Difference between revisions of "Stealth (Apath)"

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{{Apath}}
 
{{Apath}}
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You are skilled at avoiding detection, allowing you to slip past foes or strike from an unseen position. This skill covers hiding and moving silently.
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'''Publisher
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Purple Duck Games.
  
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=== Check ===
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The details of how to hide are somewhat obscure. This is an attempt to clear up the different situations where Stealth checks to hide are needed.
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Your Stealth check is opposed by the Perception check of anyone who might notice you. Creatures that fail to beat your Stealth check are not aware of you and treat you as if you were [http://www.d20pfsrd.com/gamemastering/conditions#TOC-Invisible invisible]. You can move up to half your normal speed and use Stealth at no penalty. When moving at a speed greater than half up to your normal speed, you take a –5 penalty. It's impossible to use Stealth while attacking, running, or charging, but see [[#Breaking_Stealth|Breaking Stealth] below.
 
  
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The difficulty of Perception checks to notice you is 10 + your stealth bonus. If a creature removes or moves around the cover or concealment that lets you use Stealth, they automatically spot you.
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== Hiding ==
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You are usually either hidden against all enemies or not hidden at all; as long as your enemies communicate, they are able to point out your location to each other if any of them know where you are. Sometimes this can be to your advantage; an enemy who reports your location to its allies might make sounds which can reveal its own location.  
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If you are already in hiding when a possible observer enters the scene, you remain hidden until you act, the enemy moves into a position that prevents your Stealth, or an enemy takes an action to make a Perception check that beats your Stealth.
  
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Creatures gain a bonus or penalty on Stealth checks based on their size: Fine +16, Diminutive +12, Tiny +8, Small +4, Large –4, Huge –8, Gargantuan –12, Colossal -16.
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If you have successfully used Stealth, you are effectively invisible. You gain a +2 bonus on the attack roll, and the opponent cannot apply its Dexterity bonus to armor class. This allows you to use the sneak attack ability. Only your first attack gains this benefit. Attackers don't know where you are, and must guess at a square to attack in. Even if they do pick the right square, they still suffer 50% miss chance due to total concealment.
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{| class="wikitable" align="right" width="40%"
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|+ '''Table: Compound Stealth Modifiers'''
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|-
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|colspan=2| This table has all Stealth and the relevant Perception modifiers in a single table. All are expressed as modifiers to Stealth, but can just as well be reversed to be modifiers to Perception. The “when entering stealth” modifiers only count actions during the current turn and only applies to Stealth checks to hide, not to checks to remain hidden. Situation modifiers are environmental conditions such as light, noisy surfaces, leaving a trail, a dense crowd, or unlikely hiding places. Extreme situation modifiers are such things as raging fires, wading in water or mud, a riot, or sneaking past a sentry. 
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|-
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||In improved cover  ||align=right| +10†
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|-
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||Invisible or total concealment  ||align=right| +20†
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|-
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||Situation modifier  ||align=right| +/-2
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|-
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||Extreme situation modifier  ||align=right| +/-5
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|-
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||||
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|-
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|| ''' When entering Stealth  ||align=right|
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|-
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||In combat or speaking  ||align=right| –20
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|-
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||Moving at half speed or more  ||align=right| –5
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|-
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||Running or charging  ||align=right| –20
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|-
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||||
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|-
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|| '''Observer is...
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|-
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||Some distance away  ||align=right| +1 per 10 feet
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|-
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||Distracted  ||align=right| +5
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|-
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||Asleep  ||align=right| +10
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|-
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|colspan=2| † These modifiers are halved if the observer is adjacent to the obstacle or in a very quiet environment; anytime you could hear incidental noises like breathing.
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|}
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===  Going Into Hiding ===
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To use stealth to hide you must move (including a 5 ft. step) and cannot have any enemy in your reach. As you can only move once in your turn, you can only go into hiding once on your turn. You also need to satisfy one of these conditions against every potential observer.
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* The observer is inside the reach of an enemy (typically one of your allies).
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* The observer is being distracted by a Bluff check to create a diversion to hide.
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* You have cover (not including soft cover) or concealment against the observer.  
  
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If people are observing you using their primary sense (typically sight), you can't use Stealth, but there are ways to work around this.
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=== Remain in Hiding ===
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* Against most creatures, finding cover or concealment allows you to use Stealth. Note that [http://www.d20pfsrd.com/gamemastering/special-abilities#TOC-Darkvision darkvision] and [http://www.d20pfsrd.com/gamemastering/special-abilities#TOC-Low-Light-Vision low-light vision] allows creatures to see you in conditions of poor light, but it is still possible to use in shadows against such vision, as the contrast between light and dark still affect them.
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Once you have successfully used Stealth to hide, new Stealth checks are only needed if you take an action other than a free action. You can take free actions and 5 ft. steps without having to make a Stealth check.
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* If your observers are momentarily distracted (such as by a Bluff check or by being attacked), you can attempt to use Stealth, but this only applies as long as the distraction lasts. To get more lasting stealth, you have to gain cover or concealment.
 
  
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=== Special Situations ===
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=== Avoiding a Search ===
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If you are hidden, a new Stealth check is needed when a possible observer spends an action to make a Perception check. If the observer succeeds on this check, you are spotted and no longer hidden.
  
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==== Breaking Stealth ====
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=== Automatically Leaving Stealth ===
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When you start your turn using Stealth, you can leave cover or concealment and remain unobserved as long as you succeed at a Stealth check and end your turn in cover or concealment. Your Stealth immediately ends after you make and attack roll, whether or not the attack is successful (except when sniping as noted below).
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If you run, make an attack, or take an obvious action (such as speaking to satisfy a verbal component) you leave Stealth immediately after the action. (Exception ===
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sniping.) You can attempt to resume hiding, but usually do so at a penalty, see Table
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Compound Stealth Modifiers. If, on another creature's turn, you do not fulfill any of the conditions for going into Stealth against that creature, you are automatically spotted.  
  
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==== Sniping ====
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=== Hide Others ===
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If you've already successfully used Stealth at least 10 feet from your target, you can make one ranged attack and then immediately use Stealth again without becoming visible in between. You take a –20 penalty on your Stealth check to maintain your obscured location.
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You can hide an object or a creature that remains absolutely still. This uses your Stealth skill modifier, plus a size modifier of +4 for every size category what you are hiding is smaller than you, or -4 per size category if larger than you. As soon as a creature hidden this way takes any action or moves even 5 ft., it must use its own Stealth skill.
  
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==== Secondary Senses ====
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=== Shadowing ===
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Even if a primary sense is blinded, a creature that has a secondary sense (usually hearing) can use that to locate the presence of a hidden creature. You are allowed to use your Stealth against secondary senses in any circumstance-there is no need for cover or concealment-and successful Perception only gives your general direction - increase the DC by 20 to locate you precisely. Attackers also suffer normal concealment miss chance against you if they can only locate you with a secondary sense.
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In a setting that regularly provides concealment or cover, such as a forest or crowded street, Stealth can be used to unobtrusively follow another creature. This is handled with an opposed roll of Stealth vs. Perception. Range penalties do not apply, the distance between shadow and quarry varies from moment to moment. The marathon stealth rules can be used here.
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== Non-Combat Stealth ==
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{| class="wikitable" align="right" width="40%"
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|+''' Unaware Condition
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|-
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|To make Stealth easier to use the GM may use the unaware condition.
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An intelligent creature that does not expect trouble is unaware. This applies to most noncombatants, and to combatants who are not expecting trouble or standing on guard.
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An unaware creature always takes 10 on perception checks. They are often distracted as well.
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When a creature fails an opposed Stealth check against an unaware enemy, the enemy does not spot the stealthy creature, but looses the unaware condition.
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|}
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Do not use these rules in combat; they are intended for avoiding combat.
  
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See also
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=== Group Stealth ===
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[http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/rules-for-monsters/universal-monster-rules#TOC-Keen-Scent-Ex- keen scent],
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When a group of creatures tries to move stealthily the following procedure can be used.  
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[http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/rules-for-monsters/universal-monster-rules#TOC-Scent-Ex- scent].
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Each character makes a Stealth check. Use the best result; the character who rolled the best result is on point and the first to enter new areas. Each character beyond the character with the best roll penalizes the main character's Stealth check by -4. If a character's Stealth check was 10 or more the penalty for that character is reduced to -2. This is a variant of the aid other action.
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Characters can hang back to lessen the impact they have on the main character's Stealth check. Being 50 ft. away or behind a corner allows a character to not roll Stealth and always provide only a -2 penalty. If the distance is 100 ft. or more or the character is behind a closed door, the character doesn't count at all.  
  
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==== Alternate Primary Senses ====
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=== Marathon Stealth ===
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There are some senses that penetrate most cover and concealment. See
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Using Stealth over long distances can quickly grow repetitive. To simplify the process, assume that both sides are taking 10 until the point of greatest risk; that is when the chance of being spotted is greatest, or at 30 ft. range if approaching an observer that closely. Apply a –4 penalty on the first Stealth check to represent the cumulative risk of multiple observations. The GM should always require Stealth checks at obstacles, such as when climbing a fence or wading a moat.
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[http://www.d20pfsrd.com/gamemastering/special-abilities#TOC-Blindsight-and-Blindsense blindsense and blindsight],
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Note that it is possible to avoid having to use marathon stealth by taking only 5 ft. steps and remaining in cover; as noted above this requires no Stealth checks.
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[http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/rules-for-monsters/universal-monster-rules#TOC-Tremorsense-Ex- tremorsense].
 
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Even in this case you can still hide if you use a distraction, or if you manage to somehow conceal yourself against the sense in question, such as masking your scent against scent-based blindsight or not touch the ground against tremorsense.
 
  
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=== Action ===
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== External Links ==
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Usually none. Normally, you make a Stealth check as part of movement, so it doesn't take a separate action. Using Stealth immediately after a ranged attack (see [[#Sniping|Sniping]], above) is a move action.
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* [http://www.d20pfsrd.com/skills/stealth Original Stealth rules] at d20PFSRD.com
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* [http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?342566-quot-Hide-in-Plain-Sight-quot-and-quot-Camouflage-quot-WHO-SAYS/page2&p=6188313&highlight=#post6188313 Stealth Discussion] at ENworld
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===Special===
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* [http://paizo.com/paizo/blog/v5748dyo5lcml?Stealth-Playtest-Round-TwoStealth Stealth development article at Paizo Blog]
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* If you are [http://www.d20pfsrd.com/gamemastering/special-abilities#TOC-Invisibility invisible], you gain a +40 bonus on Stealth checks if you are immobile, or a +20 bonus on Stealth checks if you're moving.
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* [http://paizo.com/paizo/blog/v5748dyo5lckz More Stealth @ Paizo]
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* [http://davidvs.net/hobbies/pathfinder-hips.shtml Hobbies Pathfinder—Hide in Plain Sight Analysis]
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* If you have the Stealthy feat, you get a bonus on Stealth checks (see Feats).
 
  
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== External Links ==
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=== Discussion Sources ===
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* [http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?342566-quot-Hide-in-Plain-Sight-quot-and-quot-Camouflage-quot-WHO-SAYS/page2&p=6188313&highlight=#post6188313 Stealth Discussion at ENworld]
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* http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2pt9j&page=2?Stealth-Errata
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* http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2jufj&page=16?List-of-Errata-in-Pathfinder-Core-Rulebook#788
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* http://paizo.com/products/btpy88yj/faq?Pathfinder-Roleplaying-Game-Core-Rulebook#tabs
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* http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2q8oq?6-questions-about-Stealth
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* http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2q8q0?Stealth-and-Sneak-attack#41
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* http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/skills/stealth.html#_stealth
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* http://www.d20pfsrd.com/skills/perception
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<!-- OGL -->
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<noinclude>{{OGL}}</noinclude>

Latest revision as of 13:03, 4 December 2017

ApathApath Logo
Unofficial rules compendium

Publisher Purple Duck Games.

The details of how to hide are somewhat obscure. This is an attempt to clear up the different situations where Stealth checks to hide are needed.

Hiding

You are usually either hidden against all enemies or not hidden at all; as long as your enemies communicate, they are able to point out your location to each other if any of them know where you are. Sometimes this can be to your advantage; an enemy who reports your location to its allies might make sounds which can reveal its own location. If you are already in hiding when a possible observer enters the scene, you remain hidden until you act, the enemy moves into a position that prevents your Stealth, or an enemy takes an action to make a Perception check that beats your Stealth.

If you have successfully used Stealth, you are effectively invisible. You gain a +2 bonus on the attack roll, and the opponent cannot apply its Dexterity bonus to armor class. This allows you to use the sneak attack ability. Only your first attack gains this benefit. Attackers don't know where you are, and must guess at a square to attack in. Even if they do pick the right square, they still suffer 50% miss chance due to total concealment.

Table: Compound Stealth Modifiers
This table has all Stealth and the relevant Perception modifiers in a single table. All are expressed as modifiers to Stealth, but can just as well be reversed to be modifiers to Perception. The “when entering stealth” modifiers only count actions during the current turn and only applies to Stealth checks to hide, not to checks to remain hidden. Situation modifiers are environmental conditions such as light, noisy surfaces, leaving a trail, a dense crowd, or unlikely hiding places. Extreme situation modifiers are such things as raging fires, wading in water or mud, a riot, or sneaking past a sentry.
In improved cover +10†
Invisible or total concealment +20†
Situation modifier +/-2
Extreme situation modifier +/-5
When entering Stealth
In combat or speaking –20
Moving at half speed or more –5
Running or charging –20
Observer is...
Some distance away +1 per 10 feet
Distracted +5
Asleep +10
† These modifiers are halved if the observer is adjacent to the obstacle or in a very quiet environment; anytime you could hear incidental noises like breathing.

Going Into Hiding

To use stealth to hide you must move (including a 5 ft. step) and cannot have any enemy in your reach. As you can only move once in your turn, you can only go into hiding once on your turn. You also need to satisfy one of these conditions against every potential observer.

  • The observer is inside the reach of an enemy (typically one of your allies).
  • The observer is being distracted by a Bluff check to create a diversion to hide.
  • You have cover (not including soft cover) or concealment against the observer.

Remain in Hiding

Once you have successfully used Stealth to hide, new Stealth checks are only needed if you take an action other than a free action. You can take free actions and 5 ft. steps without having to make a Stealth check.

Avoiding a Search

If you are hidden, a new Stealth check is needed when a possible observer spends an action to make a Perception check. If the observer succeeds on this check, you are spotted and no longer hidden.

Automatically Leaving Stealth

If you run, make an attack, or take an obvious action (such as speaking to satisfy a verbal component) you leave Stealth immediately after the action. (Exception === sniping.) You can attempt to resume hiding, but usually do so at a penalty, see Table Compound Stealth Modifiers. If, on another creature's turn, you do not fulfill any of the conditions for going into Stealth against that creature, you are automatically spotted.

Hide Others

You can hide an object or a creature that remains absolutely still. This uses your Stealth skill modifier, plus a size modifier of +4 for every size category what you are hiding is smaller than you, or -4 per size category if larger than you. As soon as a creature hidden this way takes any action or moves even 5 ft., it must use its own Stealth skill.

Shadowing

In a setting that regularly provides concealment or cover, such as a forest or crowded street, Stealth can be used to unobtrusively follow another creature. This is handled with an opposed roll of Stealth vs. Perception. Range penalties do not apply, the distance between shadow and quarry varies from moment to moment. The marathon stealth rules can be used here.

Non-Combat Stealth

Unaware Condition
To make Stealth easier to use the GM may use the unaware condition.

An intelligent creature that does not expect trouble is unaware. This applies to most noncombatants, and to combatants who are not expecting trouble or standing on guard. An unaware creature always takes 10 on perception checks. They are often distracted as well. When a creature fails an opposed Stealth check against an unaware enemy, the enemy does not spot the stealthy creature, but looses the unaware condition.

Do not use these rules in combat; they are intended for avoiding combat.

Group Stealth

When a group of creatures tries to move stealthily the following procedure can be used. Each character makes a Stealth check. Use the best result; the character who rolled the best result is on point and the first to enter new areas. Each character beyond the character with the best roll penalizes the main character's Stealth check by -4. If a character's Stealth check was 10 or more the penalty for that character is reduced to -2. This is a variant of the aid other action. Characters can hang back to lessen the impact they have on the main character's Stealth check. Being 50 ft. away or behind a corner allows a character to not roll Stealth and always provide only a -2 penalty. If the distance is 100 ft. or more or the character is behind a closed door, the character doesn't count at all.

Marathon Stealth

Using Stealth over long distances can quickly grow repetitive. To simplify the process, assume that both sides are taking 10 until the point of greatest risk; that is when the chance of being spotted is greatest, or at 30 ft. range if approaching an observer that closely. Apply a –4 penalty on the first Stealth check to represent the cumulative risk of multiple observations. The GM should always require Stealth checks at obstacles, such as when climbing a fence or wading a moat. Note that it is possible to avoid having to use marathon stealth by taking only 5 ft. steps and remaining in cover; as noted above this requires no Stealth checks.

External Links

Discussion Sources

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