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If a druid wildshapes he magically changes his physical appearance. Let's say he turns into a spider. If he uses "pass without a trace" he gets flat +10 stealth. If he then proceeds to cling to a human trying to stay out of sight and someone with truesight comes near.

Does the truesight user have to find the spider first before truesight reveals the true form of the druid? Does the pass without a trace spell still give the bonus? If the spider is behind the humans leg, would the truesight user see the druid poking out left and right behind the leg or does wild shape completely disregards any magical revealing except for detect magic?

I am a little confused by truesight and its ability to see the unseen.

My question is specifically centered around "Does the truesight user still have to see the spider-formed druid first before truesight takes effect?"

NotArch
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Starzi
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    Welcome to our stack, Starzi! Please take the [tour] to learn more about how we operate here and you can also visit the [help] for even more info about us. – NotArch May 17 '23 at 11:58
  • Duplicates are also okay, they aren't a negative thing. However, if you think your question isn't a duplicate, please help us by explaining what makes it not a duplicate and why the other question didn't answer yours. Duplicates also help others find their answer by having multiple ways of asking a question. But again, if yours is different, please let us know how and the community can determine reopen value. – NotArch May 17 '23 at 11:59
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    It looks to me like this is not a duplicate of the linked question. The asker understands that someone looking at the spider with truesight will perceive the true form of the druid. If I understand correctly, they are effectively asking how this interacts with a wild shape form that is significantly smaller than the druid's true form. Essentially, can the druid in spider form hide behind something spider-sized, or would the creature with truesight see the druid's true form at actual size poking out from the tiny hiding spot? – Ryan C. Thompson May 17 '23 at 12:11
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    (Note: I voted to reopen but forgot that I have enough rep to single-handedly reopen it. It wasn't my intent to unilaterally override the duplicate marking. The question was marked as a duplicate of https://rpg.stackexchange.com/questions/96245/can-truesight-see-through-a-druids-wild-shape?noredirect=1&lq=1 . To the asker: if my interpretation of your question in my previous comment is correct, I would advise you to edit your question to clarify that, so that it doesn't get marked as a duplicate again.) – Ryan C. Thompson May 17 '23 at 12:13
  • @NautArch your title edit is very much appreciated! Thank you all for clarifying my question. Yes this is exactly what I tried to ask. Would the druid be sticking out from behind his cover or would he be actually hidden as long as his spider body is not seen. This is a big question and it is coming up from time to time in the circles im in. One particularly engaged friend of mine even asked Crawford himself but has not yet recieved an answer. – Starzi May 17 '23 at 12:34
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    @Starzi Don't worry about Crawford - he's not always right and often contradicts himself. Just like the rest of us. – NotArch May 17 '23 at 12:35
  • I am not sure that this is duplicate, since it asks about interaction of truesight with objects and with creatures. – Eddymage May 17 '23 at 12:42
  • @Eddymage I'd say related, not duplicate. Truesight is a sticky wicket. – NotArch May 17 '23 at 12:46
  • @NautArch I agree. – Eddymage May 17 '23 at 12:55

1 Answers1

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Truesight is not X-Ray sight

The description of this special sense can be found below:

A monster with truesight can, out to a specific range, see in normal and magical darkness, see invisible creatures and objects, automatically detect visual illusions and succeed on saving throws against them, and perceive the original form of a shapechanger or a creature that is transformed by magic. Furthermore, the monster can see into the Ethereal Plane within the same range.

Nowhere it is stated that can perceive the true form of a shapechanger or of a wild-shaped druid hidden behind objects or behind creatures: normal rules for sight, except the ones stated in the description of the sense, still apply.

Eddymage
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    I dig it! Think it's worth asking a separate question about a hidden creature under a visual illusion? – NotArch May 17 '23 at 12:45
  • So as long as direct line of sight is obstructed I am unseen. Good to know. So I just have to not get close to detect magic and I should be fine. – Starzi May 17 '23 at 12:51
  • @Starzi I agree with NautArch: I am glad of being of any help, but it could be nice to give time to people all around the world to check the question and all the given answers. – Eddymage May 17 '23 at 12:57
  • @NautArch That's could be interesting, indeed: even a creature with the ring of x-ray vision and truesight could pone some interesting insights.. – Eddymage May 17 '23 at 12:58
  • I damn my own perception and sleight of hand skills for this mistake. I actually wanted to safe this answer not mark it as accepted. My bad. – Starzi May 17 '23 at 13:06
  • I actually think that being out of sight might be equal to the truesight user being blindfolded. It should have basically the same effect. If a dragon is in humanoid form sitting inside a tavern he would still be hidden. Would be weird to stand on top of a mountain with truesight and actually seeing dragons everywhere. – Starzi May 17 '23 at 13:10
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    @Starzi Recall that usually special senses such as truesight have radius – Eddymage May 17 '23 at 13:24
  • Let us continue this discussion in chat. – Eddymage May 17 '23 at 13:47
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    I think the problem is that "normal rules for sight" are unclear in this situation. If the shapechanger's original form is too big to be covered, the normal rules for sight would allow the creature with Truesight to see them since they can perceive the original form. I'm not saying this answer is wrong though. I certainly wouldn't allow other creatures to get cover if they are only covered by the true form of the shapechanger. I'm not sure this question has a definitive answer by RAW. – Joakim M. H. May 19 '23 at 12:25