Stealth

[nanmaniac]

Hi there,
We have a problem with the stealth skill.
My rogue is hidden and then moves 2 squares to attack (the movement is part of his attack: Deft Strike). As part of the movement he rolls a stealth check. After the attack he moves back an tries to hide again.
Our Master says that the rogue cannot hide after the attack, because, the foes can see him at the start of his movement, and he states that when anyone moves to hide you have to have total cover or concealment, not only at the end of the movement.
But I'm not sure about that,
Can you help us?
Thanks in advance
nanmaniac

 

[Starfox]

Only cover/concealment at the end of the move matters.

 

[Oompa]

The rogue is hidden before he makes the attack, you don't have to make a stealth check after the two square movement of deft strike.. You gain all profits of being hidden until the end of the action that ends stealth..

If the rogue moves 2 squares back and is behind superior cover or total concealment at the end of his movement he can make a stealth check to hide.. (also if he is out of line of sight)

 

[webrunner]

Hi there,
We have a problem with the stealth skill.
My rogue is hidden and then moves 2 squares to attack (the movement is part of his attack: Deft Strike). As part of the movement he rolls a stealth check. After the attack he moves back an tries to hide again.
Our Master says that the rogue cannot hide after the attack, because, the foes can see him at the start of his movement, and he states that when anyone moves to hide you have to have total cover or concealment, not only at the end of the movement.
But I'm not sure about that,
Can you help us?
Thanks in advance
nanmaniac

You're both wrong here:

Stealth is used at the "end of a move action" according to the most recent text. Deft Strike is not a move action, so you can't use Stealth with it. However, if it WAS a move action, you could, because it is at the end and not the beginning. You will remain hidden as long as you don't break the 'remain hidden' rules.

 

[themilkman]

Also, remind your DM that if you move back behind cover and hide, the monsters probably still have a good idea of where you are. They can shower the area with ranged attacks, if they have them. That's why we have rules for attacking squares instead of people. Also, the baddies can just try to move around the cover to get line of sight and break your stealth.

AFAIK, deft strike was meant to be used just as you're using it. (Except, as people have mentioned, you don't need to roll stealth with it, since the movement is part of the attack action and not a move action.) It was intended to let you jump out from cover and attack with the benefits of being hidden. It's up to your DM to counter that strategy, just as a band of well-motivated evil people would.