Monsters searching for Players

[jamesanthonyspencer]

OK so I had a player run to some trees for cover, where he made a successful stealth check. Here's where I got confused,

the monsters saw him run into the trees, for them to go over and actively search the area for him what do they check against? His last stealth roll? or a DC? if they have no skill bonuses to perception (or sense bonus) It would be just a d20 roll, right? but vs. what?

Also if the player is hidden and takes no action he stays hidden correct?

Sorry if this a totally newbie question, but I'm kinda a newbie.

I checked in the PHB an DMG and didn't find what I needed, a source would be great but any info I would love. Thanks in advance.

 

[Cormacolinde]

He would do a spot check which is a minor action to try to find him. It uses perception, which most monsters should show as a stat on their stat block. If not, the base bonus for perception is their wisdom bonus. The DC would normally be his last stealth result.

 

[shamsael]

OK so I had a player run to some trees for cover, where he made a successful stealth check. Here's where I got confused,

the monsters saw him run into the trees, for them to go over and actively search the area for him what do they check against? His last stealth roll? or a DC? if they have no skill bonuses to perception (or sense bonus) It would be just a d20 roll, right? but vs. what?

Also if the player is hidden and takes no action he stays hidden correct?

Sorry if this a totally newbie question, but I'm kinda a newbie.

I checked in the PHB an DMG and didn't find what I needed, a source would be great but any info I would love. Thanks in advance.

Perception for monsters is listed with Senses at the top of the stat block.

 

[kerbarian]

Your best source for all this would be the "New Stealth Rules" in the PHB2, p.223-224. Others have already explained how it works, but the direct quotations from the rules are:

"Remaining Hidden: You remain hidden as long as you meet these requirements.
Keep Out of Sight: ...
Keep Quiet: ...
Keep Still: ...
Don’t Attack: ..."

"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."

"Using the Perception skill actively is a minor action"

Perception is listed at the top of each creature's stat block.

What's not covered in the rules is how long monsters should search or how many Perception checks they should make. Theoretically, they can make three checks per turn (as 3 minor actions) and quickly get a very good Perception roll. I'd probably have them each make one or two checks, depending on how hard they're searching, before deciding that the character must have gotten away, but that's up to you as a DM.

 

[DracoSuave]

I'd probably have them each make one or two checks, depending on how hard they're searching, before deciding that the character must have gotten away, but that's up to you as a DM.

The act of stealth itself is done right, but as for how long the monsters search?

Well, let's actually put some agency in the hands of the player again. I'd make it a skill challenge, and allow the player some ability to affect the monster's willingness to persue.

How he does so is up to his imagination, but it could involve bluffing, stealthing, and acrobaticsing his way away in attempts to divert the monster's attention while he makes slip.

I'm not a fan of mechanics that simply boil down to the DM rolling a strictly arbitrary number of dice while the players wait to see if they lost the game today.

 

[Prestidigitalis]

Well, there is a board for Gamers Seeking Gamers; would it help if they added "Monsters Seeking Players"?

 

[Mand]

hidden club

Answers basically every question you could have regarding stealth.

 

[jamesanthonyspencer]

Man thanks a ton you guys! There were some great information here. I have to say I was a little surprised to get smart, relevant answers on the Internet. This was my first post on here and it was great getting adult answers, thanks again you guys and you have a great community here.

Now as for how I handled the situation, (not knowing the proper rule at the time) the player rolled a 29 stealth check to hide and the monsters had no perception bonuses, so I had the monsters set fire to the patch of trees he was hiding in to flush him out.