Listen Checks While Asleep?

[Christian Walker]

A Rogue picks the lock on a back door and makes her way into a house where the owner is fast asleep. What sort of opposed Listen - Move Silently rolls are in order? Is it safe to assume that unless the Rogue knocks over a lamp, the owner will continue sleeping throughout a burglary? Should the rogue make a Move Silently check, with a fumble (natural 1) waking the house's occupant?

Help!

 

[Kae'Yoss]

There are no fumbles on ability checks or skill checks, unless you house rule it otherwise. Normally, the 1/20 fumbles and successes only apply to attacks and saving throws.

To the problem at hand: let the sleeper make a listen check with a hefty penalty, maybe -4 or even -8.

Set a DC for picking a lock. You may stretch the move silently rules a bit and let him make a check to try and pick the lock silently (also with a penalty).

 

[dcollins]

I believe the Sage recommended a -10 or -20 modifier to Listen checks while sleeping. I think that's a little too steep, and personally use a -5 (for dozing) or -10 (deep asleep) modifier.

 

[trespassers]

I believe the Sage recommended a -10 or -20 modifier to Listen checks while sleeping. I think that's a little too steep, and personally use a -5 (for dozing) or -10 (deep asleep) modifier.

Keeping in mind that these characters are presumably light sleepers, especially when camping in dangerous territory, it seems likely that they would be "alert" while getting rest. The -5 and -10 penalty to their listen checks makes perfect sense. After all, they're more effective fighters, magic users, climbers etc, why would they sleep like potheads after an all-night session of watching MST3K?

 

[IceBear]

Sean Reynolds said that he would treat all sleeping characters as if they had rolled 0 on their Listen check (rationalizing that since they aren't actively trying to Listen they don't get a roll). This is fairly equivalent to an average roll with a -10 penalty. I think I'd go with the -10 as it makes the players at least feel like they could do SOMETHING.

IceBear

 

[Drawmack]

Move silently DC = Listen Check with -5 modifier.

Miss movesilently by 1-5, the sleeper is now light sleeping and no longer suffers a penalty. Unless already light sleeping then they are awake.

Miss move silently by 6+ the individual is awake.

Freshly awakened characters are dazed for 1 round. They have a 75% chance to see the thief in the room with them. If they do not see the thief then they go back to sleep the next round but are light sleeping.

Picking the Lock silently adds +5 to the open locks DC.

I just had this happen in a game and ran it exactly like this with very positive results and the PCs understood the logic completely. Of course the PCs were the ones who were asleep IMG.

 

[bret]

Freshly awakened characters are dazed for 1 round. They have a 75% chance to see the thief in the room with them. If they do not see the thief then they go back to sleep the next round but are light sleeping.

I'm curious why you didn't run this as a Spot check against their Hide skill? The intruder would have had one round to hide when the sleeper was disturbed.

The Daze shouldn't be automatic either. If adrenalin kicks in, you wake up immediately and will not be going back to sleep any time soon.