Two spell ideas (3.5) PEACH

[Seharvepernfan]

There is a plasmid in Bioshock called "active camoflage" or something similar. The idea is, if you stand still for a few seconds, you become invisible. It's a passive ability that is always active.

This got me thinking; I like the idea, but it doesn't translate into D&D very well except as a monster/template trait. As a spell with a limited duration, it's somewhere between invisibility (2nd) and greater invisibility (4th), so...

Improved Invisibility
wiz/sorc 3

For the duration of this spell, you are invisible as if you had cast invisbility. If you make an aggressive action, you become visible, however, at the end of your turn you become invisible again.

So, is this a "balanced" 3rd level spell? What, if any, changes ought to be made to it?

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After I thought of that spell, I had an idea for another, similar spell. I don't know what level or even what classes it should be available to, however. I would guess it's a 1st-3rd level spell, and is probably best suited to rangers, but might also fit with arcane casters. I'm not sure.

Active Camoflage:
level ?

For the duration of this spell, you and everything you are wearing or carrying becomes translucent, becoming the same colors and patterns as whatever is behind or around you. When running or sprinting, it provides no bonus to hide checks. When moving at double your speed, it lowers your hide check penalty by half. When moving at your speed, it negates your speed penalty to hide checks. When moving at half your speed, it provides a +5 bonus to hide checks. When immobile, it provides a +10 bonus to hide checks, the spell adding the appearance of texture to your form.

This spell does not end if you make an aggressive action. This spell doubles any concealment miss chance percentage you have, up to a maximum of 50%, though it does not provide one. It does not allow you to hide without cover while moving, but it does if you are immobile - though if you are being actively watched you cannot hide from those watching you. In natural terrain, this effect gains a +5 bonus. Edit: This means that when immobile in natural terrain, you gain a total bonus of +15 to hide.

This spell seems more problematic than the previous one. Thoughts?

[TuggyNE]

Improved Invisibility
wiz/sorc 3

For the duration of this spell, you are invisible as if you had cast invisbility. If you make an aggressive action, you become visible, however, at the end of your turn you become invisible again.

So, is this a "balanced" 3rd level spell? What, if any, changes ought to be made to it?

This seems mostly OK, although you could probably reword it a bit to be more consistent with others (e.g. "As invisibility, except as noted. The spell does not end if you take an action that makes you visible, but restores invisibility at the end of your turn.")


After I thought of that spell, I had an idea for another, similar spell. I don't know what level or even what classes it should be available to, however. I would guess it's a 1st-3rd level spell, and is probably best suited to rangers, but might also fit with arcane casters. I'm not sure.

Active Camoflage:
level ?

For the duration of this spell, you and everything you are wearing or carrying becomes translucent, becoming the same colors and patterns as whatever is behind or around you. When running or sprinting, it provides no bonus to hide checks. When moving at double your speed, it lowers your hide check penalty by half. When moving at your speed, it negates your speed penalty to hide checks. When moving at half your speed, it provides a +5 bonus to hide checks. When immobile, it provides a +10 bonus to hide checks, the spell adding the appearance of texture to your form.

This spell does not end if you make an aggressive action. This spell doubles any concealment miss chance percentage you have, up to a maximum of 50%, though it does not provide one. It does not allow you to hide without cover while moving, but it does if you are immobile - though if you are being actively watched you cannot hide from those watching you. In natural terrain, this effect gains a +5 bonus. Edit: This means that when immobile in natural terrain, you gain a total bonus of +15 to hide.

This spell seems more problematic than the previous one. Thoughts?

Ranger 3 should be fine for this, or perhaps Ranger 4; maybe also give it to Assassin, and perhaps a few others.

[Zarrgon]

Improved Invisibility might be unbalanced. You get to be invisible, attack, and then become invisible again(as a free action?). And it's only 3rd level? This might need either a limited amount of uses like once per three caster levels or take long to become re-invisible and have that take an action.

Active Camoflage a second/third level spell that gives a +30 to a skill is right in the core rules. So a +30 hide check spell is just fine.

[demonickin0]

I agree with Zarggon that the Invisibility spell explained above is realitively over powered as a third level spell. My meaning is that at the end of an aggressive action you may become invisible once more? I would insist it being at the beginning of your next turn. That way you can't simple wait until you are the last in the round to attack so you can have it back at the end of a round. I would increase this to a level 4 or 5. (Just trying to reduce the possibly of abusing the spell). It also sounds as though the spell becomes a static ability after it's cast for the first time. Do you mean that the caster would have to spend a standard action to cast it again and it is able to at the end of your turn? Cool spells though, I have been thinking about the camouflage spell for awhile now, great ideas all around.

[TuggyNE]

I agree with Zarggon that the Invisibility spell explained above is realitively over powered as a third level spell. My meaning is that at the end of an aggressive action you may become invisible once more? I would insist it being at the beginning of your next turn. That way you can't simple wait until you are the last in the round to attack so you can have it back at the end of a round. I would increase this to a level 4 or 5. (Just trying to reduce the possibly of abusing the spell). It also sounds as though the spell becomes a static ability after it's cast for the first time. Do you mean that the caster would have to spend a standard action to cast it again and it is able to at the end of your turn? Cool spells though, I have been thinking about the camouflage spell for awhile now, great ideas all around.
Improved Invisibility might be unbalanced. You get to be invisible, attack, and then become invisible again(as a free action?). And it's only 3rd level? This might need either a limited amount of uses like once per three caster levels or take long to become re-invisible and have that take an action.

The issue with this is that greater invisibility (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/invisibilityGreater.htm) is a level 4 spell, and does not end, or even pause, when the subject attacks at all. (It's a shorter duration than invisibility, though; adjusting improved invisibility similarly might be good.)

In other words, you're both saying that a spell weaker than an existing core spell should be at least as high a level as that spell. I don't think that makes sense. A spell that is between regular and greater invisibility in power can only logically be a level 3 spell.

[Grod_The_Giant]

I'm with tuggyne on this one. (Not to say that Greater Invisibility isn't really good, because it is. But it exists).

I think being visible until the start of your next turn is a good, solid limitation, though.

[Seharvepernfan]

I'm with tuggyne on this one. (Not to say that Greater Invisibility isn't really good, because it is. But it exists).

Yes, it has to be 3rd level.


I think being visible until the start of your next turn is a good, solid limitation, though.

For the duration of this spell, you are invisible as if you had cast invisbility. If you make an aggressive action, you become visible, however, at the end of your turn you become invisible again.

So, you start your turn invisible, attack, become visible, do whatever else you can do, then at the end of your turn you turn invisible again. It's basically greater invisibility, except you are visible during part or most of your turn (if you take an aggressive action).

The enemy gets to see what you are, and where you are at the end of your turn (if they can see that spot, at least). They could also take readied actions to attack or whatever when you turn visible.

The only reason I made this spell was to fill a gap between invisibility and greater invisibility.

[Cipher Stars]

I like them both.

I'd say the camo sounds like a second level spell.

[Zarrgon]

Yes, it has to be 3rd level.



For the duration of this spell, you are invisible as if you had cast invisbility. If you make an aggressive action, you become visible, however, at the end of your turn you become invisible again.

So, you start your turn invisible, attack, become visible, do whatever else you can do, then at the end of your turn you turn invisible again. It's basically greater invisibility, except you are visible during part or most of your turn (if you take an aggressive action).


I like filling the gap, and think that this spell should be 3rd level as it fits right in. But the invisible at the end of the turn still bugs me. I still think you should have to take an action to re become invisible. A move action would be nice as it would limit your movement and fit under the ''you must stand still for a moment to become invisible''.

[Seharvepernfan]

A move action would be nice as it would limit your movement and fit under the ''you must stand still for a moment to become invisible''.

Active camoflage covered that more than imp invisibility did.

I just thought about the spell displacement. It's third level, and gives you a 50% miss chance for 1 round/level. If I took Imp Invis and made it require a move action to reactivate, this would require anyone with it to stand still and attack once per round, if they wanted invisibility at the end of their every turn.

Invisibility is better than a 50% miss chance, except in certain situations (like against someone with see invisibility or someone who takes a readied action to attack you when you turn visible).

So, if I made it a move action to reactivate, people with imp invis get a +2 on one attack a round, and sneak attack if they are rogues, and they cannot be targeted while invisible (unless the enemy can see invisible). The displacement people simply get a constant 50% miss chance.

How does that compare?

What about Blink? It's third level and 1 round/level as well. It gives you most of the best benefits of both improved invisibility and displacement, and other things besides, but your own attacks fail a fifth of the time.

I think making imp invis require a move action might make it too much of a bother to be used.