jaelis said:
OK, so I'm still trying to understand this. Let's say you are hiding behind a rock, trying to attack a monster.
A) The monster does not know you are behind the rock. You can make a stealth check as part of your attack. If you win, you get combat advantage, if not you don't. I guess that makes sense.
Correct.
B) The monster knows you are behind the rock. Then you can still make a stealth check to get CA? (So basically, any time you are benefiting from cover or concealment, you might as well make a stealth check.) I guess I can live with that, but where do you get that from the rules?
The stealth rule in the PHB. I'll walk through it:
1) Part of whatever action you are trying to perform stealthily. In this case, you are attempting to attack stealthily.
2) Check is opposed by target's perception check.
3) Unless target is distracted, you need cover or concealment from the target, and you have to maintain said cover or concealment to keep the stealth in place. If you move in the open, carry a light source, make an attack, or shout, you lose your stealth. In the case of making an attack, you lose the stealth after the attack, not before.
4) If you succeed, you gain combat advantage against the target.
At least, that is my understand of how it works. WOTC says they are going to try and clarify the skill, so we shall see.
So yes, if you are benefiting from cover or concealment while making an attack, it makes sense to try a stealth check. But realistically the only types of characters and creatures that will often do this are the ones trained in stealth, and/or who have powers triggered by combat advantage.
C) The monster knows you are behind the rock, but you have an attack that doesn't require line of sight. For instance, you set off a fireball with an origin beside the rock. Do you get CA for that? Do you need to make a stealth check? I don't see why a stealth check would be relevant here.
If you take an action that you want to be stealthy (in other words, benefit from combat advantage), you need to be in cover/concealment (or have your opponent distracted), make a stealth check, and beat your opponent's perception check.