Shadowdancer and Hide in Plain Sight

[RangerWickett]

Okay, tell me, how does this ability work?

My rogue/shadowdancer PC with a +15 Hide skill bonus is walking down a hallway that's lit every 20 feet by torches, so there are easily some shadows for him to make use of his ability. He hears a group of guards walking down the hallway toward him, so he just stands still, uses his hide in plain sight ability, and waits for them to reach him. He takes 10, so his Hide check is 25. Assuming the guards have a +1 spot skill, they won't see him.

So do the guards just walk right past him, even though he's standing in the middle of a hallway that's fairly well lit? If he wants, could the Shadowdancer make a sneak attack against one of the guards, since they don't see him? And if he does make a sneak attack, killing one of the guards, what are the chances of the other guards finding him? He could stand right next to them, hiding in plain sight with his great skill bonuses, and never be seen, right?

To make matters nastier, what if he had a potion of spiderclimb, so he's hanging down from the ceiling. He hangs down, slits a throat, and pulls back up to the ceiling. Since he's up above, there's no chance the guards would bump into him, so he's basically never going to be found unless they begin methodically poking at every inch of wall around him, right?

Wow. Nice ability. Thing is, there's a PC in my group who's playing a *takes deep breath* 4th/1st/3rd/1st level half-Elf rogue/ranger/assassin/shadowdancer. I waive the requirement of evil alignment for assassin, just so you know. With his +15 hide skill, could he use the assassin death strike ability to observe while hanging on the ceiling, then drop down, deliver a death blow, and hide on the ceiling again? I just want to make sure the PCs don't get the idea of just assassinating any villain they cross paths with.

 

[eXodus]

as i read the ability i would have to say that yes, you can hide just as you have mentioned.

but my own idea of then attacking is that you must come out of your hide to attack. so sure, he can pop out and attack. but it will then take another action to hide again.

that is how i think it works.

 

[Mahali]

Okay, tell me, how does this ability work?
So do the guards just walk right past him, even though he's standing in the middle of a hallway that's fairly well lit? If he wants, could the Shadowdancer make a sneak attack against one of the guards, since they don't see him? And if he does make a sneak attack, killing one of the guards, what are the chances of the other guards finding him? He could stand right next to them, hiding in plain sight with his great skill bonuses, and never be seen, right?

Yes, they'll walk right by unless he resists. Yes, he'd get get sneak attacks. 100%. Once he attacks he's no longer hiding.

To make matters nastier, what if he had a potion of spiderclimb, so he's hanging down from the ceiling. He hangs down, slits a throat, and pulls back up to the ceiling. Since he's up above, there's no chance the guards would bump into him, so he's basically never going to be found unless they begin methodically poking at every inch of wall around him, right?

Unless he tries to stop them (and stop hiding in the process) they'll never bump into him. And as I said up above once you attack you're not longer hiden.
Wow.

With his +15 hide skill, could he use the assassin death strike ability to observe while hanging on the ceiling, then drop down, deliver a death blow, and hide on the ceiling again?

I'm not very familiar with death strike. But yes, he could remain hidden to observe then attack. When sniping with a ranged weapon you can attack once then re-hide at +20 check. I suppose you may beable to "hide in plain sight" the same way at a higher penalty.

 

[Victim]

I think the re-hide for sniping is at -20, not +20.

 

[novyet]

Okay, tell me, how does this ability work?

My rogue/shadowdancer PC with a +15 Hide skill bonus is walking down a hallway that's lit every 20 feet by torches, so there are easily some shadows for him to make use of his ability. He hears a group of guards walking down the hallway toward him, so he just stands still, uses his hide in plain sight ability, and waits for them to reach him. He takes 10, so his Hide check is 25. Assuming the guards have a +1 spot skill, they won't see him.

So do the guards just walk right past him, even though he's standing in the middle of a hallway that's fairly well lit? If he wants, could the Shadowdancer make a sneak attack against one of the guards, since they don't see him? And if he does make a sneak attack, killing one of the guards, what are the chances of the other guards finding him? He could stand right next to them, hiding in plain sight with his great skill bonuses, and never be seen, right?

To make matters nastier, what if he had a potion of spiderclimb, so he's hanging down from the ceiling. He hangs down, slits a throat, and pulls back up to the ceiling. Since he's up above, there's no chance the guards would bump into him, so he's basically never going to be found unless they begin methodically poking at every inch of wall around him, right?

Wow. Nice ability. Thing is, there's a PC in my group who's playing a *takes deep breath* 4th/1st/3rd/1st level half-Elf rogue/ranger/assassin/shadowdancer. I waive the requirement of evil alignment for assassin, just so you know. With his +15 hide skill, could he use the assassin death strike ability to observe while hanging on the ceiling, then drop down, deliver a death blow, and hide on the ceiling again? I just want to make sure the PCs don't get the idea of just assassinating any villain they cross paths with.

Indeed it does work as you suspect, but I believe and my dm agreed when I did it that you are no longer hidden after making an attack, but you can hide again as normal. Other than the fact that I was not an assassin ( Ftr4/Rog6/Shd10 ) my old pc was much the same. I couldn't fight anywhere near the level of the melee characters, so I simply played a game of hide and seek with opponents. It was the most fun I've playing d&d in a looooong time.

HTH

 

[rhammer2]

Yes you come out of hiding when you attack. And it is a standard action to hide in plain sight (supernatural ability).

as i read the ability i would have to say that yes, you can hide just as you have mentioned.

but my own idea of then attacking is that you must come out of your hide to attack. so sure, he can pop out and attack. but it will then take another action to hide again.

that is how i think it works.

 

[Artoomis]

No, you can't hide in the middle of the hallway, more than likely. Where are the shadows? In a torchlit hallway, the middle has very few, if any, shadows - the edges of the hallway and the walls have plenty of shadows, though - I would allow the hide in plain sight to work if he moved over to the edge of the hallway.

My opinion, anyway.

 

[Roland Delacroix]

I think we were assuming there were enough shadows to make it easier.

Attacking blows your Hide, Hiding is a standard action yes. HOWEVER if you take a few levels of Ninja of the Cresent Moon (or whatever its called) they have an ability where they automatically hide as a free action all the time. That makes a deadly combo, basically you do a sneak attack, become visible, then instanty dissapear (In Plain Site) before the enemys eyes. Full round sneak attacks in shadowy areas.

 

[SpikeyFreak]

No, you can't hide in the middle of the hallway, more than likely. Where are the shadows?

As long as the middle of the hallway is within 10 feet of shadows you can. The ablilty states that you don't have to be in shadows, only that you have to be within 10 feet of shadows.

It also says that you don't have to have anything to hide behind.

--Prepared Spikey

 

[Artoomis]

Within 10' of shadows, eh? Well, then, I guess it would work - though they'd probably notice him once they tripped over him in the middle of the hall I should think that would be a rather large modifier on the "spot" check.