There is nothing there. Then your companion takes 1d4 damage from nothing. Then your companion takes 1d4 damage from nothing again. You cannot attack until round 2. In round 2 you can see shadows and movement and attack at –4. The pixies find this funny.
What a Pixie Is #
Pixies are 1–2 ft tall humanoids with insectlike wings, distantly related to elves, permanently invisible unless they choose otherwise. They live in woodland communities, do not attack humans without provocation, and may help polite adventurers by guiding them to lost cities or hidden locations.
The permanent invisibility distinction: The RC explicitly notes that pixies “do not suffer the limitations of the invisibility spell — they can attack and remain invisible.” Standard Invisibility is broken by attacking. Pixie invisibility is not a spell; it is natural, and it persists through combat.
Core Statistics #
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Hit Dice | 1d8*** (avg 5 HP) |
| AC | 17 |
| AV | 0 |
| HR | +1 |
| FR | +1 |
| FD | 10 |
| Move | 90 ft (30 ft encounter) ground / 180 ft (60 ft encounter) flying |
| Attacks | 1 dagger: 1d4 |
| No. Appearing | 2d4 (1d4×10) |
| Save As | Elf 1 |
| Morale | 7 |
| Treasure | R + S |
| Alignment | Neutral |
| Intelligence | High (INT 14) |
| XP | 19 |
AC/AV Reasoning #
RC original is AC 3 (descending) = Ascending AC 17. An invisible 1–2 ft creature.
- AC 17 — Small size, permanently invisible, and extremely fast-moving. Attackers in round 2+ target shadows and movement at –4 HR (effectively attacking AC 17 at –4 = effective AC 21 for targeting purposes). The AC 17 represents the baseline when the attacker has partial information about the pixie’s location
- AV 0 — No physical protection whatsoever. At 5 avg HP, any hit is potentially lethal
The three asterisks:
- Permanent attack-capable invisibility (not limited as the spell)
- First-round immunity (cannot be attacked at all in round 1)
- Partial-detection combat penalty (–4 HR after round 1)
Skill Slots (4 total — 1*** HD = 1 base + 3 asterisks; High INT 14) #
| Slot | Skill / Ability | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | HR Investment (Basic) | HR +1 (note: always gains surprise due to permanent invisibility) |
| 2 | Permanent Invisible Combat (innate, special) | Attacks while invisible; breaks no rule; gains surprise every round of first attack. First asterisk |
| 3 | First-Round Immunity (innate, special) | Cannot be attacked in round 1 of any combat. Second asterisk |
| 4 | Shadow Detection (innate, special) | Attackers in round 2+ see shadows/movement; –4 HR to hit pixie. Third asterisk |
The Invisibility — Complete Mechanics #
Natural Permanent Invisibility #
“Invisible unless they want to be seen (or unless magically detected).”
The pixie is invisible at all times except:
- It voluntarily becomes visible
- Detect Invisible, True Seeing, or equivalent magic reveals it
“Do not suffer the limitations of the invisibility spell”: The standard Invisibility spell breaks when the invisible creature attacks. Pixie invisibility does not break. A pixie that attacks remains invisible. A pixie that casts a spell (if a spellcaster) remains invisible. The invisibility is biological, not magical.
Surprise — Always #
“They always gain surprise when doing so [attacking while invisible].”
A pixie that chooses to attack always surprises its target. No roll. The target cannot see the pixie coming. This applies to the first attack of every new engagement — a pixie that withdraws, repositions, and attacks again surprises again.
Round 1 — Immunity #
“They may not be attacked in the first round of combat.”
No attack roll can be made against a pixie in round 1 of combat. The party simply cannot hit what they cannot perceive. No exceptions stated — even See Invisible in round 1 does not allow attacks (the pixie’s movement and size make targeting impossible before the eye adjusts).
Round 2 and After — Shadows and Movement #
“Their attackers will see shadows and movement in the air and may attack the pixies with a –4 penalty on attack rolls.”
From round 2 onward, the attacker can perceive something — faint visual distortion, displaced air, minor shadows from the pixie’s movement. This allows attacks at HR –4.
Effective attack difficulty:
- Base HR vs. pixie AC 17 at –4 penalty = effectively HR vs. AC 21
- A Fighter with HR +4 attacks at a net +0 vs. AC 17 adjusted to +0 vs. 21 equivalent
- Against most attackers, the pixie is very hard to hit even in later rounds
Magical detection: Detect Invisible or True Seeing reveals the pixie exactly and removes the –4 penalty. The pixie is now attackable at full HR vs. AC 17.
Flight Endurance #
“Their small insectlike wings can only support pixies for three turns, and they must rest one full turn after flying.”
Flight budget:
- 3 turns (30 rounds) maximum flight per session
- 1 turn (10 rounds) mandatory rest after flying
In combat terms: 3 turns of flight is 30 combat rounds — more than sufficient for any standard combat. The endurance limit matters primarily for extended travel, pursuit, or when multiple separate combats occur in sequence.
The rest requirement: A pixie that has flown its full 3 turns cannot fly again for 10 rounds. In a fight that extends through multiple phases, a pixie may be grounded. At 5 avg HP and ground speed 90 ft, a grounded pixie is suddenly vulnerable.
Personality and Community #
“They do not attack humans except when they are themselves attacked or endangered.”
The pixie’s default stance toward humans is neutral — watchful, curious, and non-threatening. They have their own communities; they have their own concerns; humans are not their primary focus.
“May do favors for polite adventurers”: INT 14 means the pixie can accurately assess whether someone is being genuine or performing politeness. High intelligence, woodland knowledge, and permanent invisibility make pixies exceptional observers — they may have been watching the party for an extended time before deciding whether to reveal themselves.
Wilderness knowledge: “They know much of the wilderness and can guide heroes to lost cities or hidden caverns.” A pixie community in a forest has been present for generations. They know every path, every hidden location, every dangerous creature’s territory. A party that establishes good relations with a pixie community has access to information that no map provides.
What “polite” means in practice:
- Not attacking or threatening when encountering them
- Not damaging the forest environment carelessly
- Treating the pixies as intelligent beings (their INT 14 exceeds many humanoids)
- Offering something in exchange — pixies appreciate gifts, interesting stories, and unique items
Encounter Notes #
The ambush: The party is moving through the woods. Shadows and movement are not visible — round 1. Two party members take 1d4 dagger damage each from nowhere. Round 2: shadows appear in the air. The party attacks at –4 HR. The pixies (2d4, up to 8) are all invisible, all attacking at surprise, all immune to first-round attacks. High INT 14 means they retreat when the party’s countermeasures (area spells, Detect Invisible) become effective. Morale 7 — they will not take casualties lightly.
Why are they attacking? Pixies “do not attack humans except when attacked or endangered.” If pixies are attacking unprovoked, something is wrong — the party has unknowingly done something that endangered the pixie community, the party is being mistaken for someone else, or they are being tested (pixies with INT 14 may be curious what the party does when attacked by nothing).
The guide offer: The party needs to find a lost city three days into the forest. Standard navigation will not work — no reliable map exists. They encounter signs of pixie presence (flowers arranged oddly, tools moved, small footprints). If the party leaves appropriate gifts and behaves courteously, a pixie makes itself visible (a 1–2 ft figure with dragonfly wings and large eyes, hovering at head height). It has been watching for two days. It knows where the lost city is. It will guide them — for a favor to be named later.
The community: 1d4×10 pixies (up to 40) in their woodland home. A pixie community has structure — elders, specialists, spellcasters. A party that reaches this community through proper invitation is in a genuinely valuable social encounter. 40 High-INT invisible woodland beings who know every secret of the surrounding forest are a significant intelligence asset for any regional campaign.
CR 3 justification:
- 1*** HD = CR 4 theoretical base
- Reduced to CR 3: INT 14 but Morale 7 (they retreat when challenged), non-aggressive default, 5 avg HP (one hit kills most pixies)
- The three special abilities (permanent invisible combat, round 1 immunity, –4 penalty after) make them effective ambushers but not sustained fighters
- Against a party with Detect Invisible: effectively CR 1 (4 HP creatures with 1d4 daggers)
