3.5 Mundane ways to reveal someone who is Invisible [Archive] - Wizards Community

3.5 Mundane ways to reveal someone who is Invisible [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Harmor
09-24-04, 10:31 PM In the last Skip Williams article he said thatyou could use a bag of flour to reveal someone who is Invisible.

What other mundane ways could you reveal or help identify where an invisible creature is?
Edymnion
09-24-04, 10:34 PM Really anything that would stick to them, or that they would have to move through.

Throw paint on them, throw water on them, just variations of the Flour theme.
Use a smokestick, and look for a pocket of clear air moving through the smoke. Do the same with steam.

Anything leaving their body will become visible again, so if you're someplace cold, look for their breath frosting in the air.
angryman
09-25-04, 06:45 AM Listen for them- wizards don't get Move Silently as a class skill, so you can use that to your advantage. Also Spot- it's not too hard at high levels to Spot an Invisible character if he's moving. The DC is 30, I think. Also use Search to look for footprints, blood, arrows flying from an invis. archer, etc. A lot of folk see Invisible as a kind of uber spell- just remember Harry Potter, where he's invisible- he's still breathing heavily, making noise and leaving tracks. In many ways it's far inferior to Hide, as it can also be magically detected though many and varied means...
Zelphi
09-25-04, 08:08 AM Grappling Hooks.

One epic example (though you could do it much lower) was with a Grappling Hook with perm Animate rope. Used by a Barb Fighter epic.

Against a Storm Silverhand alike (bardy with fighter and sorc...) who went Invisible after taking some heavy damage. So the Barb quickdraws his Grappling Hook and now threatens a large area as he swings it around his head in a circular motion. Storm could easily evade it without a direct attack and she's invisible.

So he Whirldattacks with this improvised weapon and all he needs is a touch attack with his trip attempt. With Stormy flat footed as she casts a healing spell its extra easy and she's tripped... but also grappled. So he starts pulling her in and she tries to get out.... but its animated and she can't. So now he has a good idea where she is and she's grappled and he can quickdraw his Greatsword and have a go.

To finish the story as he let go she got a trip attack which failed and exposed her. He sees her and decides to forgoe his mercenary ways (in some demi-romantic twist) and get out before Elminster like intervienes (he's being handled by a Wizard) and some other Harpers have a go.

He gets away, Wizard gets hunted out, Stormy Finds him and they fall in love, the end.

But yeah, Whilwind attack - trip reach weapons.
Regularguy
09-25-04, 09:07 AM Lancelot once had to fight an invisible opponent. He killed the lights, effectively making 'em *both* invisible -- at which point his baseline ability to win fights pretty much sufficed as usual.
Ice Wizard
09-26-04, 12:41 AM A fairly easy(not foolproof) way to foil invisibility is to jump into water and completely submerge, assuming the water is deep enough. Be prepared to hold your breath (and maybe have something to give you electricity resistance) and wait for the invisible attacker to follow you in. As you may or may not know, just about anything that enters water will leave a trail of bubbles as it enters and submerges. Thus, the invisible opponent will briefly become visible. Use this time wisely as this bubble trail won't last long unless, of course, the invisible attacker had beans for lunch :mymy:
Vahenir
09-26-04, 12:51 AM Get Blind-Fight. Close your eyes.

Blind-Fight works on the same principle here - trying to fight something you can't see.

Also, tipping over a barrel of water or other fluid would work, as the character would still have to step in it, revealing their location. If they don't move.. you can see the fluid hitting their feet anyway.
Princeoflowlight
09-26-04, 03:42 AM Area of effect attacks don't require seeing the target. Chances are, an invisible enemy is a spellcaster. Unless he prepared every spell as Silent, you'll be hearing those verbal components. While zeroing in on someone with a listen check is absurdly difficult, getting the general vicinity necessary for a fireball is not.
The Legendary Two Sandals
09-29-04, 03:28 PM much like the submerged in water idea for or mist creates that viod where and invisible person is as well.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Harmor 09-24-04, 10:31 PM	In the last Skip Williams article he said thatyou could use a bag of flour to reveal someone who is Invisible. What other mundane ways could you reveal or help identify where an invisible creature is?
Edymnion 09-24-04, 10:34 PM	Really anything that would stick to them, or that they would have to move through. Throw paint on them, throw water on them, just variations of the Flour theme. Use a smokestick, and look for a pocket of clear air moving through the smoke. Do the same with steam. Anything leaving their body will become visible again, so if you're someplace cold, look for their breath frosting in the air.
angryman 09-25-04, 06:45 AM	Listen for them- wizards don't get Move Silently as a class skill, so you can use that to your advantage. Also Spot- it's not too hard at high levels to Spot an Invisible character if he's moving. The DC is 30, I think. Also use Search to look for footprints, blood, arrows flying from an invis. archer, etc. A lot of folk see Invisible as a kind of uber spell- just remember Harry Potter, where he's invisible- he's still breathing heavily, making noise and leaving tracks. In many ways it's far inferior to Hide, as it can also be magically detected though many and varied means...
Zelphi 09-25-04, 08:08 AM	Grappling Hooks. One epic example (though you could do it much lower) was with a Grappling Hook with perm Animate rope. Used by a Barb Fighter epic. Against a Storm Silverhand alike (bardy with fighter and sorc...) who went Invisible after taking some heavy damage. So the Barb quickdraws his Grappling Hook and now threatens a large area as he swings it around his head in a circular motion. Storm could easily evade it without a direct attack and she's invisible. So he Whirldattacks with this improvised weapon and all he needs is a touch attack with his trip attempt. With Stormy flat footed as she casts a healing spell its extra easy and she's tripped... but also grappled. So he starts pulling her in and she tries to get out.... but its animated and she can't. So now he has a good idea where she is and she's grappled and he can quickdraw his Greatsword and have a go. To finish the story as he let go she got a trip attack which failed and exposed her. He sees her and decides to forgoe his mercenary ways (in some demi-romantic twist) and get out before Elminster like intervienes (he's being handled by a Wizard) and some other Harpers have a go. He gets away, Wizard gets hunted out, Stormy Finds him and they fall in love, the end. But yeah, Whilwind attack - trip reach weapons.
Regularguy 09-25-04, 09:07 AM	Lancelot once had to fight an invisible opponent. He killed the lights, effectively making 'em both invisible -- at which point his baseline ability to win fights pretty much sufficed as usual.
Ice Wizard 09-26-04, 12:41 AM	A fairly easy(not foolproof) way to foil invisibility is to jump into water and completely submerge, assuming the water is deep enough. Be prepared to hold your breath (and maybe have something to give you electricity resistance) and wait for the invisible attacker to follow you in. As you may or may not know, just about anything that enters water will leave a trail of bubbles as it enters and submerges. Thus, the invisible opponent will briefly become visible. Use this time wisely as this bubble trail won't last long unless, of course, the invisible attacker had beans for lunch :mymy:
Vahenir 09-26-04, 12:51 AM	Get Blind-Fight. Close your eyes. Blind-Fight works on the same principle here - trying to fight something you can't see. Also, tipping over a barrel of water or other fluid would work, as the character would still have to step in it, revealing their location. If they don't move.. you can see the fluid hitting their feet anyway.
Princeoflowlight 09-26-04, 03:42 AM	Area of effect attacks don't require seeing the target. Chances are, an invisible enemy is a spellcaster. Unless he prepared every spell as Silent, you'll be hearing those verbal components. While zeroing in on someone with a listen check is absurdly difficult, getting the general vicinity necessary for a fireball is not.
The Legendary Two Sandals 09-29-04, 03:28 PM	much like the submerged in water idea for or mist creates that viod where and invisible person is as well.