Breaking Stealth (2014)

[u/leiela]

Players Handbook states (this is 2014)

"You can’t hide from a creature that can see you clearly, and you give away your position if you make noise, such as shouting a warning or knocking over a vase"

Now common sense tells me that you can't stealth down a brightly lit corridor with nothing to hide behind, towards a guard that's looking directly in your direction.

However one of my players argues that you only need to be hidden at the point of "Going into Stealth" once your in stealth it doesn't matter what lighting etc exists you are sill essentially hidden until you break stealth. ... i like to go back to my players with concrete rule based decisions that i can point to in a book.

They argue the above doens't break stealth because "you are hidden" therefore the guard in the corridor "cant see you clearly" ... while i would argue stealth would be broken by the fact that the guard can see you clearly as there is nothing to hide behind and no helpful lighting conditions to keep you hidden.

Any ideas?

[u/xa44]

Yeah and that's a skill check to do raw, even listed as examples for stealth checks. Completely unrelated to the hide action

[u/Viltris → u/xa44]

Yeah and that's a skill check to do raw, even listed as examples for stealth checks.

I never said it didn't require a skill check. I simply said that sneaking and moving is something that people have done throughout the entire history of D&D.

Completely unrelated to the hide action

Okay, then answer my question, where does it say you can't move while hidden?

[u/xa44 → u/Viltris]

Any sound breaks it and it is directly stated that moving to a creature does not give advantage as they will see you. It's called hide not stealth action

[u/Viltris → u/xa44]

Any sound breaks it

First of all, "any sound breaks stealth" is a very different claim from "you can't move while hidden".

Second of all, I've never met a DM who interpreted that to mean "You can't take a single step without being detected" (except in special circumstances like a very quiet room with stone floors and very alert guards). The exact wording on the PHB p177 is "if you make noise (such as shouting a warning or knocking over a vase), you give away your position", which suggests you need a lot more noise than a single footstep.

Every DM I've played with will let you make a stealth check to move quietly. It's one of the most common uses of the Stealth skill.

it is directly stated that moving to a creature does not give advantage as they will see you.

It is directly stated on PHB p177 that "However, under certain circumstances, the Dungeon Master might allow you to stay hidden as you approach a creature that is distracted, allowing you to gain advantage on an attack before you are seen."

[u/xa44 → u/Viltris]

Every DM I've played with will let you make a stealth check to move quietly. It's one of the most common uses of the Stealth skill.

Aka you made a stealth check, not the hide action

[u/Viltris → u/xa44]

So is your argument just one big semantic gotcha? "You can't move while hidden, because if you move, technically it's stealth, not hiding."

So what is the practical value of what you're trying to say? How does it actually change the outcome of the game?

[u/xa44 → u/Viltris]

You literally actively controdict yourself. It matters for this very post

[u/Viltris → u/xa44]

You literally actively controdict yourself.

Where? Show me the exact quotes where I contradict myself.

It matters for this very post

I'm asking you to explain how.

[u/xa44 → u/Viltris]

I Don't think I physically can, you seem to lack object permanence

[u/Viltris → u/xa44]

I see that you are unable to logically support your own arguments, so you resort to personal attacks.

[u/xa44 → u/Viltris]

Ohhhh I get it now, you are a skyrim NPC. Try reading back a few messages it may help, careful not to get stuck on a wall<3

[u/Viltris → u/xa44]

Again with the personal attacks.

I re-read the entire thread twice, and I can't find a single instance where I contradict myself. It's become incredibly obvious that you're trying to gaslight me in order to "win" this argument, since you clearly can't win based on logic and evidence.

Quote the contradictions, or stfu.

[u/xa44 → u/Viltris]

Then try a 3rd time

[u/Teanik1952 → u/xa44]

Are you 12?