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Tyger
2011-01-15, 11:56 PM
Pixies are, when not taking special actions to suppress this, invisible.

Pixies have no means of seeing the invisible.

Doesn't that make it kind of hard for Pixies to meet and chat with other Pixies?

:smallbiggrin:

hotel_papa
2011-01-16, 12:02 AM
Yes. That's why there are so few of them around these days.

ShriekingDrake
2011-01-16, 12:13 AM
It's speed dating; but they never remember anyway as the memory loss apples make those one-nighters a momentary pleasure never reflected upon.

Vknight
2011-01-16, 12:39 AM
I guess they no.
Maybe no.
Wait they must use pheromones to attract other which attach & begin the mating process even without seeing one another. That would make the most sense to me.
That or Wizards collect they & put them in chambers so they can see them & that's how it works.

Fizban
2011-01-16, 02:59 AM
Hate to bubble burst, but you've misread the text. Suppress or resume as a free action means it's a switch on/switch off kinda deal. That said, the ramifications of at-will invisibility upon the dating world would be interesting.

Kurald Galain
2011-01-16, 04:23 AM
They can use Detect Thoughts and Dispel Magic to find each other, but really it's the ones with Irresistible Dance that get all the dates.

Gnaritas
2011-01-16, 04:31 AM
I guess they no.
Maybe no.
Wait they must use pheromones to attract other which attach & begin the mating process even without seeing one another. That would make the most sense to me.


You mean....blind dates....

OracleofWuffing
2011-01-16, 06:09 AM
Well, how do you NOT date without easy invisibility to get you out of awkward situations?

Amiel
2011-01-16, 06:12 AM
Oh, you'll see dating pixies all time time. We just haven't the heart to tell them that it's mostly air they're dating.
Why else would they be so...stimulated energetic?
A surplus of imaginary friends.

Mystic Muse
2011-01-16, 06:13 AM
Yes. That's why there are so few of them around these days.

No, it's because they keep going around, following humans and repeating 3 words over and over again.

Hello?
HEY!
LISTEN!

Kurald Galain
2011-01-16, 06:19 AM
Well, how do you NOT date without easy invisibility to get you out of awkward situations?

By using Sleep arrows :smalleek:

Combat Reflexes
2011-01-16, 07:19 AM
By using Sleep arrows :smalleek:

Memory loss arrows might also come in handy:smallamused:

Amiel
2011-01-16, 07:24 AM
Of course, if all is going to plan, then it's obviously time for an irresistible dance. The Booty Dance.

Tyger
2011-01-16, 09:01 AM
Hate to bubble burst, but you've misread the text. Suppress or resume as a free action means it's a switch on/switch off kinda deal. That said, the ramifications of at-will invisibility upon the dating world would be interesting.

Hate to bubble burst, but I read it right... for the record, here's the text, with the important part bolded for your ease.

"A pixie remains invisible even when it attacks. This ability is constant, but the pixie can suppress or resume it as a free action."

Renegade Paladin
2011-01-16, 09:17 AM
Hate to bubble burst, but I read it right... for the record, here's the text, with the important part bolded for your ease.

"A pixie remains invisible even when it attacks. This ability is constant, but the pixie can suppress or resume it as a free action."
If it renews itself every round even when the pixie has suppressed it, why would it require another action to resume? You indeed read it wrong.

Dr.Epic
2011-01-16, 09:36 AM
Yes. That's why there are so few of them around these days.

I thought it was because in all my campaigns we spend a few hours killing most of them.

Vknight
2011-01-16, 09:53 AM
You mean....blind dates....

Exactly. Maybe they take Blind-Fight as a feat to help them.

tcrudisi
2011-01-16, 09:58 AM
That said, the ramifications of at-will invisibility upon the dating world would be interesting.

At-will invisibility is to the pixie world what beer is to the human world. The pixie wakes up and dread sinks in as the pixie realizes that it had the "beer goggles" on last night.

So really, I could see it helping out some as even the ugly pixies don't have to worry about much. It's the equivalent of 2-bag ... oh, never mind. I want to try and keep this PG.

Yuki Akuma
2011-01-16, 10:04 AM
Pixies have +6 Charisma, so, if you take "Charisma" to also mean "comeliness", the ugliest Pixie is still Charisma 9...

(And if you go by point buy, 14.)

tcrudisi
2011-01-16, 10:21 AM
Pixies have +6 Charisma, so, if you take "Charisma" to also mean "comeliness", the ugliest Pixie is still Charisma 9...

(And if you go by point buy, 14.)

True, but if the average Pixie is 16 Charisma, wouldn't other Pixie's find that... average? I dunno.

I imagine that if I were stuck on a dessert island with 100 super models and no one else, eventually I would find them to be average and only the prettiest ones to be pretty. I think it's a matter of perspective. That, and heck, it's a dessert island, so you know they are going to eat that sucker right up.

Coidzor
2011-01-16, 10:34 AM
I imagine that if I were stuck on a dessert island with 100 super models and no one else, eventually I would find them to be average and only the prettiest ones to be pretty. I think it's a matter of perspective. That, and heck, it's a dessert island, so you know they are going to eat that sucker right up.

:smallconfused: That's kinda weird. Most people don't just find a single person pretty at a time, even given a stable population of those encountered on a day to day basis.

Roderick_BR
2011-01-16, 11:21 AM
I imagine it's also very tricky to walk across a crowded street.

Interestingly enough, according to classic mythology, most "fae" folks that are invisible to humans should be visible to each other. In D&D it would be something like they should have the ability to see invisible beings, but only others pixies with their natural invisibility.

Tyger
2011-01-16, 11:35 AM
If it renews itself every round even when the pixie has suppressed it, why would it require another action to resume? You indeed read it wrong.

The ability is constant is pretty clear - that is the Pixie's default state. They can remove it at will, and resume it at will. But that doesn't change the fact that, default and unless it takes action to change it, a pixie is invisible.

drakir_nosslin
2011-01-16, 11:40 AM
Looking at the various char op builds using pixies I've come to the conclusion that the most common partner among pixies are giants.


And I'll let you guys think about that for a while.

WarKitty
2011-01-16, 11:46 AM
:smallconfused: That's kinda weird. Most people don't just find a single person pretty at a time, even given a stable population of those encountered on a day to day basis.

I'd have to look it up, but there's been some studies done that no matter what the size and physical makeup of the group is, there's a certain fairly constant percent that will be deemed "attractive" and "unattractive," respectively.

Lurkmoar
2011-01-16, 11:51 AM
Are Pixie babies invisible? Now this is going to bug me all day.

Yuki Akuma
2011-01-16, 12:33 PM
I doubt the pixie racial class progression has invisibility at first level, so I'd say no.

ericgrau
2011-01-16, 12:57 PM
Exactly. Maybe they take Blind-Fight as a feat to help them.



In melee, every time you miss because of concealment, you can reroll your miss chance percentile roll one time to see if you actually hit.




A creature can grope about to find an invisible creature.


See the rules already have provisions for these things. You can reroll your miss chance to hit it and then if that fails you can also grope around.

WarKitty
2011-01-16, 01:15 PM
See the rules already have provisions for these things. You can reroll your miss chance to hit it and then if that fails you can also grope around.

I should think going directly to the groping around might be more their style.

Tyger
2011-01-16, 01:30 PM
I should think going directly to the groping around might be more their style.

This. Wins. :)

Godskook
2011-01-16, 04:40 PM
The ability is constant is pretty clear - that is the Pixie's default state. They can remove it at will, and resume it at will. But that doesn't change the fact that, default and unless it takes action to change it, a pixie is invisible.

Except nowhere in the description does it say "automatically resumes at X". Without that, we have either two choices:

1.It resumes instantaneously, making the ability to turn it off pointless.

2.It doesn't resume automatically.

I'm with Renegade Paladin on this one.

randomhero00
2011-01-16, 04:51 PM
Um, mating calls anyone? Smell?

edit as in leaving smells, like bears rub themselves on trees. So they'd know they were near. Then start the mating calls/singing.

Urpriest
2011-01-16, 05:06 PM
Except nowhere in the description does it say "automatically resumes at X". Without that, we have either two choices:

1.It resumes instantaneously, making the ability to turn it off pointless.

2.It doesn't resume automatically.

I'm with Renegade Paladin on this one.

Tyger isn't arguing that it resumes automatically. He's arguing that it's the default state, which he appears to think means that RAW the Pixie will choose to be in it most of the time barring extraordinary reason not to.

randomhero00
2011-01-16, 05:11 PM
Also (seriously) maybe they have fey meets. Like in the old stories. Where they all meet, arrange marriages, etc.

Vknight
2011-01-16, 05:35 PM
Randomhero Thank-you there to caught up in the invisibility to actually discuss how they go about things

Tyger
2011-01-16, 06:31 PM
Tyger isn't arguing that it resumes automatically. He's arguing that it's the default state, which he appears to think means that RAW the Pixie will choose to be in it most of the time barring extraordinary reason not to.


Exactly. Really exactly - darned character limit.

AtomicKitKat
2011-01-18, 12:45 PM
They're invisible, not inaudible. They just scratch a leaf or something, and if a pixie who's "in the mood" is in the area, they see the leaf being scratched, call out, and depending on whether they're the "right"(as in preferred) gender, the scratcher replies, and they both suppress invisibility.

Abies
2011-01-18, 12:55 PM
There is no reason to interpret the term "constant" as "default". These terms are neither equivalent nor interchangable.

Consider opening/closing your eyes. You may open or close them whenever you want, but it takes no particular effort to keep them open or closed. Having your eyes open is "constant" but it is not a default state by any means.

The premise that Pixie's invisibiltiy is their default state is unsupported by any documentation yet presented.

Tyger
2011-01-18, 01:10 PM
There is no reason to interpret the term "constant" as "default". These terms are neither equivalent nor interchangable.

Consider opening/closing your eyes. You may open or close them whenever you want, but it takes no particular effort to keep them open or closed. Having your eyes open is "constant" but it is not a default state by any means.

The premise that Pixie's invisibiltiy is their default state is unsupported by any documentation yet presented.

I can understand the logic you are applying, but then answer this: Why did the game designers indicate that this ability was constant but could be suppressed for this creature? The only other critter that a cursory search reveals has the same language is the Invisible Stalker, despite the fact that several other creatures have Greater Invisibility at will.

If it wasn't a default or constant state, they would just have listed it as a Spell Like Ability, available at will. The designers clearly intended it to mean something more than that though when the wrote it as they did.

hamishspence
2011-01-18, 01:17 PM
Think of it as a bit like Spell Resistance- you can "suppress spell resistance" (as a standard action rather than a free action) but, it ends at the start of you next turn- and you have to keep suppressing it on your turn if you want it to stay off.

The emphasis on invisibility of pixies as something to be "suppressed" that can then be "resumed" might possibly imply it works, or should work, the same way.

While it doesn't explicitly say so- I could easily imagine a pixie, on being knocked unconscious, disappear, because it is no longer "suppressing its invisibility".

Vladislav
2011-01-18, 01:26 PM
Pixies have many tools at their disposal to facilitate dating:

- Permanent Image (leave your phone number anywhere)
- Detect Thoughts (no more of that "he loves me, he loves me not" indecision)
- Entangle (when you find a good mate, you have to hold on to them)
- Dancing Lights (disco ball!)
- Irresistible Dance (as long as there's a disco ball, might as wel...)

And should everything else fail, memory loss.

Abies
2011-01-18, 01:53 PM
If it wasn't a default or constant state, they would just have listed it as a Spell Like Ability, available at will. The designers clearly intended it to mean something more than that though when the wrote it as they did.

Because it is a constant state, but not a default state. These are not the same things, nor can they be construed to be. This is not a trick of logic, its is simple definition of words and concepts.

The purpose of defining the Pixies' invisible state as constant is to differentiate it from other forms of invisibility that drop upon attack, duration expiration, anti-magic fields or any number of other outside influences that could cause the invisibility to be negated. The only thing that can cause a Pixie to become visible is it choosing to do so. That is the purpose of defining it as "constant".

Tyger
2011-01-18, 02:58 PM
The only thing that can cause a Pixie to become visible is it choosing to do so. That is the purpose of defining it as "constant".

Exactly. So until it decides to become visible, and uses an action to do so, it is invisible. If you have to consciously decide not to do something... well, that's close enough to me.

I breathe. I can not breathe, but I have to decide not to do so. If I don't think about it or, take action not to breathe, my body just does it.

A bit of a straw man I'll agree, in that if I pass out, my body starts breathing whether I like it or not, but accurate I think, nonetheless.

bondpirate
2011-01-18, 06:31 PM
And here I thought this was going to be a thread on the calendar notation of Pixies. Not a thread on the dating habits of a mystical creature....

Sigh.

But seriously, it would probably be like most small flying creatures, lots of bright colors and ritual/exotic dancing. Or polyester suits if Disco is involved.

Xiander
2011-01-18, 09:45 PM
Exactly. So until it decides to become visible, and uses an action to do so, it is invisible. If you have to consciously decide not to do something... well, that's close enough to me.

I breathe. I can not breathe, but I have to decide not to do so. If I don't think about it or, take action not to breathe, my body just does it.

A bit of a straw man I'll agree, in that if I pass out, my body starts breathing whether I like it or not, but accurate I think, nonetheless.

Rather than taking a RAW statement as meaning that invisibility is like breathing, i think you should look at it like a reflection of the way the game designers wanted the ability to work.

Pixies can become invisble at will. Rather than making this a spell like ability the designes made it a constant ability. This was most likely done in order to make the pixie able to be permanently invisble, not in order to tell players something about how often the pixie chooses or must choose to be in this state.

Benejeseret
2011-01-18, 10:22 PM
Oddly, I find I have to agree with the constant meaning 'normal state' based on the srd wording.

However, I think with most of the monster write-ups there is an unwritten assumption that exists that would read like this:

When encountered by PC's............A pixie remains invisible even when it attacks. This ability is constant, but the pixie can suppress or resume it as a free action.

Nearly everything about DnD is basically written with this assumption. Only rarely will a 'monster' get a thorough cultural and biological write-up that is self-sufficient and thus not PC-centric.

Slightly off topic - Weeping Angels


Let me throw another such enigma that perhaps someone has a similar answer for.

How do Weeping Angels from Dr. Who reproduce?
He says that they evolved the quantum-locking ability...so that would imply mating...but they cannot look at each other

dgnslyr
2011-01-18, 10:42 PM
Slightly off topic - Weeping Angels


Let me throw another such enigma that perhaps someone has a similar answer for.

How do Weeping Angels from Dr. Who reproduce?
He says that they evolved the quantum-locking ability...so that would imply mating...but they cannot look at each other


Let's just say it started with a fondness for blindfolds, and has gotten much more... exotic since.
:smallwink:

Tiki Snakes
2011-01-18, 10:50 PM
The pixies statblock says they are 'constantly invisible' because that is the state one should expect to find them when you are to fight them. It has little meaning beyond that, really.

Tyger
2011-01-18, 10:55 PM
I think that any creature with greater invisibility will likely be in that state when / if you are entering combat against them... why wouldn't they?

Urpriest
2011-01-18, 11:01 PM
Slightly off topic - Weeping Angels


Let me throw another such enigma that perhaps someone has a similar answer for.

How do Weeping Angels from Dr. Who reproduce?
He says that they evolved the quantum-locking ability...so that would imply mating...but they cannot look at each other


Well quantum mechanically speaking they should just entangle upon seeing eachother. If they're able to be an uncollapsed wavefunction at their size, two of them entangled shouldn't be a problem. But in the episode it's demonstrated that they can collapse eachother's wavefunctions, so...yeah, agreed with the above poster, definitely blindfolded good times.


I think that any creature with greater invisibility will likely be in that state when / if you are entering combat against them... why wouldn't they?

You might surprise them.

shadow_archmagi
2011-01-18, 11:10 PM
Since it's suppress or resume as a free action, I'm thinking that while it's true that the default state is invis, it isn't like it's work to maintain suppression. As such, the eye metaphor still works. Your eyes will always be open, but it's really easy to close them.

Also, being invisible all the time just leads to really kinky dates.

AtomicKitKat
2011-01-19, 01:31 AM
You might surprise them.

So basically, you only ever see them when you catch them with their pants down?:smalltongue: