Can a Firbolg using the Hidden Step trait remain invisible when casting a spell?

Question

The Firbolg's Hidden Step trait (Volo's Guide to Monsters, p. 107) reads:

As a bonus action, you can magically turn invisible until the start of your next turn or until you attack, make a damage roll, or force someone to make a saving throw. Once you use this trait, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

I’m thinking about running a Firbolg Cleric, but I’m not sure if the Firbolg’s natural bonus-action invisibility from the Hidden Step trait can be maintained if I cast a spell.

That's not the official wording of the trait. Where are you seeing that wording? (Is it the snippet of the trait in D&D Beyond when viewed on the character sheet itself?) That said, I don't think the official wording is meaningfully different: "As a bonus action, you can magically turn invisible until the start of your next turn or until you attack, make a damage roll, or force someone to make a saving throw. Once you use this trait, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest." Also, what makes you doubt that this would work? Do you have a particular example in mind? — V2Blast, Dec 31 '19 at 23:05
Also, related: Does a Firbolg’s Hidden Step count as a spell or cantrip? — V2Blast, Dec 31 '19 at 23:07
I edited your question to use the correct wording of the feature, though it isn't particularly different — Exempt-Medic, Dec 31 '19 at 23:08
Also related: Is there official clarification how firbolg's Hidden Step interacts with delayed damage/save effects? — Rubiksmoose, Dec 31 '19 at 23:10

score 12 · Accepted Answer · edited Jun 16 '20 at 10:23

Yes, as long as the spell doesn't require any of those things.

The official wording of the trait says:

As a bonus action, you can magically turn invisible until the start of your next turn or until you attack, make a damage roll, or force someone to make a saving throw. Once you use this trait, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Casting a spell doesn't inherently require any of these things. The only thing that casting a spell requires is generally taking the Cast a Spell action. That being said, many spells do cause damage, require saving throws, include attacks etc. As long as the spell you choose doesn't involve any of those, you can remain invisible.

Compare this with invisibility which explicitly does not allow any spellcasting without breaking its effects:

The spell ends for a target that attacks or casts a spell.

It's also worth noting that, generally speaking, it's understood that if one of the conditions that breaks the invisibility occurs, the invisibility breaks immediately afterwards (rather than before). Related: How can you get advantage from Invisibility if attacking ends it? — V2Blast, Dec 31 '19 at 23:16
Thanks everyone Firbolg actually looks like a really fun race I’ve not looked at it much before now — Niv Mizzet, Dec 31 '19 at 23:45

Can a Firbolg using the Hidden Step trait remain invisible when casting a spell?

1 Answers1

Yes, as long as the spell doesn't require any of those things.