Invisibility Sphere Duration

[Jasede]

It's round / level right now, double with SF, double again with GSF. I can see why but it makes it rarely (never) worth memorizing unless you have GSF since there's not a great deal you can do in 5, 6, 7 (10, 12, 14) rounds. How about making it 2 rounds / level, and keep the SF/GSF double rules? Might see more use then.

Haven't ever seen anyone cast this before!

[Dredi]

I saw it cast from a scroll. We were greatly dissapoint.

[Ebok]

It would be nice if this spell was at least as cool as useful as the Old Cleric turning invisibility was. I'm not certain as to that effects range, duration, and area in comparison, but seeing something of the sort done to the spell... would be healthy for the spells usefulness.

[goate]

It's a pretty amazing spell IMO, not so much for the invis, but for the displacement afterwards - which seems like it lasts longer than displacement.  Was always one of Tobit's favorites....

[Ebok]

Invisibilty Sphere does not create any displacement effect afterwards. That's Improved Invisibility, and it happens to be one of the most powerful spells in EFU.

Invisibility sphere has been changed as follows

• Vanilla casting - same as casting Invisibility on everybody within two meters, except lasting for only one round/level.
• Duration is double for SF: Illusion
• Duration is double again for GSF: Illusion

The radius is very small, the effect time is very short even with two feats invested in it, and it goes away on the first hostile action. Extended invisibility occupies the same spell slot and lasts 2/minutes a level, vs maybe 3 people for up to 3rnds a level.


There is a reason no one ever uses this spell.

[Pentaxius]

We have many suboptimal/highly situational spells in the game, and this is one of them. It does come in handy in the very uncommon situation that you have a large party that needs to be cloaked.

That said, it has some coolness potential if you can find that one situation where it can shine ! (E.g Ambushing a warparty of Orogs with a large group of Wayfinders)

[Ebok]

That said, it has some coolness potential if you can find that one situation where it can shine ! (E.g Ambushing a warparty of Orogs with a large group of Wayfinders)

This situation could not occur with the current duration unless there was absolutely no roleplaying being done between that party and the DM. As the spell will run it's course before a single exchange is completed. Also, ambushing in NWN engine doesn't really work vs monsters, as they are the same strength when caught unawares vs any normal random charge. The only way this could matter is if the DM was narrating the scene, which again, this spells duration is entirely unsuitable for.

The DM:team in the past have stated that some spells are suppose to be worse then others, or only useful in very poignant and rare situations. However the only situations I can see would be better handled by just about anything else.

• PvP where a group needs a moment to heal up or regroup against an opponent that doesn't run up to them or have any see invisibility potions. Yet they cant see each other, or the primary caster, so if anyone moves they're liable to fall out of the brief sphere.
• As a quick way to allow your entire party of sneaks to stealth without the apparent cloud of darkness. Or in a populated area without setting blue npcs hostile.
• As a way to momentarily conceal a summoned army from your aggressors. Generally speaking, the radius of the spell isn't large enough in these instances, and the summons will fall out of the AoE before starting to follow you.

EDIT: If it could be possible to script that those within the sphere are granted some type of sight of the others under the same spell effect... Then this could have a few interesting uses. It could be really crazy useful if the sphere dropped See Invis on the target for the same duration (while within the sphere). Hostile action would cancel the invis, but it could turn many situations around briefly. Useful for a short lived level 3 spell.

But a temp mass see invis could be life saving, especially if it provided a second to recoup, allow the healers to get to the fighters, the fighters to re position relative to each other, and many a buff or two tossed up. When it comes to using the spell in an offensive way, it grants well coordinated teams the ability to try to chase down an invisible guy... but only if they stick together.

Keep in mind the caster is the only one that doesn't risk falling out of the sphere. And for the same level of spell they could drop See Invis extended with other potential duration increases. So its a significantly less powerful then See invis, except under certain conditions.

[Jasede]

I was hesitant to post this but I decided to do it anyway:

I'd suggest you change the spell to ALSO give Expeditious Retreat / round when cast. No real reason, but it'd make it somewhat more usable as a "Let's all rush X!" spell.

[Ebok]

Expeditious Retreat really cant be added, Its already very difficult to keep everyone within the sphere. This would make even the slightest deviation from a course untenable. Also, Invis sphere as per cannon has nothing to do with charging an opponent.

This was the text from which the spell was created and added into nwn:

Invisibility Sphere

 Illusion (Glamer)

            Level:       Brd 3, Sor/Wiz 3               Components:       V, S, M               Area:       10-ft.-radius emanation around the creature or object touched          This spell functions like invisibility, except that this spell confers invisibility upon all creatures within 10 feet of the recipient. The center of the effect is mobile with the recipient.
     Those affected by this spell can see each other and themselves as if  unaffected by the spell. Any affected creature moving out of the area  becomes visible, but creatures moving into the area after the spell is  cast do not become invisible. Affected creatures (other than the recipient) who attack negate the invisibility only for themselves. If the spell recipient attacks, the invisibility sphere ends.

[goate]

Doh, right you are.  Yeah, I agree, invisibility sphere seems pretty useless to me.

Invisibilty Sphere does not create any displacement effect afterwards. That's Improved Invisibility, and it happens to be one of the most powerful spells in EFU.

Invisibility sphere has been changed as follows

• Vanilla casting - same as casting Invisibility on everybody within two meters, except lasting for only one round/level.
• Duration is double for SF: Illusion
• Duration is double again for GSF: Illusion

The radius is very small, the effect time is very short even with two feats invested in it, and it goes away on the first hostile action. Extended invisibility occupies the same spell slot and lasts 2/minutes a level, vs maybe 3 people for up to 3rnds a level.


There is a reason no one ever uses this spell.

[Ebok]

In retrospect, the nwnwiki reads that the spell gives sight to those under the spells effect as well. If this is also the case without the party system, then I'd just want to know why the duration for this effect was ever altered in EFU. Maybe the records from back in the original lists creation are still available.

[Paha]

Seeing others in the invisibility sphere never worked, because of mechanical issues in nwn. It is an issue in mechanical limitations. It also had huge bug because nwn never handled moving aoe spells well and they lagged behind (seen in fear aura effects as well).

I wonder though.

round = 6 seconds. With focus, 12 seconds per level. GSF, it is already 24 seconds per level.

So with lvl 5 it's already two minutes. In nwn two minutes in itself is plenty to make hasty retreat or find a group of enemies, gather together and prepare to launch a surprise attack behind the next ridge.

By no means is it meant to replace invisibility spell. It acts like it would cast individual invisibility on everyone around you for a short while, and can surely be very useful.

This is unlikely to change.

[Ebok]

I wonder though.

round = 6 seconds. With focus, 12 seconds per level. GSF, it is already 24 seconds per level.

So with lvl 5 it's already two minutes. In nwn two minutes in itself is plenty to make hasty retreat or find a group of enemies, gather together and prepare to launch a surprise attack behind the next ridge.

By no means is it meant to replace invisibility spell. It acts like it would cast individual invisibility on everyone around you for a short while, and can surely be very useful.

This is unlikely to change.

Moving quickly with this spell is simple going to concentrate enemy fire on the first guy that makes a wrong turn from the main group. "Very useful" if it were true, would have this spell being in use IG. I have never seen this occur in all years playing here. I think that the potential for it being useful would be true, if perhaps, it was a lower level spell then it is. As it stands, being unable to coordinate is the precise reason this spell is useless. See invis for that duration would change the landscape entirely.

However, if it's unlikely to change, it'll just be equally unlikely to ever matter in game-play. So no loss, unless you're a fan of this spell.

[Jasede]

Wasn't it changed so that when you cast it, the sphere part is ignored and it just applies this 1 / 2 / 4 round invis to everyone in radius?

That's what just feels too short to be useful unless you have GSF. YMMV.

[Paha]

Then get see invisibility on you. Default one did not provide that either.

You read my comment, in our mechanical changes it say "same as casting Invisibility on everybody within two meters". As I always understood, and have seen it happen, is it casts individual invisibility on everyone for that duration. It is not a sphere you break away from when you run off and get dispelled right after, because as I said, that default form of mechanic was bugged as hell and ended even caster himself outrunning the effect more than often.

So yes, it is unlikely to change. If you want precision, cast see invisibility. There's no reason to provide that free. You don't need to see to always do everything precisely. Try planning ahead. When it comes to duration, it is demanding spell and illusionist prevail in use of such things. We can think that part but it's unlikely to grow to be anywhere much longer.