Am I Understanding Reactive Stealth Correctly

[Xyrlove Woodsoul]

Reactive Stealth states: If you have any cover or concealment when you make an initiative check, you can make a stealth check.

Firstly, I think I have a good understanding of the stealth rules.
The question: If i have cover or concealment granted by allies during initiative, then can I make the stealth check to become hidden?
If not, then how does one use reactive stealth?

 

[DracoSuave]

Even if you could use allies as cover/concealment for reactive stealth, you would drop the hidden status immediately as allies do not provide cover/concealment after you're hidden either. You'd go hidden, then become unhidden immediately.

You work it by not starting out in the open spaces. It's not a feat you can use every single combat. But what it does allow is for you to start stealthed in an area without total concealment/cover. If you start in tall grass that only provides concealment, you could start stealthed. If there's no total concealment nearby, this would be your only method of being stealthed at all.

 

[Joshua Randall]

Check on the wizards.com 4e rules message board for a thread titled "Rules of Hidden Club". It's a very good resource for questions like this one.