Stealth skill

[cavalier973]

I was looking for a clarification for how to use the Stealth Skill properly: the RAW are unclear (to me) whether you must have partial/total concealment before the move, at the end of a move, or all through the move. This article, I think, gave me the answer I was looking for: Serious Skills: Stealth
(It indicates you must have cover through the entire move. This is unfortunate, because most of the published adventures I own seem to provide little in the way of cover in the dungeons).

However, the article brought up an interesting point: suppose a "skunk goblin" is using stealth against you, you can't see it, but you sure can smell it! The article recommends porting over a "scent trait" from 3rd edition, but I think that using Perception works just fine, with perhaps a nature check to determine what your PC is smelling is a skunk goblin and not an actual skunk.

 

[Obryn]

This thread is pretty good, too.

-O

 

[OnlineDM]

I think you have a slight misinterpretation here.

- To BECOME hidden, you make a Stealth check at the end of any move in which you have total concealment or superior cover AT THE END of the move.
- To REMAIN hidden, you must always have at least partial concealment and/or partial cover THROUGHOUT any moves you make.

So, once you've become hidden, you do lose it if you end up with no cover or concealment at any point during a move (though you could make another Stealth check to hide at the end of that move if you end up with superior cover or total concealment). But if you're not currently hidden and you want to become hidden, you can make a move that takes you through squares that are right out in the open (no cover/concealment) and END UP in a place where you can't be seen, at which point you make your Stealth check to hide.

More on my take on being hidden can be found here.