D&D 5E Question on Halfling Naturally Stealthy and Dim Light

[Lord Vangarel]

In our game I've allowed the Lightfoot Halfling Rogue to hide in areas of Dim Light due to his Naturally Stealthy ability therefore on a successful roll the Halfling gets Advantage on his attack and can use Sneak Attack to boost damage.

Am I doing this correct or is it a stretch too far?

 

[jadrax]

In our game I've allowed the Lightfoot Halfling Rogue to hide in areas of Dim Light due to his Naturally Stealthy ability therefore on a successful roll the Halfling gets Advantage on his attack and can use Sneak Attack to boost damage.

Am I doing this correct or is it a stretch too far?

By the RAW you can't hide when lightly obscured (which Dim Light counts as), unless you have an ability that allows you to (such as Mask of the Wild). Naturally Stealthy dose not allow you to hide when lightly obscured, unless you are obscured only by a creature that is at least one size larger than you.

So personally, I think it's a stretch too far.

 

[Lord Vangarel]

Thanks Jadrax I was thinking along similar lines although it was cool for the player getting to roll advantage and sneak attacks every round!

 

[Gilwen]

I'm not seeing where the rules say you can't hide if you are lightly obscured. Can you point me to the page?
The description of lightly obscured even says that the perception check has disadvantage.

According to the list of things that count as lightly obscured is: dim light, patchy fog, or moderate foliage. This list is not an all inclusive list but gives you enough to make rulings on things that would potentially block your vision enough to make finding something difficult.
The wood elf ability adds to this list of things that count as lightly obscured but does not create a rule that stops others form hiding in a lightly obscured area.
Mask of the wild adds the following to the lightly obscured list (only for wood elves): foliage, heavy rain, falling snow, mist, and other natural phenomena. Again not an all inclusive list but sets the bar lower for wood elves and they get to hide in things that normally wouldn't block you from seeing that something was there. I also take foliage without an adjective to mean any type of foliage, particularly when it is less than moderate.

Gil

 

[Thaumaturge]

I'm not seeing where the rules say you can't hide if you are lightly obscured. Can you point me to the page?
The description of lightly obscured even says that the perception check has disadvantage.

I agree. The implication I get from reading the rules is that being lightly obscured is enough to hide for anyone.

Thaumaturge.

 

[jadrax]

In that case, the following wood elf racial ability is a bit rubbish:

Mask of the Wild. You can attempt to hide even when you are only lightly obscured by foliage, heavy rain, falling snow, mist, and other natural phenomena.

 

[jadrax]

I'm not seeing where the rules say you can't hide if you are lightly obscured. Can you point me to the page?
The description of lightly obscured even says that the perception check has disadvantage.

According to the list of things that count as lightly obscured is: dim light, patchy fog, or moderate foliage. This list is not an all inclusive list but gives you enough to make rulings on things that would potentially block your vision enough to make finding something difficult.
The wood elf ability adds to this list of things that count as lightly obscured but does not create a rule that stops others form hiding in a lightly obscured area.
Mask of the wild adds the following to the lightly obscured list (only for wood elves): foliage, heavy rain, falling snow, mist, and other natural phenomena. Again not an all inclusive list but sets the bar lower for wood elves and they get to hide in things that normally wouldn't block you from seeing that something was there. I also take foliage without an adjective to mean any type of foliage, particularly when it is less than moderate.

Gil

Oh I see what you mean, mmm that's an interesting reading.


What is clear is that 'Mask of the Wild' is word for word the same ability as in the open play test; and in the open play test there was a precise rule 'Some monsters and characters have special abilities that enable them to try to hide even in areas that are only lightly obscured.' Currently that rule is missing from basic.

Nevertheless, 'You can’t hide from a creature that can see you', (page 60 in 0.1). If your only lightly obscured, I think the intent is pretty clear that you can be seen. While 'A heavily obscured area—such as darkness, opaque fog, or dense foliage — blocks vision entirely.'

 

[Gilwen]

yeah without reading it as additive to the list of lightly obscured then Mask of the Wild would be worthless.