Stealth and silent movement

[Venthrac]

I noticed in the new, errata'd stealth rules that there's a -5 penalty to stealth checks for characters who move more than two squares in a move action. My own personal assumption is that the designers imagined a character walking three squares and thinking to themselves "this character is going to make some noise, so there should be a penalty." A character who only walked two squares would likely be sneaking, and trynig to minimize the amount of sound he or she is making.

So, in the opinion of those of you DM'ing 4th ed, should this -5 penalty apply to characters who are moving more than two squares, but in a manner that does not produce sound? For example, characters that can levitate or teleport might be able to move more than two squares completely soundlessly. Would you apply the -5 Stealth penalty to them as well?

 

[Stalker0]

So, in the opinion of those of you DM'ing 4th ed, should this -5 penalty apply to characters who are moving more than two squares, but in a manner that does not produce sound? For example, characters that can levitate or teleport might be able to move more than two squares completely soundlessly. Would you apply the -5 Stealth penalty to them as well?

If you want the rules as written, teleportation is movement. If you teleport more than 2 squares, you take a -5 penalty on stealth. If you want a flavor explanation, think of it this way. Teleportation may not be quiet, and the farther you teleport, the more exertion it requires, so the stronger the "pop" or whatever other sound it makes.

As for levitate, I don't the levitate spell lets you move that fast anyway. But if you could, it would still be a -5. After all, if your just floating in midair, in order to move faster than 2 squares your going to have to put some exertion in air swimming or pushing off a wall of something...which could make noise.

 

[Tony Vargas]

I tend to picture teleport as having visual, sound and other signatures. Like a flash of light, puff of smoke, door to the feywild opening up, or whatever. Maybe that's just the Champions player in me.

I'd say if you move faster than creeping along at 2 spaces per move action, yes, you should take the penalty.

 

[Venthrac]

By that reasoning, why would teleporting three squares be different than two?