Tailing the the party *My Players stay out*

[TheEvil]

How often should PCs get listen checks to notice they are being followed through a swamp by an invisible flying quasit?

 

[Vanye]

How often should PCs get listen checks to notice they are being followed through a swamp by an invisible flying quasit?

I would say anytime they stop to eat or camp, they'd have a chance to notice the quasit landing on a branch to rest.

Anytime they go through heavy brush that the quasit may have to close up on them to keep them in site.

If there are lots of insects, maybe they notice the quasit's invisible shape get mobbed too

 

[TheEvil]

Useful advice for the spot, but I am more concerned about the frequency of listen checks. I really don't want to screw over the party on this one.

 

[MarkB]

Useful advice for the spot, but I am more concerned about the frequency of listen checks. I really don't want to screw over the party on this one.

Well, technically once per round - that's how often you'd get a check vs. an invisible character in combat. But that's clearly impractical.

I suggest you have the Quasit hang back a safe distance - call it however far it'd be, with the standard +1 to DC per 10 feet of distance, combined with the Quasit's Move Silently modifier (at -5 if it has to maintain more than half speed) to bring the Listen check DC up to around 20 or so against an average check on the Quasit's part. Then assume it's stealthy enough that the party's own movement sounds cover it during normal movement, but give them a new check whenever they halt, and whenever something puts them on higher alert. If they have good reason to believe they're being followed, give them a new check every minute even when they're moving.

Bear in mind that unless the swamp has significant tree cover, the Quasit could keep pretty good tabs on them from directly overhead while flying high enough to be well out of hearing.

 

[Stalker0]

I would say whenever conditions change. So if the party is just walkign with the quasit trailing, that's one check. If the terrain changes, new check. If the party stops for the night, new check. But I would just use one check for one set of conditions.

 

[Dross]

I would say whenever conditions change. So if the party is just walkign with the quasit trailing, that's one check. If the terrain changes, new check. If the party stops for the night, new check. But I would just use one check for one set of conditions.

This would be my prefered method.

Just note that sometimes the quasit's conditions may change giving a new listen check to the PC's.

 

[TheEvil]

Thanks for the replies, everyone. Well, I went with listen checks every 10 minutes. The swamp is pretty consistant, 25' maximum sight distance due to mist. They did eventually figure out they had a flying spy, though they didn't realize the identity until the wizard sent out his crow familiar with a summoned celestial hawk to track down what they assumed was a raven familiar

Needless to say, the crow sent out dire danger emotions once the quasit 'forgot' he was just supposed to be scouting and decided to attack...