All around vision?

[Aaron]

I have read many times in this forum that a character is supposed to see everything around him, i.e. you cannot be unseen simply because you are behind your target.

You need something to get concealment or cover to be hidden, i.e. unseen.

This would mean that there's no way I could sneak behind a man who's reading at his desk without being seen?

Anyway, where can I find a rule source to support the "all around vision" presumption?

 

[darthkilmor]

I have read many times in this forum that a character is supposed to see everything around him, i.e. you cannot be unseen simply because you are behind your target.

You need something to get concealment or cover to be hidden, i.e. unseen.

This would mean that there's no way I could sneak behind a man who's reading at his desk without being seen?

Anyway, where can I find a rule source to support the "all around vision" presumption?

DnD does not have facing, which is what you're talking about basically.(Another reason rogues don't have "Backstab" but instead "sneak attack". You don't "stab in the back" because you don't face a particular direction, and there is no penalty for say, attacking someone "in front" of you and then with your iterative attack attacking someone on the "other side" of you.)

All Around Vision is something different that beholders, Xorn and a few other monsters have that prevents them from being flanked.

If you wanted to sneak up on a man at his desk, you'd be using hide and move silently checks, and your DM would be using spot and listen checks to see if the man notices you.

The closest i could find to a proper rule spelled out would be something like the AoO rules, since it says you threaten all squares around you. If you threaten all squares around you,. you're aware of whats going on in all squares around you. QED.

 

[Aaron]

DnD does not have facing, which is what you're talking about basically.

Right.

The closest i could find to a proper rule spelled out would be something like the AoO rules, since it says you threaten all squares around you. If you threaten all squares around you,. you're aware of whats going on in all squares around you. QED.

That's a good point.

 

[Egres]

This is what can be found in Unearthed Arcana on the matter:

 

[Thurbane]

"The rules assume that creatures are constantly moving and shifting within their spaces, looking in all directions during a fight".

In Aaron's example above of sneaking up on a man reading at a desk, it wouldn't be unreasonable to let a successful Move Silently check allow him to be caught unawares, as he is (presumably) not expecting trouble, and not in a fight.

 

[Thurbane]

These might also be relevant:

All-Around Vision (Ex): A xorn’s symmetrically placed eyes allow it to look in any direction, providing a +4 racial bonus on Spot and Search checks. A xorn can’t be flanked.

EYES IN THE BACK OF YOUR HEAD [GENERAL]
Prerequisites: Base attack bonus +3, Wis 19.

Benefit: Attackers do not gain the usual +2 attack bonus when flanking you. This feat grants no effect whenever you are attacked without benefit of your Dexterity modifier to AC, such as when you are flat-footed or when you are the target of a rogue’s sneak attack.