Help a DM with a stealth problem.

[Shag]

Okay started a new campaign with a new party because I TPKed the last one (mission accomplished banner was unfurled).
One of my players has a Drow rogue ranged super stealth character.

So this is how we have been doing it. Every round he has been getting behind something, a pillar, a statue, a wagon etc and rolling a stealth check. It been pretty much in the low to mid 20s everytime. Now the monsters we've been fighting have perceptions of maybe +1 or +2, they have almost no chance of getting a 20+ check. So every round he has gotten the big combat advantage green light. He shoots then moves to a new sniper spot.
Is this how its supposed to work? Never used much stealth before, being partial to the half-orc brutal scoundrel myself.

The character in question:
level 2
Drow, Rogue
Rogue Tactics: Cunning Sneak
Rogue: Sharpshooter Talent
Sharpshooter Talent: Sharpshooter Talent (Crossbow)
Darkfire: Darkfire Charisma

ABILITY SCORES
Str 10, Con 12, Dex 18, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 18.

AC: 17 Fort: 12 Reflex: 17 Will: 15
HP: 29 Surges: 7 Surge Value: 7

TRAINED SKILLS
Stealth +12, Thievery +10, Insight +6, Streetwise +10, Acrobatics +10, Perception +6

FEATS
Level 1: Weapon Proficiency (Superior crossbow)
Level 2: Backstabber

POWERS
Rogue at-will 1: Deft Strike
Rogue at-will 1: Sly Flourish
Rogue encounter 1: Distracting Shot
Rogue daily 1: Trick Strike
Rogue utility 2: Fleeting Ghost

ITEMS
Superior crossbow, Leather Armor, Adventurer's Kit, Thieves' Tools


Party consists of 2 rogues (one ranged(this one) and a brutal scoundrel), a half elf battlemind, a half elf bard and a dwarven paladin. Quite the team.

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

Yeah, with the Cunning Sneak that's how it works. All he needs is cover or concealment, which pretty much any sort of 'stuff' is going to give. Honestly Fleeting Ghost is pretty much a totally useless power for this character. He'd probably be better off taking something else (there is at least one really nice Skill Power for level 2). Other than that he's pretty optimum.

Basically if you want to rain a bit on his parade you can either deprive him of cover (not very fun really) or have a lurker or two pop up once in a while and say hello. Monsters with AoEs will also have no problem going after him. Some nice controller with a lurker buddy and a FORT targetting AoE is going to be his worst nightmare.

On the whole he should be about as effective as an optimized bow ranger. Which means QUITE effective, but not ridiculous.

 

[Shag]

The one thing that did come up was that a Dog basically walked right into him during its move, it wasn't going for him it was just happened to run into him. How is that handled? I had it attack which hit and did a massive 2 damage. It almost used up his temp hp

 

[Kzach]

Unless I'm mistaken, yes, that's exactly how it works. As long as he has any sort of cover or concealment, and he's moved more than three squares away from his starting position, he can make a stealth check against any enemy he has cover/concealment from.

I have a rogue which is almost identical, although as a drow it's better to take the drow crossbow feats. And yes, she's awesome

 

[nnms]

I'd have the dog's sense of smell let it have a much, much lower DC for finding the player. The stealth rogue is hiding from people's eyes and ears. There's little he can do moment to moment to mask his smell. Huge situational bonus for things that hunt by scent.

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

I'd have the dog's sense of smell let it have a much, much lower DC for finding the player. The stealth rogue is hiding from people's eyes and ears. There's little he can do moment to moment to mask his smell. Huge situational bonus for things that hunt by scent.

Well, you could give dogs blindsight or training in Perception at least. OTOH maybe if you learn the real tricky stealth tricks you learn how not to be very smelly. Anyway, the rules DO cover someone running into you when you're hidden. There are 2 considerations there, one is concealment/cover is individual for each opponent, so if the dog is on the same side of the tree you're hidden behind you aren't hidden from him because you don't have concealment/cover from him (barring special magic or whatnot). The rules also state that if you run into someone they don't stay hidden IIRC. In any case at worst the creature can attack the square you're in at -5.

 

[Solvarn]

Woot

OTOH maybe if you learn the real tricky stealth tricks you learn how not to be very smelly.

Have I been walking around with a +2 circumstance bonus I didn't know about? Stealth Solid!

 

[Kzach]

I'd have the dog's sense of smell let it have a much, much lower DC for finding the player. The stealth rogue is hiding from people's eyes and ears. There's little he can do moment to moment to mask his smell. Huge situational bonus for things that hunt by scent.

The dog wasn't trying to find him. It simply went in the direction that exposed him. Even if he's rolled a stealth check against the dog previously and succeeded and is classified as being 'hidden' from the dog, on the dog's turn, if he moves to a position where the hidden person no longer has cover or concealment, then they lose the hidden condition to the dog specifically.

 

[Robtheman]

Yes he can do that but...

You might also consider the following:
- Firing from cover and striking someone breaks your stealth. For that instant the monster knows where you are.
- If the monster is intelligent, it doesn't simply forget it was shot from "over there" as soon as the drow re-stealths.
- What would you do if someone was shooting you from the distance? You'd run over there and figure where he went. This might involve running around the pillar he was behind and getting line of sight on him. This breaks the cover and the stealth. No spot check is required if you are in obvious line of sight.
- I can see the hide and go seek thing working maybe 2-3 rounds before the bad guys start shouting to "get that freakin' drow that keeps shooting the controller."

I wouldn't do this every fight of course. You'd take away all the player's fun. However if the monsters are sharper than your average Kobold you might consider sending them after him.

 

[wedgeski]

I believe it is the design intent for Rogues to be able to roll their Sneak Attack dice pretty much every round. There's a quote from Mearls out there to that effect.

Certainly, in the game I run, this has turned out to be the case. A fully tooled-up Rogue with the right feats and powers cuts an impressive form... if you could ever see him, that is.