D&D 3E/3.5 3.5E Spot Distance

[Stormrunner]

Well, from a realism standpoint, doubling the distance halves the visual size. Say you have three 6' tall dudes, one 20' away, one 40' away, and one 80' away from you. Take a photo of the trio and measure their apparent heights with a ruler. The guy at 40' will appear to be half the size of the guy at 20', and the one at 80' will appear half the size of the one at 40'.
The question then becomes, how much of a penalty does "half the size" give? Using the creature size adjustments to AC as a guide, we get:
original size half size
Small
through..............-1
Huge

Tiny or................-2
Gargantuan

Diminuitive..........-4
or Colossal

Obviously this is not a linear relationship. However, for most creatures (Small through Huge), halving the size gives a -1 to hit (or a +1 to AC, however you want to view it) and a +1 to Hide rolls (= a -1 to Spot). So, doubling the distance should likewise produce a -1 penalty.

Yes, this means someone with a bojeebus Spot skill can see things way far away (gee, kinda like Legolas in the LotR movies). It also means the average commonor is no longer totally oblivious to the Colossal dragon (bigger than a jumbo jet) flying 400' overhead. YMMV.

 

[Wolffenjugend]

And this may be a stupid question, but in a wilderness setting, if both sides fail their initial Spot checks at the max distance, when do you reroll?

I believe each side rerolls when the distance is halved and if both parties fail again they automatically see each other when the distance is halved a second time.

 

[Water Bob]

Yes, the -1 per 10' is quite ridiculous.

I think it's meant for encounter distance throws (the farther away a foe may be, the less likely an encounter occurs), not for all Spot checks. If you look at the skill description, the paragraph that explains the -1 per 10 foot penalty describes how to create an encounter distance using the skill.

Listen checks, OTOH, seem to have the -1 per 10 foot penalty applied to all Listen checks.

Don't forget situational modifiers and the reason why we roll for things. A loud explosion may be 100 foot away, but it might also be heard for miles. No need to dice this. Situational modifiers, like undergrowth in a forest, can make someone easier to hear.

And, if there is no concealment, then Spotting is 100%. There's got to be something blocking view in order for a Spot check to fail. Maybe the target is obscurred by foilage? Maybe it's dark? Maybe the target is beyond the range of line-of-sight in a wilderness environment?

If a foe is out on an open desert plain, clearly in view, then there is no need to Spot. He can be seen.