Hide in plain sight question.

[pallandrome]

Still, there are SO many ways to counter HIPS. Anyone can ready an action to thump the rogue when he pops out of hiding. Tremorsense ignores HIPS completely. AoEs tend not to be very effective unless it's something like Ice Storm, which offers no save. And of course, a hiding rogue has no advantage against a wizard with Improved Invisibility.

Oh, and I would make a shadowdancer use a standard action to turn darkvision on or off. It just won't do that on it's own, and there isn't really any reason to turn it off.

 

[mvincent]

Hiding is active, not reactive. The use of the skill would not let you HIPS, use of the Ability does, Thus I say it standard action and I point this out to those who are having problems with the ability. The shadowdancer's HIPS is supernatural. There are no exceptioons called out. The extraordinary ability entry is murkier, though that one is less of a problem since it is enviroment limited.

Using an extraordinary ability is usually not an action because most extraordinary abilities automatically happen in a reactive fashion. Those extraordinary abilities that are actions are standard actions unless otherwise noted.

The Day he first gets it, why not. It does not have a duration.

Frank, I still believe you are incorrect in it's intended use, but have no vested interest in trying to change your mind. Anybody else interested in taking this one up?

 

[mikebr99]

Oh, and I would make a shadowdancer use a standard action to turn darkvision on or off. It just won't do that on it's own, and there isn't really any reason to turn it off.

Why????

Mike

 

[Darklone]

Still, there are SO many ways to counter HIPS. Anyone can ready an action to thump the rogue when he pops out of hiding. Tremorsense ignores HIPS completely. AoEs tend not to be very effective unless it's something like Ice Storm, which offers no save. And of course, a hiding rogue has no advantage against a wizard with Improved Invisibility.

You can ready an action... if you notice him. He might manage to shoot at you without being noticed. And AoEs are not that useful since he can probably move while staying hidden.

 

[mvincent]

Frank, I still believe you are incorrect in it's intended use, but have no vested interest in trying to change your mind. Anybody else interested in taking this one up?

Looks like I was incorrect... I actually do wish to contribute more on the subject. From the 3.5 FAQ
"A character with the hide in plain sight class feature
(described on page 48 in the Player’s Handbook) can make a
Hide check even if she’s being observed. This doesn’t require
any extra action to accomplish (unlike the sniping maneuver).
The character could attack a foe, then move to a place with
sufficient cover or concealment to allow a Hide check, making
the Hide check as part of movement. The character doesn’t
need Spring Attack to pull this off, although that feat would
allow her to move (potentially from a place of hiding, although
that’s not necessary), make an attack, and then move again to a
place of hiding. Still, unless the character has cover or
concealment for her approach, she’s not considered to be
hidden when she delivers the attack."

While not everyone relies on the FAQ, it is usually a good indicator of the writer's intent. I suppose we could have a poll though. I'm fairly certain your interpretation would not prevail.

 

[pallandrome]

*shrug* No reason. I'm personally of the opinion that anyone who picks up the power would just never turn it off. But, if for some reason you DID want to turn it off, I'd make it a standard action to do so, just like turning off SR to recieve healing.

EDIT: In light of the previous post, I'll concede to the FAQ, as I consider it's opinion FAR more valid than my own. I'd still call for a standard action to turn off Darkvision though.

 

[pallandrome]

You can ready an action... if you notice him. He might manage to shoot at you without being noticed. And AoEs are not that useful since he can probably move while staying hidden.

While one might manage to shoot AT a person without being noticed, I'd rule that a character who was specifically waiting for it would have a damn good shot at seeing it. So essentially, a spot check to see the attacker, with the attacker unable to benefit from a hide check. Cover, and the like, still would apply.

 

[Wobber]

Okay, so a "hips" character can walk to an enemy sneak attack, hide. Next round: sneak attack, hide. Another round: sneak attack, hide. Unlimited imp. invisibility ? :\

 

[frankthedm]

Okay, so a "hips" character can walk to an enemy sneak attack, hide. Next round: sneak attack, hide. Another round: sneak attack, hide. Unlimited imp. invisibility ? :\

Hiding lets a rogue have the initative cycle break so the rogue can again catch foes flat footed. Otherewise flanking, blinking, invisability and other things that specificly take away the target's dex bonus, not hiding, is how rogues deal thier sneak attack.

Using the hide skill does not take away the foes dex bonus. Nowhere in the PHB, DMG, MM or SRD will you find any rule that says being hidden takes away a foes dex bonus. You will find a chaim of that in the Complete Adventurer, but that is the DM's choice to allow.

 

[Nail]

Using the hide skill does not take away the foes dex bonus.

This is a key (and contentious) point.