Stealth

Stealth (Dex; Armor Check Penalty)

The PC is adept at sticking to the shadows and remaining unheard.

Check: A PC's Stealth check is opposed by the Perception check of anyone who might see him. The PC can move up to one-half his normal speed and hide or move silently at no penalty. When moving at a speed greater than one-half but less than his normal speed, he takes a -10 penalty. It's practically impossible (-20 penalty) to hide or move silently while attacking, running or charging.

A creature larger or smaller than Medium takes a size bonus or penalty on Stealth checks depending on its size category: Fine +16, Diminutive +8, Tiny +4, Small +2, Large -2, Huge -4, Gargantuan -8, Colossal -16.

Noisy surfaces, such as bogs or undergrowth, are tough to move silently across. When the PC try to sneak across such a surface, the PC take a penalty on his Stealth check as indicated below.


Surface Modifier
Movement is hindered (difficult terrain, encumbered, etc.) -10
Noisy (scree, shallow or deep bog, undergrowth, dense rubble) -15
Very noisy (dense undergrowth, deep snow) -20

The PC needs cover or concealment in order to attempt a Stealth check to hide. Total cover or total concealment usually (but not always; see Special, below) obviates the need for a check, since nothing can see him anyway.

If people are observing the PC, even casually, he can't hide. He can run around a corner or behind cover so that the he's out of sight and then hide, but the others then know at least where he went. If his observers are momentarily distracted (such as by a Bluff check; see below), he can attempt a Stealth check if he can get to a hiding place of some kind. (As a general guideline, the hiding place has to be within 1 foot per rank he has in Stealth.) This check, however, is made at a -10 penalty because he has to move fast.

Sniping: If the PC has already successfully hidden at least 10 feet from his target, he can make one ranged attack, then immediately hide again. He takes a -20 penalty on his Stealth check to conceal himself after the shot.

Creating a Diversion to Hide: The PC can use Bluff to help him hide. A successful Bluff check can give him the momentary diversion he needs to attempt a Stealth check while people are aware of him (see above).

Camouflage: A PC can hide another person or object, but it must remain immobile.

Action: Usually none. Normally, the PC makes a Stealth check as part of movement, so it doesn't take a separate action. However, hiding immediately after a ranged attack (see Sniping, above) is a move action.

Special: If the PC is invisible, he gains a +40 bonus on Stealth checks if he is immobile, or a +20 bonus if he's moving. Even if someone detects him, he still has full concealment and can attempt a new Stealth check each time he moves to a new location.

A 14th-level ranger can attempt a Stealth check to hide in any sort of natural terrain, even if it doesn't grant cover or concealment. A 17th-level ranger can do this even while being observed.

The master of a cat familiar gains a +3 bonus on Stealth checks.

A halfling has a +2 racial bonus on Stealth checks.

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