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Falrin
2008-02-01, 01:41 PM
We know the basics:

A small ball of fire springs forth from the wizards hand and explodes in a scorching ball of fire.


But it seems that two major questions seem to be unanswered:

1: If there is no specific effect given, does it just 'happen'?

In game effects would include: positioning an invisible mage when he summons a creature, instant knowledge who casted, ...

2: If somebody makes a save, how much does he know?

Do you know when somebody casted suggestion? Do you know who it was?


Ex. A wizard casts a silenced, still charm in a shop, but the shoppkeeper makes his safe. What just happened?

A) Absolutely nothing, nobody notices anything.

B) Gentle light forms in the hands of the mage, shooting at the shopkeeper who suddenly feels the urge to be best friends with that caster, but shakes the feeling of.

valadil
2008-02-01, 01:46 PM
Not to nitpick, but you make a save, not a safe.

Anyway, I'd argue that the special effects involved in casting a spell are concealed by invisibility. The SRD says they can summon monsters without breaking invisibility:


Thus, an invisible being can open doors, talk, eat, climb stairs, summon monsters and have them attack, cut the ropes holding a rope bridge while enemies are on the bridge, remotely trigger traps, open a portcullis to release attack dogs, and so forth.

If wizards wanted the light show that accompanied a summon monster spell to show up and hint at a caster without explicitly breaking invisibility, they would have said so.

Douglas
2008-02-01, 02:22 PM
1) If an invisible mage casts a Silent Summon Monster, then yes the monster just appears for no apparent reason. A spellcraft check could identify it as the result of a Summon Monster spell, but that's all.

2) A creature that successfully saves against a spell that has no obvious physical effects feels a hostile force or a tingle, but cannot deduce the exact nature of the attack. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicOverview/spellDescriptions.htm#savingThrow) If the target has Spellcraft, he can use it to After rolling a saving throw against a spell targeted on you, determine what that spell was. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/skills/spellcraft.htm) Figuring out who cast it requires more evidence.