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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Uller" data-source="post: 6686430" data-attributes="member: 413">So here is how I run stealth in combat...First off, I go by the assumption that combat isn't happening in a well lit open space.  If so, then I might change it up.   But most of the time, it's happening in a dark tight space cluttered with furniture, debris, vegetation, etc.  So I'm pretty liberal and don't bother asking the rogue player for a lot of details on how he goes about hiding.  I generally assume there is somewhere to hide (at least until he succeeds and scores a hit with sneak attack damage...then the second assumption kicks in)The second assumption is that unless a foe is unintelligent (Int of 1) it isn't going to fall for the same trick over and over.  After the first success, subsequent hide checks are with disadvantage.  After the second success, passive perception gets advantage (+5 is pretty substantial).Third assumption: When a rogue character announces they are hiding, they must be spending some sort of resource.  Usually their cunning action.  So I try to consider how to make that opportunity cost (the opportunity to disengage or dash) really mean something by positioning high damage potential monsters where they can really hurt the rogue if they manage score a hit. So, yes, I will generally be very liberal about the rogue character hiding to gain advantage, then attacking.  Maybe he ducks behind a rock waits for his target to get distracted by the action around them, then pops back out for a well timed shot.  But in exchange for doing this he's given up some ability to move safely away.  Any reasonably intelligent foe will fall for this about one time.  Then they will take measures to counter that.  Readied actions work quite well.Last week we were introducing my 15 yo nephew to D&D during a rainy day on our family vacation (my 14 yo daughter and 17 yo son were playing too).  We were playing the Lord of Lance Rock adventure in PotA.  My daughter was playing the halfling rogue from the LMoP and my nephew was playing the archer.  (everyone was 2nd level...my son was playing the cleric and the fighter, so four characters total)In the last battle against the necromancer and his minions, the rogue started off hidden, fired at the necromancer and did a good amount of damage then moved to behind some debris and hid again.  But the necromancer isn't dumb.  So he ordered his skeletons to watch for the halfling and kill her.My daughter didn't take the clue.  She popped out of hiding to repeat her trick (and I let her get the shot off first)...then the readied skeletons fired 4 arrows at her.  3 hit (one was a crit).  She took something like 21 damage and only had 13 hp to start with so down she went...she hit the necromancer on her shot as well but he still have plenty of hp.  The only thing that ended the fight was a crit from the archer (and my nephew was very pleased to avenge his cousin!)</blockquote>

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