An invisible assassin is standing in the middle of an open road. Let's say he's having lunch under an infinite duration greater invisibility spell.
A farmer runs down the road towards him. Now, farmers are this assassin's favored enemy. So as the farmer runs up, the assassin draws his sword. And the farmer doesn't roll to sense an invisible creature nearby, so, he runs directly into the assassin's square.
What happens?
Does the farmer provoke an attack of opportunity?
Can the farmer enter the assassin's square at all?
Can the assassin let the farmer pass through his square completely unmolested if he chooses to? And if he does, does the farmer get another perception check to notice an invisible creature?
Now let's take it a bit further. Assume the farmer, through one way or another, gets attacked by the assassin.
Does he know that he's being attacked by an invisible opponent?
He obviously knows the direction of his assault. But how does he determine the creature attacking him is invisible if he has 0 ranks in Spellcraft and 0 ranks in Knowledge: arcana?
Just some general questions.
I'm sorry I just love this line:
But how does he determine the creature attacking him is invisible if he has 0 ranks in Spellcraft and 0 ranks in Knowledge: arcana?
Um... because he can't see what is attacking him. How's that for figuring out the attacker is invisible?
As to the earlier: Until initiative is rolled you don't have 'squares' -- an artificial construct to help move combat along smoothly.
As such there is no combat and the assassin has the choice to allow the farmer to pass or bounce into him.
Since the farmer doesn't know the assassin is the the assassin could take a surprise round and do whatever he is going to do. If he does take the surprise round I would allow him an initiative check to see if he can act before the farmer runs by and provokes -- if so he can get the AoO.
Hope this helps and thanks for the unintentional humor -- I hope I didn't offend.
An invisible assassin is standing in the middle of an open road. Let's say he's having lunch under an infinite duration greater invisibility spell.
A farmer runs down the road towards him. Now, farmers are this assassin's favored enemy. So as the farmer runs up, the assassin draws his sword. And the farmer doesn't roll to sense an invisible creature nearby, so, he runs directly into the assassin's square.
What happens?
Does the farmer provoke an attack of opportunity?
I would say yes
Can the farmer enter the assassin's square at all?
Not if the assassin don't want him to. If the commoner really want to get pass this invisible ''barrier'', he could make a bull rush maneuvre.
Can the assassin let the farmer pass through his square completely unmolested if he chooses to? And if he does, does the farmer get another perception check to notice an invisible creature?
Yes and yes.
Now let's take it a bit further. Assume the farmer, through one way or another, gets attacked by the assassin.
Does he know that he's being attacked by an invisible opponent?
He knows that he's being attacked by something that he cannot see.
He obviously knows the direction of his assault. But how does he determine the creature attacking him is invisible if he has 0 ranks in Spellcraft and 0 ranks in Knowledge: arcana?
He would know that the creature is invisible, because he can't see it, but he wouldn't know that's a creature under the effect of a permanent improved invisibility that can be dispelled. He wouldn't know that this is a 4th-level spell either. I wouldn't even know that this is an arcane spell.
I'm sorry I just love this line:
But how does he determine the creature attacking him is invisible if he has 0 ranks in Spellcraft and 0 ranks in Knowledge: arcana?Um... because he can't see what is attacking him. How's that for figuring out the attacker is invisible?
I would assume I was hit by something at range, maybe from the bushes or something, or walked into something before I assumed I was being assaulted by a translucent guy with a dagger. Well, then again, since he's an assassin, he's sneak attacking me, so I'm all jogging along and hurk my organs! and such.
So, good point.
Thank you for the replies.
No problem -- like I said it was just one of those almost facepalm moments to me. It is currently assumed that if an invisible attacker hits you in melee he has generated enough stimulus to allow you to note someone is there and where "there" is for this round.
I'm glad you could see the humor though -- happy slaying!
Just wanted to add a little to this.
If in combat a fighter decides to take a 5ft step back from his foes, into an area threatened by an invisible creature? Does the invisible creature get an attack of opportunity?
If the creature is not invisible, but the fighter is unaware of it, does that change things?
Or in the next round, do the creatures just get a surprise round first?
Just wanted to add a little to this.
If in combat a fighter decides to take a 5ft step back from his foes, into an area threatened by an invisible creature? Does the invisible creature get an attack of opportunity?
If the creature is not invisible, but the fighter is unaware of it, does that change things?
Or in the next round, do the creatures just get a surprise round first?
I'm assuming combat has already started and since the fighter is moving initiatives and surprise rounds have already been resolved. You can't have a surprise round in the middle of combat, since all combatants are already in motion.
The invisible creature wouldn't get an AoO because the 5ft step doesn't provoke. It does, however, move the poor fighter into full attack range.
Whether it is invisible or not doesn't matter, if the fighter is unaware of it he would be denied his dexterity when the creature decides to attack.
