D&D 5E (2014) Stealth rules

[Psikerlord#]

I don't use passive at all. I just allow auto succeed or else roll.

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

The problem with the original scenario and how it plays out is that the more rolls you demand, the more likely the d20 fate gods are going to have a bad roll come up. It normally only takes a single bad stealth roll to take things south.

In early levels, you have a stealth mod of +5 to +7 or so. In medium level ranges, for rogues/bards, you can expect something like a +8-10 stealth mod, for other classes, it often drops to around a +7-ish. If you have characters with passive perceptions of 15, then you end up with 25-40% chance of failing a roll. If you require several successful rolls, you are going to fail a lot. The same problem happens with larger groups.

Yeah, that's on purpose. The more people you have sneaking, the more likely someone is to mess up and give away that there's someone out there--although if everyone is good at sneaking, it's likely that the target will vastly underestimate how many guys you have out there. If it were possible for a whole group of 20 PCs + minions to sneak up on a Fire Giant, it would not only be unrealistic, but you'd also have no incentive to keep your vanguard small.

Note also that even if you roll a natural 1, a trained sneaker (e.g. +7 to Stealth) is still not going to be visible to the drow. Since their perception score is 12, or 7 in the dark, a natural 1 (= 8) still beats their passive score. All you do is give away your presence, which gives them the chance to actively listen to you, which might let them actually spot you and/or light a torch to see you for real and/or cast Faerie Fire in the region where they thought they heard you.

 

[PnPgamer]

Wohoo yeah stealth rules!!! \m/
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Wait this isnt the concert for band "Stealth" ?

 

[PnPgamer]

On topic though i like how op managed to create interesting stuff to work with. I will probably offer that piece for my dm.

 

[Nemio]

Oh, you're thinking that passive perception sets a floor on perception rolls? No, I'm going to go with PHB 177 on that instead. Passive perception applies "even if they aren't searching," which I read to mean "whenever they're not searching."

I see that you read Mearls as saying something different, but in any case, I'm not going with that interpretation. Active and passive are mutually exclusive as I read it.

Yeah, just wanted to clarify Mearls his viewpoint and that I'm following that
But again, was just for your information.
Changing it doesn't hurt.

 

[Flamestrike]

I play it by the book.

You can't attempt to hide from anyone who is sufficiently 'aware of where you are' when you make the attempt, and you require heavy concealment (Wood elves only require light natural concealment) or cover to hide behind (Halflings can hide behind a Medium sized creature).

You can attack from hiding, but if you do you reveal your position after the attack is resolved (unless you have the Skulker feat and miss). If your opponent is sufficiently distracted, you can also approach from hiding (from behind) and launch a melee attack.

Once enemies are 'aware of where you are', you generally cant take the Hide action relative to those creatures again, unless you are invisible (an invisible creature can always attempt to Hide), or you can somehow alter your location sufficiently so the creature is no longer 'aware of where you are'.

'Aware of where you are' meaning either they made a Perception check opposed by your Stealth check to locate your position, or someone else told them where you are hiding, or they saw (or otherwise noticed) you go into your hiding spot or were aware of you were when you made the hide attempt.