D&D 3E/3.5 Hide Skill (3.5), It's at least a move action!

[RigaMortus]

So, there I am, a 3rd level wizard hiding in the middle of a completely empty room, using my blur spell as concealment.

Now, someone enters the room and does not see me, if he fails his spot check!?

Suuuuure!

Bye
Thanee

Sad but true...

 

[Li Shenron]

I'd sort of picture it like Predator (the movie) invisibility, or Halo (the video game) invisibility.

You are right RM, we watch too many movies and play too many computer games.

 

[Nail]

...The whole idea is so improbable and stretches what hiding is all about to near the breaking point.

Quite so. ...but it's still funny. And, given a generous interpretation, even interestingly plausible.

Hiding in the middle of an empty room using a blur spell is just the sort of question for the Rules Forum. It's what this place was built for!

 

[RigaMortus]

Just noticed this feat in XPH:

CLOAK DANCE [GENERAL]
You are skilled at using optical tricks to make yourself seem to be where you are not.
Prerequisites: Hide 10 ranks, Perform (dance) 2 ranks.
Benefit: You can take a move action to obscure your exact position. Until your next turn, you have concealment. Alternatively, you can take a full-round action to entirely obscure your exact position. Until your next action, you have total concealment.

This effectively let's you do the "Blur trick" and it is probably more practicle.

Round 1) Full-round action to get Total Concealment
Round 2) Attack action (sneak attack), Move-Equiv to gain Concealment from Cloak Dance feat, as part of that Move-Equiv make Hide Check.
Round 3) Repeat "Round 2)"

Of course, Improved Feint might be easier...

 

[ARandomGod]

Perhaps so, Hyp. I'd allow a hefty circumstance bonus on the Spot check, especially given that virtually anyone would be looking pretty darn closely at some blurry thing in the middle of the room. I'm thinking a MIGHTY big circumstance bonus. Like +20. The whole idea is so improbable and stretches what hiding is all about to near the breaking point.

In fact, in my game I'd simply disallow it as being ludicrious, even if technically allowed the book.

Instead, I'd allow that hefty bonus to notice something. That something being a blurred opponent. But, well, you're not sure exactly WHERE the opponent is, it's sort of, well, blurry. In that general direction.

Hence the fist attack being sneak attackish. You KNOW you're gonna get it, but it looked like it was coming from over *there*.

Yes, improved feint would be easier. Although I wouldn't have a problem with saying this spell duplicates the effects of improved feint. Move action feint, or move action hide (so the opponent's not quite sure exactly where you are again. I mean, he knows you're there, generally... but exactly where's kind of blurry), then attack action attack.

Same as improved feint, but with a 20% miss chance to being hit when they try to hit back. I don't see how it's really a problem. The same level spell, "blink", allows you to strike as if you were invisible, thereby denying your target dex bonus (and therefore making EVERY attack a sneak attack).