In the Dungeons & Dragons

Dungeons & Dragons

Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...

fantasy

Fantasy

Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...

 roleplaying game, the invisible stalker is an elemental

Elemental (Dungeons & Dragons)

In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, an elemental is a type of creature. Elemental creatures are composed of one of the four classical elementals of air, earth, fire, or water.-Publication history:...

 creature from the Elemental Plane of Air.

Publication history

The invisible stalkers first appeared in the original Dungeons & Dragons set

Dungeons & Dragons (1974)

The original Dungeons & Dragons boxed set by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson was published by TSR, Inc. in 1974. It initially included the original edition of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game...

 (1974), and the supplement Eldritch Wizardry

Eldritch Wizardry

Eldritch Wizardry is a supplementary rulebook by Gary Gygax and Brian Blume, written for the original edition of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, which included a number of significant additions to the core game.-Contents:...

(1976).

The invisible stalker appeared in the D&D Expert Set

Dungeons & Dragons Expert Set

The Expert Set is an expansion boxed set for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. It was first published in 1981 as an expansion to the Basic Set.-1981 printing:The D&D Basic Set saw a major revision in 1981 by Tom Moldvay...

(1981, 1983). The invisible stalker (sshai) appeared in the Companion Rules

Dungeons & Dragons Companion Set

The Companion Set is an expansion boxed set for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. It was first published in 1984 as an expansion to the Basic Set.-Publication history:...

(1984) and the Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia

Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia

The Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia was published by TSR, Inc. in 1991, as a continuation of the basic edition of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, which ran concurrently with Advanced Dungeons & Dragons. Its product designation was TSR 1071...

(1991).

The invisible stalker appeared in first edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons in the original Monster Manual

Monster Manual

The Monster Manual is the primary bestiary sourcebook for monsters in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. It includes monsters derived from mythology, and folklore, as well as creatures created for D&D specifically...

(1977).

The invisible stalker appeared in second edition in Monstrous Compendium Volume Two (1989), and reprinted in the Monstrous Manual (1993).

The invisible stalker appeared in the third edition Monster Manual

Monster Manual

The Monster Manual is the primary bestiary sourcebook for monsters in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. It includes monsters derived from mythology, and folklore, as well as creatures created for D&D specifically...

(2000), and in the 3.5 revised Monster Manual (2003).

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.

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. In fact, 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.