Specific effects of hiding?

[DamionW]

Hey. I still have some confusion as to what exactly hide provides after the surprise round has passed. For example the ranger with camo and HiPS can make a hide check as they move in combat in natural terrain because they don't need concealment and it doesn't matter if they're observed. So, if they beat the enemy's spot check and are hidden, what does that mechanically do? Does that remove enemy awareness, even if they've been damaged or saw the ranger before? What exactly does being hidden yet aware of do? Thanks.

 

[Taloras]

They cant see the hidden character, meaning they dont get their dex mod to AC from that person. Effectively, because they cant see exactly where its coming from, they cant dodge it. Even if you know they are "over there", you cant see exactly where, and you cant see the attack coming.

 

[frankthedm]

They cant see the hidden character, meaning they dont get their dex mod to AC from that person. .

Nope. Hiding does not deny your foe his dex bonus.

Hide (Dex; Armor Check Penalty)
Check
Your Hide check is opposed by the Spot check of anyone who might see you. You can move up to one-half your normal speed and hide at no penalty. When moving at a speed greater than one-half but less than your normal speed, you take a -5 penalty. It’s practically impossible (-20 penalty) to hide while attacking, running or charging.

A creature larger or smaller than Medium takes a size bonus or penalty on Hide checks depending on its size category: Fine +16, Diminutive +12, Tiny +8, Small +4, Large -4, Huge -8, Gargantuan -12, Colossal -16.

You need cover or concealment in order to attempt a Hide check. Total cover or total concealment usually (but not always; see Special, below) obviates the need for a Hide check, since nothing can see you anyway.

If people are observing you, even casually, you can’t hide. You can run around a corner or behind cover so that you’re out of sight and then hide, but the others then know at least where you went.

If your observers are momentarily distracted (such as by a Bluff check; see below), though, you can attempt to hide. While the others turn their attention from you, you can attempt a Hide check if you can get to a hiding place of some kind. (As a general guideline, the hiding place has to be within 1 foot per rank you have in Hide.) This check, however, is made at a -10 penalty because you have to move fast.

Sniping
If you’ve already successfully hidden at least 10 feet from your target, you can make one ranged attack, then immediately hide again. You take a -20 penalty on your Hide check to conceal yourself after the shot.

Creating a Diversion to Hide
You can use Bluff to help you hide. A successful Bluff check can give you the momentary diversion you need to attempt a Hide check while people are aware of you.

See also: epic usages of Hide.

Action
Usually none. Normally, you make a Hide 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 you are invisible, you gain a +40 bonus on Hide checks if you are immobile, or a +20 bonus on Hide checks if you’re moving.

If you have the Stealthy feat, you get a +2 bonus on Hide checks.

A 13th-level ranger can attempt a Hide check in any sort of natural terrain, even if it doesn’t grant cover or concealment. A 17thlevel ranger can do this even while being observed.

 

[DamionW]

Yeah, that's why I was asking. The hide skill nor the combat section of the SRD mentions anything about what happens after your contested Hide v. Spot roll succeeds. I know this is important for determining awareness at the start of combat, but once it starts, what then?

 

[Infiniti2000]

(hold on a second while I clear the Spots from my eyes due to all that bold text . . .)

Successfully hiding from a character breaks their line of sight to you. Per the definition on line of sight, "If you can't see the target (for instance, if you're blind or the target is invisible), you can't have line of sight to it even if you could draw an unblocked line between your space and the target's."

This grants you total concealment and has a number of benefits (50% miss on you, they're treated as blind against you).

 

[Taloras]

If you are hiding, they cant see you. if they cant see you, they lose dex mod to AC. look under invisible.

Every group ive ever played with ruled it that way.

 

[Patlin]

Agreed. A succesfully hidden character is treated as if invisible. That provides an attack bonus and cost the defender the dex bonus, unless they have uncanny dodge.

 

[DamionW]

Thanks everyone. I had a feeling it was along these lines, but wanted to confirm it. So, providing a character with camouflage & HiPS has sufficient ranks in the hide skill to overcome the penalties, and/or his opponent has really poor Spot rolls, the character can fight as invisible non-magically?

 

[frankthedm]

Sorry the RAW does not support that.

 

[Jack Simth]

Thanks everyone. I had a feeling it was along these lines, but wanted to confirm it. So, providing a character with camouflage & HiPS has sufficient ranks in the hide skill to overcome the penalties, and/or his opponent has really poor Spot rolls, the character can fight as invisible non-magically?

Well.... as Invisility, not Greater Invisibility. When the sneaky person attacks, the sneaky person un-hides. Such a person could, however, use a move action to hide again, as per the sniping rules (with assosiated penalties), or wait and hide on the next turn....