an invisible fireball that does full damage and lights things in the radius on fire, but doesn't have any other ways to notice it without magically enhanced vision (note that pretty much anything will let you see it: even detect magic). One of my favorite tricks is to use Invisible Obscuring Mist in order to foil True Seeing (if you happen to be using Invisibility).
The_Mad_Linguist 02-28-08, 08:45 PM	One of my favorite tricks is to use Invisible Obscuring Mist in order to foil True Seeing (if you happen to be using Invisibility). Also useful for illusionists.
Omen_of_Peace 02-29-08, 07:03 PM	What about CAdv's Disguise Spell? It notes "Unless... observers have some means of determining its source, they don't know where the effect came from". What other means are they thinking of? There are some spells (Battlemagic Perception (HoB), Spellcaster's Bane (CM)) and items (Ring of Spell-Battle (MIC)) that allow you to automatically be aware of any spellcasting going on within 60' or 100'. Unfortunately I don't know of any way of directly countering them. Being invisible/hidden/in a fog would work around them somehow. Actually, now that I'm re-reading it Disguise Spell works pretty well against the above since it prevents the use of Spellcraft (it is worded very broadly). BmP still allows you to know a spell is cast, but you can't identify it. Also, combining Disguise Spell with Subsonics (CAdv) might be interesting - Subsonics was meant for Bardic Musics but I think it works with disguised spells.
WombleHunter 03-07-08, 07:44 AM	Could you have a permanent effect like an Invisible Spell Wall of Stone?
The_Mad_Linguist 03-07-08, 01:18 PM	Could you have a permanent effect like an Invisible Spell Wall of Stone? No reason why not. Yes, invisible raise dead/reincarnate is very silly.
CrimsonDeath 03-08-08, 01:08 PM	Could you have a permanent effect like an Invisible Spell Wall of Stone? Even better: Wall of Stone is instantaneous.
Operation_Shoestring 03-13-08, 02:54 AM	Where is invisible spell from?
WombleHunter 03-13-08, 12:14 PM	Cityscape.
Heliomance 03-18-08, 03:10 PM	For Bards, from CA: Disguise Spell lets a Bard conceal the fact he is casting by hiding the spell in his performance. Subsonics lets a Bard conceal the fact he is performing by making the sounds produced lie outside of auditory range. Combine the two, and I feel that's rather disgusting.
SageBahamut 03-21-08, 02:37 AM	I did that once. Sudden Still, Sudden Silent, Invisible with Eschew Materials. I think I played that character for a whole level before the group realized he was a Sorcerer. It's not exactly TO-worthy levels of broken, but it was righteously hilarious. "My gods, the Prime Minister is on fire!" "Did anyone notice any spellcasting?" "No." "... Spontaneous human combustion?"