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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Li Shenron" data-source="post: 7578094" data-attributes="member: 1465">I try my chances too...I think the Hide action tells that the others roll a Wisdom(Perception) check, so Passive Perception isn't used in combat by default. That's because Passive Perception is said by the RAW to be used (a) to represent average results for tasks done repeatedly, and (b) when the DM just doesn't want to roll dice. But then of course the DM can always choose option (b), and you can also argue that "keeping an eye on anyone trying to hide" in combat qualifies as a task done repeatedly. The truth is, in terms of probabilities it hardly matters whether you use passive checks or rolled checks in a contest i.e. opposed rolls (assuming at least one side is rolling), unless you specifically have some bonus/penalty which applies to one but not the other. There are however practical consequences to using different approaches, particularly when you have multiple enemies... are you going to roll each of them separately so that probably some will fail and some will succeed? This will likely create a mess where the DM has to keep track of who is aware of who in combat, not to mention that the DM has also to decide whether those who are hiding are themselves aware of who they have successfully hidden from... I believe that using Passive Perception can help against that, but maybe group checks can be even better.As for when does it apply, I'd say when it matters. Hiding always grants defensive benefits, and sometimes it is also used to gain an offensive benefit later, but because of the former I would rule that you are immediately hidden.I agree, you don't need to take multiple Hide actions to stay hidden.Yes, it is the most reasonable ruling. Just because humans have a sense of smell doesn't mean they can pinpoint the source of a scent in the same way that they can pinpoint by sight and hearing. Use only sight and hearing to adjudicate, unless the creature has some explicit additional sense capabilities.As a general rule, if you have at least one reliable sense for pinpointing the location of others, you are granted one Perception check against Stealth.Hidden is assumed to mean unseen + unheard normally. So in order to hide you are also trying to suppress the noise you make. Keen Hearing does give advantage to someone against you, exactly because hearing matters. Similarly, Keen Smell grants advantage to Perception thanks to the fact that you are using an extra sense in addition to sight and hearing (generally speaking, I think Keen Smell is on the weak side... I think even non-magical creatures such as a hound dog can almost invariably find someone by smell, so even granting a Stealth check in the first place is maybe too generous, but this is beyond the point).</blockquote>

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