I'm GMing Rise of the Runelords. The players are currently heading for the Storval Stairs on their way to Jorgenfist.
I have a player that figured out a tactic last night. It is, as far as i can tell, by the book...but it is frustrating to me as a GM.
My player is a barbarian/sorcerer/eldritch knight who has taken the Leadership feat. His cohort is a Life Oracle.
He casts invisibility on the cohort and then goes into battle. The cohort stands right behind him, constantly healing him (even going full healing elemental) meanwhile I can't do anything against the cohort because, since the cohort isn't attacking any of the bad guys, she stays invisible.
This is completely rule-abiding, right? How should I get around it?
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The problem here is Leadership, not invisibility. Simply put, don't allow it. It breaks games.
However, see invisibility or a high perception should fix the problem.
Area attacks also hit the cohort.
Area of effect spells and abilities. Force movement abilities, like Bull Rush. Perception checks to notice invisible creature. Anti-Invisibility tactics just because I would in a world that I knew invisibility existed.
As you start to run higher CR enemies throughout the campaign, you'll probably start to find some with much better powers of perception. Once that happens, the oracle will be much easier to directly target.
Also, remember that the oracle cohort is an NPC. If you think the PC is abusing their relationship, you can have the oracle balk at some of the things the eldritch knight is trying to make him do.
Otherwise, don't sweat it too much. The oracle may be useful, but he's also another character to supply with gear that you are in no way obligated to account for in treasures won. You might drop some not-so-subtle hints it's up to the eldritch knight to equip him out of his own share of the spoils...
Invisibility is just a +20 Stealth Check, +40 if not moving. If he is following in combat the bad guys get a Perception roll. There isn't even an additional Stealth roll to add too that +20. Pathfinder Invis is not a Tolkin Ring of Invisibility. At the level you get leadership lot of bad guys should have at least a 50% chance of spotting the healer.
Lots of creatures have scent, blind sense, tremor sense, blind sight, etc. Add a couple of those to big fights. Also, invisibility makes the light source invisible, but not the light itself, so even while invisible, the light source from energy body can be noticed. So, enemies have an idea of his location (I run it as knowing the square) but still need to overcome the 50% miss chance.
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Heck, I do this with PCs (several of my PCs are almost "Pure Support"). One of mine does almost the same thing by going Invisible, then using a wand of vanish on the guy attacking right after he attacks. The result is that the bad guys see the attacker blip into visibility as they attack (+2 attack and no DEX to AC), then disappear again before they can do anything.
I've even used this in my home game...
It's a cute gimmick - but it's just a gimmick. Many monsters will be able to overcome it...
Just remember that the Invisible NPC is Invisible even to the PCs. Going to be a real problem if he gets into trouble (say from an AOE spell) and they can't find him...can't even see him to know he's in trouble.
Heck, I do this with PCs (several of my PCs are almost "Pure Support"). One of mine does almost the same thing by going Invisible, then using a wand of vanish on the guy attacking right after he attacks. The result is that the bad guys see the attacker blip into visibility as they attack (+2 attack and no DEX to AC), then disappear again before they can do anything.
I've even used this in my home game...
It's a cute gimmick - but it's just a gimmick. Many monsters will be able to overcome it...
Just remember that the Invisible NPC is Invisible even to the PCs. Going to be a real problem if he gets into trouble (say from an AOE spell) and they can't find him...can't even see him to know he's in trouble.
Heck, readied actions can overcome it. :)
Per the developers, casting spells creates visible manifestations in the caster's square. It's a very hot point of debate whether invisible spellcasters reveal themselves due to this. As DM, you've got final say on this.
However, also remember that casting a verbal component spell requires speaking clearly. Hearing any invisible spellcaster that casts a spell with a verbal component is a DC 0 Perception check to hear them speaking as per the DC to "Hear the details of a conversation." Exceeding this check by +20 reveals the creature's square. Whether Invisibility adds +20 to this DC per the table is up to you, as it's not a visual check that's being performed.
Per the developers, casting spells creates visible manifestations in the caster's square. It's a very hot point of debate whether invisible spellcasters reveal themselves due to this. As DM, you've got final say on this.
Where do you find this?
Per the developers, casting spells creates visible manifestations in the caster's square. It's a very hot point of debate whether invisible spellcasters reveal themselves due to this. As DM, you've got final say on this.Where do you find this?
(Fixed quote)
You find the relevant FAQ post here. Note that it doesn't necessarily say visible manifestations. Just that there is something there that an intelligent creature (or maybe even any creature, actually) can recognize as magic. That's why creatures get an AoO against and can ready an action on a character using SLAs which by definition don't have any components. I would rule that you couldn't notice an invisible creature casting magic, but that's a GM decision.
Per the developers, casting spells creates visible manifestations in the caster's square. It's a very hot point of debate whether invisible spellcasters reveal themselves due to this. As DM, you've got final say on this.Where do you find this?(Fixed quote)
You find the relevant FAQ post here. Note that it doesn't necessarily say visible manifestations. Just that there is something there that an intelligent creature (or maybe even any creature, actually) can recognize as magic. That's why creatures get an AoO against and can ready an action on a character using SLAs which by definition don't have any components. I would rule that you couldn't notice an invisible creature casting magic, but that's a GM decision.
They have to be visible because the Spellcraft skill requires you to see, not merely observe, in order to identify a spell. But they don't have to be separate from the caster to such an extent that they aren't covered by invisibility, that part is indeed a GM call.