D&D 5E Hiding vs Sneaking: A reinterpretation

[Plaguescarred]

If you want to sneak up behind someone who isn't looking at you, take the hide action and move up to them.

I'm not seeing the confusion

I think it can be hard to sneak up behind someone in combat if creatures stay alert for signs of danger all around them.

It would be easier outside combat against a distracted creature for exemple.

 

[Flamestrike]

I think it can be hard to sneak up behind someone in combat if creatures stay alert for signs of danger all around them.

It would be easier outside combat against a distracted creature for exemple.

I dont think we really need any such distinction. If you're distracted, you're distracted. You can sneak up on a bored guard as easy as you can sneak up on a Hobgoblin who is locked in combat with your Barbarian buddy (and busy dodging his great axe).

Its just an ad-hoc ruling. Unless they're alert or the environment forces you to walk past them or be in plain sight (two guards either side of a door for example) I'll generally allow it.

We dont need any special rules for it. Stealth is a combination of the [move silent] and [hide] skills [or a combination of hide in shadows and move silently abilities for the old school among us]. In combat, to use them you need to take the Hide action.

If a critter wants to sneak up on someone [in a combat scenario] from someone not looking at them, they take the Hide action [they cant be seen by their victim] and then move. If they're a rogue 2 or better they can also attack once they get there [or hide + move + dash] to cover more ground than a non rogue.

Its just an application of common sense, over some kind of tortured flowchart of exceptions and rules jargon.

 

[Ganymede81]

If you want to sneak up behind someone who isn't looking at you, take the hide action and move up to them.

I'm not seeing the confusion

If they aren't looking at you, there is no reason to take a Hide Action. The DM might call for a Stealth Check to determine if it can be doing without being heard/smelled/etc.

Personally, I like to imagine stealth akin to something portrayed in Metal Gear Solid. Guards have tight cones of vision normally, but are alert to threats all around them once they've detected someone.

 

[Ganymede81]

I delineate the Hide Action and general Stealth Checks by reserving Hide Actions for breaking line of sight to a foe.

In other words, the Hide Action lets you attempt to put down a last-seen silhouette like you might find in many stealth oriented video games.

 

[Flamestrike]

If they aren't looking at you, there is no reason to take a Hide Action.

Yes there is. Creatures not looking at you = you being invisible = you breaking LOS and jumping behind a tree = heavy obscurement = darkness = etc.

Once you can't be seen 'clearly enough' you can take the Hide action. You can't take the Hide action if you can be seen clearly enough.

You need to take the Hide action to be hidden when you enter an area of Darkness. You need to take the Hide action to conceal your location (and presence) when invisible. You need to take the Hide action when you jump into total cover and want to hide. You need to take the Hide action to sneak up behind someone who is looking the other way.

They're all the same thing.

The DM might call for a Stealth Check to determine if it can be doing without being heard/smelled/etc.

Via the Hide action. Thats how you use Stealth in combat bro.

Dont think of it as the Hide action. Think of it as the [Hide and move silently] action.

 

[Flamestrike]

If you want it in 'gamist' terms, when a creature is not looking at you, you effectively have total obscurement relative to that creature.

Its no different to you entering the radius of darkness effect, or becoming invsible, or the creature being blinded.

You dont automatically become hidden when any of those things occur. You need to take the Hide action to conceal your presence (moving silently, covering your tracks, masking your scent, stilling your jangling spell components and weapons etc).

The Hide action represents the time [and effort] taken to do this.

 

[Plaguescarred]

I dont think we really need any such distinction. If you're distracted, you're distracted. You can sneak up on a bored guard as easy as you can sneak up on a Hobgoblin who is locked in combat with your Barbarian buddy (and busy dodging his great axe).

It's not as easy to approach an alert combating foe than it is to approach a distracted creature the rules do makes such distinction. Walking unconcealed anywhere around most creature in combat should generally be detected automatically unless it's distracted and the DM determine that certain circumstances let it stay hidden. It's the optional Facing rule that says one can't see into its rear arc.


Hiding: In combat, most creatures stay alert for signs of danger all around, so if you come out of hiding and approach a creature, it usually sees you. However, under certain circumstances, the Dungeon Master might allow you to stay hidden as you approach a creature that is distracted, allowing you to gain advantage on an attack before you are seen.



Yan
D&D Playtester

 

[Ganymede81]

Via the Hide action. Thats how you use Stealth in combat bro.

Dont think of it as the Hide action. Think of it as the [Hide and move silently] action.

Naw... You just use the Hide Action at the start of your adventuring day at camp, when you have total concealment from every possible foe imaginable.

Then you're good until a particular creature you want to remain hidden from sees you.