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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Flamestrike" data-source="post: 6643608" data-attributes="member: 6788736">If you want to rule that light obscurement = 'cant be seen clearly enough' then go for it. It's certainly arguable.Personally, I would rule that one needs something more than just light obscurement. The observer to be distracted (by combat for example).And it does nothing to 'gut' the abilities. They remain as useful as always. They greatly widen the range of stuff a Wood Elf or Halfling can hide 'in' (where an Orc or Human could not). A Human rogue needs to first 'not be seen clearly' and second needs to get himself into cover or total obscurement to hide. A Wood elf needs only to 'not be seen clearly' and then he can hide in any natural obscurement in addition to total obscurement and cover.Before the errata, it was virtually impossible to use the Hide action in combat (barring before combat began) as creatures are assumed to observe all other creatures involved in a combat. This errata ruling loosens that restriction allowing creatures to hide even while under casual observation when the observer is sufficiently distracted.Remember - MoTW doesnt allow the Elf to circumvent the restriction on hiding while under observation. It simply widens the scope of things the Elf can hide 'in' when a creature cannot see the Elf 'clearly enough'.And I can see an Elf standing behind a ficus or in the rain, as clearly as I can see a human or an orc. If light obscurement is enough to allow a Stealth check to hide for an Elf (by having that light obscurement enough to obscure vision to the point that the observer cannot see the elf 'clearly enough'), the light obscurement of the ficus also allows an Orc standing behind the ficus to make a Stealth check to hide.The only difference being the Orc needs to move into full cover to hide whereas the Elf can remain behind the ficus and hide.Youre interpreting 'cant be seen clearly enough' as 'direct observation'. That's not the wording used. You dont have to be focusing intently on the creature who wants to hide from you to prevent the attempt. You only need to be able to see them 'clearly enough'. It's up to each DM to determine what being able to 'see someone clearly enough' means. Personally I use a common sense interpretation (if the creature can see you clearly enough to know where you are, and can observe you going into your hiding spot, you cannot hide from that creature - it knows where you are).</blockquote>

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