Don't the rules say exactly that, though?
Their success was in clearly stating the requirements to become hidden using the Hide action.
I wish they were so clear.
Hiding and remaining hidden are not strictly synonymous. Yours is a possible interpretation of the text, but it is not an unambiguous interpretation, hence the failure of this as a pice of game rules text.
I don't find those substantively different myself. But I see how others could be tripped up.I wish they were so clear.
Because of how they've broken up the rules, what was grouped together in 2014 got split apart in 2024. The DM decides part is in Chapter 1. All the actual details of the hide action (which exclude that pesky little detail) are in the Rules Glossary.
It's very hard to have "the DM decides" with "we've taken the guesswork out of adjudicating hiding!" Which is what the 2024 rules lean far more before.
For comparison:
2014: (Chapter 7, Hiding sidebar)
"The DM decides when circumstances are appropriate for hiding. "
and
"In combat, most creatures stay alert for signs of danger all around, so if you come out of hiding and approach a creature, it usually sees you. However, under certain circumstances, the DM might allow you to stay hidden as you approach a creature that is distracted, allowing you to gain advantage on an attack roll before you are seen."
2024: (Chapter 1)
"Adventurers and monsters often hide, whether to spy on one another, sneak past a guardian, or set an ambush. The Dungeon Master decides when circumstances are appropriate for hiding. When you try to hide, you take the Hide action."
While that may, or may not be true, I am fine with, and sometime prefer, when game rules are a touch ambiguous.
Halfing is in a fog cloud and had used the Hide action while there due to the Heavy Obscurement qualifying them for the Hide action. Foes 1, 2 and 3 have no ability to see in a fog cloud, but just triggered See Invisibility on themselves which allows them to see a creature that had the Invisible condition as if they are visible. Can the halfling be seen by the foes? His body is visible, but foes normally cannot see the Halfling due to the Heavily Obscured area regardless of having used the Hide action, though they could hear him.
I like arguing about rules on forums so that I don't have to argue about them at the table.
No, the foes cannot see him. Being Invisible is moot because another factor is already preventing him from being seen, so them having See Invisible makes no difference.
