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ID Category Severity Reproducibility Date Submitted Last Update
0000486 [DCSS] FR: Other minor have not tried 2010-01-20 19:21 2014-09-15 09:28
Reporter dpeg View Status public  
Assigned To wheals
Priority normal Resolution done  
Status resolved   Product Branch
Summary 0000486: Being invisible is broken
Description I am a bit bitter, just having lost an XL 16 KeFE of Fedhas who, despite being invisible, had Snorg in tow until he died (which took a while).

So it seems that monsters know exactly where you are, despite going invisible. It is true that they have much worse to-hit ratings but the disparity to invisible monsters is huge. Also, this means that the actual uses of becoming invisible are only (a) avoid being shot, (b) increase stealth. (Compare this with confusing monsters, for example.)

It is clear that turning invisible should not make the monster behave as if confused. I am confident something better can be obtained. Here are some ideas:
(1) Monsters go to your last spot.
(2) If they see you attack (including spells, ranged), they go there instead.
(3) They may run away instead (perhaps only for intelligent monsters).
(4) They could forget you and start wandering (animals without good scent, probably).
(5) They pick a point and go there (but changing direction according to (2)).

As you can see, there should be randomness involved, as well as monster intelligence.
Additional Information
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-  Notes
(0001348)
Cryptic (developer)
2010-01-20 20:09

 I agree that invisibility seems underpowered in a lot of circumstances. Perhaps an intelligent creature (in addition to following #1 of dpegs idea) has a chance to hear you, based on your stealthyness and make swings (if close) in that direction, or pick a general direction to go towards.

This seems to be a bit more realistic and prevents invis from automatically becoming a 'Get away from any monster free' card.
(0001352)
Porkchop (reporter)
2010-01-20 21:55

 In current form it is not worth a 6 level spell, i think it being broken maybe has to do with stealth mechanics in general. Like has been discussed before about how monsters always seem to know where you are after you teleport away from them.
(0001353)
Lemuel (updater)
2010-01-20 22:13

 I agree with Porkchop, a comprehensive revision of monster awareness is needed.
(0001776)
nrook (updater)
2010-01-27 20:50

 Some of this is already in place. When I went invisible on a recent character; everyone still knew where I was. When I blinked away from the spot, however, I saw some ranged attacks directed at my former location.
(0001999)
cbus (updater)
2010-02-02 20:30

 I had an orc following me during the complete duration of 2 potion of invisibilities and he even followed me to another level, invisibility does not work.
(0002429)
jpeg (manager)
2010-02-12 22:58

 In a recent game of mine, I was able to escape several times using invisibility, which I really wouldn't have expected. Erica's spells shot past me etc. It worked wonderfully. (As a draconian only wearing a robe I was fairly stealthy, though.)
(0002447)
dpeg (administrator)
2010-02-12 23:32

 jpeg: Yes, invisibility is (and was for some time) useful against ranged attackers. I can recommend it against dragons and oklobs. My report was about using it in melee, when a monster can follow you all the time (despite not being officially able to see invisible).
(0027255)
wheals (administrator)
2014-09-14 21:04

 0000004 has been done at some point. It doesn't really happen if you have really bad stealth, but I wizmoded up a mummy with 15 dex and 27 xl/stealth, which put it at "incredibly stealthy," and a hydra i put next to myself started wandering almost immediately when i turned invisible. I then tried with only 10 skill, at "stealthy," and it took a few more turns but it lost its trail.
(0027258)
Bloax (reporter)
2014-09-15 09:28

 Well stealth isn't directly related to noise (which is what they should chase), and not all characters that could use this happen to be very stealthy.

Potions of invisibility are pretty rare, and getting the invisibility spell up early enough for this to be incredibly exploitable in the mostly SInv-less branches would be difficult.

- Issue History
Date Modified Username Field Change
2010-01-20 19:21 dpeg New Issue
2010-01-20 20:09 Cryptic Note Added: 0001348
2010-01-20 21:55 Porkchop Note Added: 0001352
2010-01-20 22:13 Lemuel Note Added: 0001353
2010-01-27 20:50 nrook Note Added: 0001776
2010-02-02 20:30 cbus Note Added: 0001999
2010-02-02 20:31 cbus Issue Monitored: cbus
2010-02-11 22:28 cbus Issue End Monitor: cbus
2010-02-12 22:58 jpeg Note Added: 0002429
2010-02-12 23:32 dpeg Note Added: 0002447
2014-09-14 21:04 wheals Note Added: 0027255
2014-09-14 21:04 wheals Status new => resolved
2014-09-14 21:04 wheals Fixed in Branch => 0.16 development branch
2014-09-14 21:04 wheals Resolution open => done
2014-09-14 21:04 wheals Assigned To => wheals
2014-09-15 09:28 Bloax Note Added: 0027258

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