Invisible stalker

Invisible stalker
Characteristics
Alignment Usually Neutral
Image Wizards.com image
Publication history
Source books Monster Manual

In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game, the invisible stalker is an elemental creature from the Elemental Plane of Air.

Publication history

The invisible stalkers first appeared in the original Dungeons & Dragons set (1974),[1] and the supplement Eldritch Wizardry (1976).

The invisible stalker appeared in the D&D Expert Set (1981, 1983). The invisible stalker (sshai) appeared in the Companion Rules (1984) and the Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia (1991).[2]

The invisible stalker appeared in first edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons in the original Monster Manual (1977).[3]

The invisible stalker appeared in second edition in Monstrous Compendium Volume One (1989),[4] and reprinted in the Monstrous Manual (1993).[5]

The invisible stalker appeared in the third edition Monster Manual (2000),[6] and in the 3.5 revised Monster Manual (2003).

The invisible stalker appeared in the fifth edition Monster Manual (2014).[7]

Physical description

As its name obviously implies, an invisible stalker is invisible, resembling a completely see-through, completely silent, and highly undetectable and stealthy humanoid made of a wispy, shimmering essence.

Invisible stalkers have an amorphous form. A see invisibility spell only reveals a dim outline of a vaguely humanoid cloud, while a true seeing spell reveals a roiling cloud of vapor.

Society

Invisible stalkers live predominantly on the Elemental Plane of Air, but are sometimes summoned by mages to perform various tasks. A summoned invisible stalker does whatever task its master, the summoner, commands, even if the task sends it hundreds or thousands of miles away. It makes an ideal spy or assassin. The creature follows a command until it is completed and obeys only its summoner. It, however, resents protracted missions or complex tasks and seeks to pervert the instructions accordingly.

While invisible stalkers can only speak Auran, they do understand Common.

Invisible stalkers are usually neutral in alignment, and could be regarded as good or evil if given a task or summoned by a master of such an alignment.

Combat

An invisible stalker uses stealth to attack. It sneaks up to the enemy and then creates a single blast of wind which pounds the enemy, intended to weaken it. Then it starts pummeling the opponent with its own strength. As the creature can remain invisible even in combat, fighting back against it is difficult. Invisible stalkers can only be killed on the Elemental Plane of Air; if they take enough damage to kill them elsewhere, they teleport back.

Trivia

  • When it comes to a miniature of the invisible stalker, the developers of the Dungeons & Dragons Miniatures game have often joked about using just the base with nothing on it, because the creature itself is invisible.
  • Furthermore, the 2nd Edition picture of an invisible stalker was, in fact, a blank picture. This "picture" was credited as a joke to Doug Stewart and Tim Beach in the 2nd Edition Monstrous Manual book.
  • An issue of the TSR Endless Quest book series, Return to Brookmere, features an early depiction of an invisible stalker named Mazahs (art by Timothy Truman), who could turn himself visible at will. In his visible form, Mazahs was shown as a solid-bodied humanoid creature with two arms, four spindly legs (with an arrangement resembling an ant's rather than a centaur's), pointed ears and a large nose, wearing earrings and a curly-pointed cap.
  • While it does not appear in fourth edition, the invisible stalker serves as the namesake for a level 22 utility power for the rogue's thief archetype.[8]

References

  1. ↑ Gygax, Gary, and Dave Arneson. Dungeons & Dragons (3-Volume Set) (TSR, 1974)
  2. ↑ Allston, Aaron, Steven E. Schend, Jon Pickens, and Dori Watry. Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia (TSR, 1991)
  3. ↑ Gygax, Gary. Monster Manual (TSR, 1977)
  4. ↑ Cook, David, et al. Monstrous Compendium Volume One (TSR, 1989)
  5. ↑ Stewart, Doug, ed. Monstrous Manual (TSR, 1993)
  6. ↑ Williams, Skip, Jonathan Tweet, and Monte Cook. Monster Manual. Wizards of the Coast, 2000
  7. ↑ Wizards RPG Team. Monster Manual. Wizards of the Coast. ISBN 978-0786965618.
  8. ↑ Mearls, Mike; Slavicsek, Bill; Thompson, Rodney (September 21, 2010). Heroes of the Fallen Lands. Wizards of the Coast. p. 190. ISBN 978-0786956203.
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