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The rulings herein draw heavily from the PHB2 and DMG2 spell and
magic item descriptions. An article in Dragon Magazine #105 also proved
helpful in places, but the most useful sources (as always) were simply
sufficient thought, some common sense, and concern for play balance.
Naturally, this source is only an advisory and its status thus rests solely
with its perceived elegance and persuasive power; having said that, I
hope that you like it.
The 'Net being what it is, I would certainly encourage any thoughts, return
posts, and debates concerning these rulings. They withstood the "Sean
Copeland test," so I'm pretty confident of their soundness, but I'm always
interested to see how others react and to listen to their opinions. My time
is a little tight right now, but if you have a question, leave me a message
via the Forum and I promise to respond.
--"Thalion Envinyatar"
(Joseph Katzman: 72427,3033 / Joe_Katzman@mail.magic.ca)
Invisibility does not actually cause its recipients to disappear; for that,
one must use dust of disappearance. Think of it instead as a more
powerful form of the Sanctuary spell, which encourages others not to pay
attention to some of the things which they do in fact perceive through
their visual organs. If youUve ever driven through a stop sign or been
asked what colour a pretty girlUs shoes were, you understand how this
phenomenon works. Filtering for significance is a natural trait, inherent
in all creatures; invisibility just gives it a helping hand.
% Invisible persons are not fooled, and can see themselves; ditto for a
spell-caster who casts the spell on another being.
% Creatures who rely on other senses besides sight do not have their
other sense data filtered, and may perceive invisible creatures more
easily; indeed, in some cases (bats, scorpions, et. al.) they may not be
aware that the creature is supposed to be invisible at all. Less powerful
beings with great sensory acuity may also get saving throws, as noted
above. Presumably, those who make their saves are paying attention to
this other sensory data, and the cognitive dissonance this creates allows
them to detect that something is amiss.
Of course, this power has a price, in that the spell has a definite duration
and will burn itself out much sooner (rounds instead of 24 hrs.). In
addition, it is never completely effective, as the results of attacks and
other sense data still register in the victimUs mind. As such, it is possible
for suspicious opponents to partially override its effects in the same
fashion as an active invisibility dweomer Rafter the invisible character
has made his presence knownS [PH 2, 159].
The real thing. Actually bends the electro-magnetic spectrum around the
individual, thus causing them to disappear from electro-magnetic
perception entirely. Think of it as a sort of super-stealth technology,
which unfortunately tends to Rflake offS with time (2-20 turns if sprinkled
haphazardly, 11-20 turns if carefully applied).These properties give Dust
of Disappearance several advantages which invisibility does not have, but
there are limitations. While Detect Invisibility spells are ineffective,
spells which actually augment perception instead of just enhancing it (i.e.
Detect Evil, True Sight) will function properly. Furthermore, the recipient
still gives off some information. If you roll in a dunghill and then sprinkle
the dust on, you still stink. If you walk on dry leaves, you still make noise.
If you walk at all, you still create vibrations in the ground which some
creatures (esp. snakes and scorpions) can detect. Admittedly, all of these
factors can be mitigated by prior preparation, but they are not conferred
automatically.
One final note: a dragonUs ability to detect invisible creatures in its lair is
a function of its deep attunement with its immediate environment. A
creature using the dust would thus be detected as present, though the
dragon may not be able to tell who or what it is. A similar principle holds
true for those using Commune With Nature spells, unless the dust was
applied within the spellUs radius; in that case, the act of application may
well be revealed, and appropriate conclusions drawn thereafter concerning
any Runidentifiable effects.S
% DETECT INVISIBILITY:
It would appear that most creatures have some latent ability to perceive
the ethereal, as evidenced by dreams and by some peopleUs stronger
innate sensitivity to ghosts, spirits, and things supernatural. Except for
these rare individuals, however, such abilities appear to operate below
the threshold of consciousness. This spell brings them to the fore,
allowing its recipients to clearly see ethereal or out-of-phase creatures.
The parallel ability to detect astral creatures and even perceive their
silver cords by means of this spell is a matter of some interest and debate
among sages. Some theorize a subconscious innate ability similar to that
which applies to ethereal things, though they have difficulty pointing to
any analogous RcommonS experiences. Others argue that this dearth of
analogies is proof that the spell must actually augment perceptions in
certain limited ways. Research continues.
An extremely useful spell for those who value their personal privacy but
have not yet achieved Mage-class status as a Master of the Third Circle;
indeed, several wizards have been known to use this spell in combination
with Extensions in order to provide continuous coverage.
One other extremely valuable aspect of this spell is its ability to foil
magical traps whose triggers are based on inherent traits rather than
effects. A glyph designed to detonate in the presence of good clerics or
elves, for example, would remain inert, while one triggered by crossing at
threshold without speaking its name would remain effective. This
weakness can be alleviated somewhat by employing negative conditions
(i.e. Rany non-evil beingS), though this has the disadvantage that cloaked
creatures who do fit the requirements will then become vulnerable.
*********
JOE KATZMAN, 1994;