Spot checks

[Kraedin]

Does anyone know what the Spot check DC is for a Medium-sized creature standing directly in front of you in broad daylight?

 

[kreynolds]

How far away? In your face?

 

[Kraedin]

Right in front of you, say, 5 feet away.

 

[VorpalBunny]

5 feet?!! Why bother to roll a check? But if you were to roll I'd say either DC 0 or DC 5.

 

[Kraedin]

DC 5 seems a little high. A normal person wouldn't be able to notice anyone more than 160 feet away.

 

[Artoomis]

I trust you are just being silly.

Check: The Spot skill is used primarily to detect characters or creatures who are hiding. Typically, Spot is opposed by the Hide check of the creature trying not to be seen. Sometimes a creature isn't intentionally hiding but is still difficult to see, so a successful Spot check is necessary to notice it.

It's automatic in this case.

 

[AuraSeer]

Broad daylight? The creature is just standing there, not attempting to hide? It doesn't have a cloak of elvenkind or any other concealing magic?

DC 0.
If he's not adjacent to you, add +1 per 10' distance.

 

[kreynolds]

Well, generally, Spot isn't used unless someone is trying to hide or if something might be hard to see. A medium-size creature standing 5-feet away isn't hiding, and they aren't difficult to see (unless in deeper darkness or something).

Are you distracted? If so, the penalty to the Spot check is -5. I suppose I might put the base DC at 0, so if distracted, the DC would effectively be 5.

 

[Kraedin]

I need the base number so I can get a DC for 100 feet away, 500 feet away, etc.

 

[VorpalBunny]

The rule is +1 DC for every 10 ft. to the limit of sight, but why not use the "encounter distance" rules in the DMG?