Gnome stealth power for wizard?

[Wolfwood2]

I'm going to be converting a gnome wizard from 3E to 4E after the PHB II comes out. (Hopefully there will be some interesting racial feats useful for a wizard.) Is there any way I'm going to get any use out of the gnome power to make a stealth check at the beginning of combat? Should I bother taking a skill training feat for stealth?

For all of you gnome players out there, have you had much luck with the ability?

I'm probably going to do him as a wisdom-based orb wizard (taking Thunderwave and Cloud of Daggers), though I'm still considering a constitution-based staff wizard instead. (I'm sure my DM will cheerfully ignore that bit of rules nonsense about gnomes not being able to use staves.)

 

[MarkB]

I'd say it's a neat feature whatever your class, but not worth specialising in for a wizard unless you're a wand wielder (and probably not even then, unless you want Stealth for more general purposes). The requirement that you must happen to have cover or concealment at whatever point initiative happens to be called makes it highly situational anyway, for anyone aside from warlocks.

If you do happen to be in a position to take advantage of it, then always go ahead and make the roll - on a good day it'll give you combat advantage for your first volley of spells. But it's not worth expending resources to specialise in such tricks.

 

[Mr. Teapot]

I'd say it's a neat feature whatever your class, but not worth specialising in for a wizard unless you're a wand wielder (and probably not even then, unless you want Stealth for more general purposes). The requirement that you must happen to have cover or concealment at whatever point initiative happens to be called makes it highly situational anyway, for anyone aside from warlocks.

Allies provide cover when enemies are targetting you. Wizards are almost always int he back rows of marching order, so a gnome wizard should almost always be able to make his Stealth check at the start of combat.

Making it something worthwhile is a different matter, though.

 

[Kordeth]

Allies provide cover when enemies are targetting you. Wizards are almost always int he back rows of marching order, so a gnome wizard should almost always be able to make his Stealth check at the start of combat.

Making it something worthwhile is a different matter, though.

Allies don't count as cover for Stealth.

 

[fissionessence]

(I'm sure my DM will cheerfully ignore that bit of rules nonsense about gnomes not being able to use staves.)

A small creature can still wield a staff as an implement, but when you attack with it [in melee], you have to treat it as an improvised weapon, meaning no proficiency bonus, and 1d4 damage. If you want to convince your DM to let you get away with something, have him let you have a 'small staff', that is otherwise the same as a staff, but deals 1d6 damage and is one-handed versatile instead of two-handed. It's a little bit of rule bending, but I think it makes more sense for all involved.

~

 

[Starfox]

I am still in wonder that they could publish a gnome before they publish an illusionist class or at least a set of illusion-themed spells. Or maybe that is in the PH2, not just advertised yet?

 

[Tuft]

Or maybe that is in the PH2, not just advertised yet?

The full Table of Contents for PH2 is available here:
http://www.wizards.com/dnd/files/excerpts/excerpt_ph2_toc.pdf