Revised Stealth Rules
From Shadowfell Geographic Society
Revision 0.2. Players please use the discussion page rather than editing this page directly for non-trivial changes.
This page represents an attempt to clarify and rationalize the Stealth system, and its use in and out of Combat. Inside combat, I actually think the rules with Errata below are excellent and clear. The section after that represents my attempt to rationalize the various mechanics for use outside combat and across the boundary. These are House Rules rather than Rulings, because I think the rules as written are both unclear and incomplete, so I can't build a complete system from them without making some things up myself.
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Stealth with Latest Errata
Make a Stealth check to conceal yourself from enemies, slink past guards, slip away without being noticed, and sneak up on people without being seen or heard.
This skill is used against another creature's Perception check or against a DC set by the DM.
Stealth: At the end of a move action.
- Opposed Check: Stealth vs. passive Perception. If multiple enemies are present, your Stealth check is opposed by each enemy's passive Perception check. If you move more than 2 squares during the move action, you take a -5 penalty to the Stealth check. If you run, the penalty is -10.
- Becoming Hidden: You can make a Stealth check against an enemy only if you have superior cover or total concealment against the enemy or if you're outside the enemy's line of sight. Outside combat, the DM can allow you to make a Stealth check against a distracted enemy, even if you don't have superior cover or total concealment and aren't outside the enemy's line of sight. The distracted enemy might be focused on something in a different direction, allowing you to sneak up.
- Success: You are hidden, which means you are silent and invisible to the enemy.
- Failure: You can try again at the end of another move action.
- Remaining Hidden: You remain hidden as long as you meet these requirements.
- Keep Out of Sight: If you no longer have any cover or concealment against an enemy, you do not remain hidden from that enemy. You don't need superior cover, total concealment, or to stay outside line of sight, but you do need some degree of cover or concealment to remain hidden. You can not use another creature as cover to remain hidden.
- Keep Quiet: If you speak louder than a whisper or otherwise draw attention to yourself, you don't remain hidden from any enemy that can hear you.
- Keep Still: If you move more than 2 squares during an action, you must make a new Stealth check with a -5 penalty. If you run, the penalty is -10. If any enemy's passive Perception check beats your check result, you don't remain hidden from that enemy.
- Don't Attack: If you attack, you don't remain hidden.
- Not Remaining Hidden: If you take an action that causes you not to remain hidden, you retain the benefits of being hidden until you resolve the action. You can't become hidden again as part of that same action.
- Enemy Activity: An enemy can try to find you on its turn. If an enemy makes an active Perception check and beats your Stealth check result (don't make a new check), you don't remain hidden from that enemy. Also, if an enemy tries to enter your space, you don't remain hidden from that enemy.
Related Rulings
Stealth in Various Situations
These rules are based on the general philosophy for Skill use in various situations on the Rulings page. Keep in mind that Stealth vs. Perception are abstractions applying to all senses, not just to sight. Specifics for Stealth follow:
Combat Encounters
Once an initiative clock is ticking, the rules above are sufficient and cover all the details. Use them. Opponents will resist with their passive Perception. They can also use a Minor Action to make an active Perception check, or attempt to attack your location using the rules on PHB.281. In the latter case, you needn't make new Stealth rolls if you meet the requirements for Remaining Hidden" above.
Skill Challenges
In a Skill Challenge, Stealth is one of the many Skills which can be applied to dramatic actions, with the expected effects. The specific effects of Stealth may vary from the rules above, in the same way described for non-Encounters below.
Outside Encounters
Outside encounters, Stealth applies to a dramatic action, using the rules above as guidelines for applicable penalties, required cover, etc. When needed, movement rates for penalties can be derived from an assumed 2 Moves per 6 second round. Preparations, camoflage, extra, time, etc. might be reasons for the DM to grant bonuses (via DM's best friend, DMG.42).
Outside an Encounter, you may choose to Take 10, unless you're being rushed, threatened, or distracted. Not being rushed equates to moving at half speed, being careful not to step on loose twigs, etc. That is, you move at half the speed implied by the Stealth penalty you're willing to take from moving.
Crossing the Boundary
Surprise
(Revision of rules from DMG.36.)
Neither side in an Encounter gains surprise unless they try - by laying an ambush, sneaking up, or springing an attack after opening a door. A side attempting surprise makes a single Stealth roll, using their lowest Stealth bonus against the individual Perceptions of their opponents (passive, or active if Alert). Sub-groups separated by 10 squares may make separate rolls.
Once someone attacks, Combat begins with a Surprise round. A creature may act in the Surprise round if his Perception overcame the Stealth of at least one opponent. Such a creature may warn others, but that doesn't allow those others to act in the Surprise round. It is possible for both sides to be attempting surprise, in which case these rules apply as written to determine who acts in the Surprise round. For degenerate cases, if these rules would indicate all creatures acting in the Surprise round, then instead there is no Surprise round.
It is possible for one or both sides to achieve surprise but decide not to attack. If nobody attacks, there is no "Encounter Boundary" and the situation continues to be resolved as non-Encounter activities described above.
Hiding Before Combat
Once combat begins, creatures may already be Hidden if they were attempting to be so before combat, and if the conditions allow them to remain so once opponents are no longer distracted (i.e. they have cover or concealment required as above). Being Hidden is distinct from achieving Surprise. It is possible to achieve surprise, but not be hidden once your opponents become Alert, or to alert your opponents that danger is near, without revealing your exact location.
Once Combat begins, every character who was attempting to hide makes a Stealth roll, just as if he had finished a move action using the in-combat rules above (with possible penalties based on his pre-combat movement speed). If a given character meets all the requirements for Remaining Hidden above, he may forego this roll and instead choose to use his group's Stealth result from the determination of Surprise. (This option works as if that roll were his own roll from his penultimate Move action.) A group of monsters may share a single roll at the DM's option, as with Initiative.
General Clarifications
States
Being "Hidden" is not a boolean state of a single creature. Instead, it's a relationship between each pair of creatures. I.e. A can be hidden from B, but not from C.
Being "Surprised" is not a boolean state at all. The relevant mechanical distinction is who gets to act in the Surprise round, which is what the rules above cover.
