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What counts as an attack for the purposes of the invisibility spell? (lemmy.ca)
submitted 2 days ago by PeriodicallyPedantic@lemmy.ca to c/dnd@lemmy.world
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I'm trying to figure out a ruling for something one of my players wants to do. They're invisible, but they took a couple of seemingly non-attack actions that my gut says should break inviz.

Specifically, they dumped out a flask of oil, and then used a tinderbox to light it on fire. Using a tinderbox isn't an attack, nor is emptying a flask, although they are actions , and the result of lighting something on fire both seems like an attack and something that would dispell inviz.

I know that as DM I can rule it however I want, but I'm fairly inexperienced and I don't wanna go nerfing one of my players tools just because it feels yucky to me personally without understanding the implications.

Is this an attack or is there another justification for breaking inviz that is there some RAW clause I didn't see? Or should this be allowed?

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[–] explodicle@sh.itjust.works 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Does that mean they took Pact of the Chain? If so, then it's a class feature that's supposed to be powerful. Maybe this signature trick makes their patron impressed, jealous, or bored...

They passed up on Pact of the Blade, so when they do get attacked, they're more vulnerable.

[–] PeriodicallyPedantic@lemmy.ca 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

That is correct, and their imp is supposed to be quite powerful. But the resulting gameplay is kinda like stealth archer to the nth degree lol. I'm still trying figure out how to make it fun for both them while also giving the other players a fun experience and provide meaningful interesting challenges to the whole party

[–] Kitathalla@lemy.lol 2 points 16 hours ago

stealth archer to the nth degree

There are some good reads out there about invisibility in the fantasy worlds. I think one of the 3.5e splat books had an entire section dedicated to it (and I can't find it right now, super annoying). Most enemies, from the lowest tech bandit gang to a king's treasury, will have some idea about how to deal with it, because they live in a world where it happens, gets routine gossip on, and they've probably heard some strange creaks in the night (a tree branch, really) that they just know was an invisible demon creeping around when they were a vulnerable child...

It isn't really raining on your characters' parade to have the people in the world they live in expect things that go on in said world. Businesses and commonfolk alike have likely worried about everything from teleporting frog-polymorphing wizards to hell portals opening in their back room, and probably have some idea about what they think they would do.

Doors at night would have ceramic bowls stacked next to them, windows might have small screens or strings that need to be cut, any guard that is part of a decent organization will have resources stored somewhere to counter it (faerie fire or more 'out there' ideas like create water). I don't know about your edition, but 3.5e had specific checks that would tip off people that something is around. The sound of an imp's wings alone is going to be heard anywhere other than a raucous tavern (if you've ever heard a bird or bat flying by, imagine something 10x as heavy with leathery wings), because it isn't a superb owl, after all. Even mundane things would add up. Imagine the classic bell that rings when someone enters through a shop door. It was never intended to be an 'anti invisibility' thing, but it sure adds thematic drama to the affair.