Uses for Ghostly Gaze Invocation?

[SociopathFriend]

Most Invocations are pretty obvious in how they're to be used but Ghostly Gaze seems to be often set aside-

You can see through basically anything (I think the Darkness spell still gimps you) for 30 feet for one minute. Requires concentration.

What are some shenanigans you can get up to with that?

[Dr.Samurai]

Well, after you've cleared a couple of rooms in a dungeon you can scan them with x-ray visions to easily spot secret passages/compartments/hidden traps/etc.

[KorvinStarmast]

When the BBEG is hiding in his concealed-behind-a-secret-door chamber, you can see him in there before he springs his trap on your party (provided that it isn't a particularly large room). This kind of scenario is not that uncommon when a party has chased the {enemy of the arc} for a while and there they are, but the {enemy} isn't there ... as Mac said in Predator:
[whispering] I see you!

[Coppercloud]

As a side bonus, it allows a character without natural darkvision to fight/hide in the dark in a pinch. Of course, light sources and/or spells or magic items granting Darkvision should still be the first option, but sometimes the unexpected happen.

[stoutstien]

Teleporting into a space you couldn't access otherwise springs to mind.

[PallyBass]

With claws of the umber hulk or some other way to gain burrow speed you would be able to get the drop on people from underground

[Psyren]

The handbooks I've seen have rated GG highly so not sure where the "often set aside" is coming from. Being able to see through walls is very versatile even if it uses your concentration.

[JackPhoenix]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5G5aCHDDZM

[Keravath]

Most applications I have seen involve scouting into rooms to see what is there before opening the door. It also provides an easy way to spot secret or hidden spaces if you have reason to suspect that they are there. However, the biggest issue with it is that it is usable only once/short or long rest which can make it a bit more situational in terms of choosing to use it.

In a game I run, the character used it to spot an Aboleth that was hiding waiting for the characters to enter the room.

However, the 30' range is a significant limitation especially in a dungeon with thick walls.

[solidork]

My warlock got a good amount of use out of it, but he was also pretty specialized for investigation. Near the end of the game, when he had his Coat of Eyes (a robe of eyes, but cooler), he was able to thoroughly scout out criminal hideouts by just walking past them on the street and seeming to pay them no mind. On several occasions he used it to carefully aim a Dimension Door through obstructions, and I was planning on getting Misty Step for use with my multiclassing slots so that I could pull off a Nightcrawler-esque infiltration.

[Kane0]

Basically any spell that operates on the phrase 'that you can see', and things like opportunity attacks for that matter.

But yeah, x-ray vision is one of those top 10 superpowers everyone thinks of up with invisibility, flight, etc.

[Ganryu]

It's an invocation everyone likes to crap on, but I've found it super useful.

I had a Gm, that admittedly let us homebrew a bit much, so I uswd wisdom based warlock. I ruined two exploration pillars with it. One of them we immediately found an exit to a cult temple and GTFO. The Dm facepalmed and asked how we always avoided loot. But a hour dungeon delve was reduced from 4 hours to 15 minutes with it and the party wasn't even noticed more than an initial alarm that was later flagged as false.


The other was I instantly found hostages in a cave due to it.

Basically, think of it as an original divination spell more than an ability. It is really useful in exploration pillar, but not so much in combat.

I did have a couple cheesy things of dim dooring into a sewer and spamming spells to the streets above, but honestly, not as useful as if I was on the battlefield.

[Phhase]

Combo it with the sky rune from rune knight for a wallhack attack. Stab yourself in the <vital region>, use the rune to transfer the attack to whoever you see through the wall. Bam, instant voodoo assassin.

[SociopathFriend]

Combo it with the sky rune from rune knight for a wallhack attack. Stab yourself in the <vital region>, use the rune to transfer the attack to whoever you see through the wall. Bam, instant voodoo assassin.

You had my curiosity, now you have my attention.

Tell me more of this potential for the voodoo that can be done.

[Reynaert]

I've always wondered if it would also make it possible to see hidden mechanisms, the wording doesn't seem 100% clear on that.

For example, could you see the inner workings of a lock on a door with GG?

[Phhase]

You had my curiosity, now you have my attention.

Tell me more of this potential for the voodoo that can be done.

Depends on the permissiveness of your DM but the basic gist is that Ghostly Gaze allows you to target effects that require line of sight but not line of effect through walls. The Sky rune effect is good because it lets you set up the perfect attack with the biggest weapon you have on yourself, then transfer it to your target. Hide inside a house, wait for your target to pass, shove a sword through your (target's) heart, and Bob's your uncle.