Stealth
Full rules text, use cases, and edge-case handling for this skill.
Description
Stealth allows your character to conceal their presence — moving silently, keeping to shadows, slipping past guards, or waiting in ambush without being detected. It is the primary skill for avoiding notice and is used offensively by rogues and rangers as well as defensively by any character who needs to stay hidden.
Stealth is almost always resolved as an opposed check against the Perception of any observer who might notice you. A key restriction applies: you must have cover or concealment before attempting to hide from a sighted observer. You cannot vanish in the middle of an open field against someone who is looking directly at you — not without a special ability such as Hide in Plain Sight.
Check
Your Stealth result is opposed by the Perception check of each observer who might notice you. Any observer whose Perception result equals or exceeds your Stealth result notices you.
| Condition | Modifier |
|---|---|
| Moving at full speed | –5 |
| Sniping (re-hiding after a ranged attack) | –20 |
| Armor check penalty (if applicable) | varies |
| Broken concealment while observed | automatic failure |
Cover and concealment requirement: To begin moving stealthily you must start in a square that has cover or concealment relative to the observer. If you lose cover and concealment mid-movement, observers can attempt an immediate Perception check to notice you.
Creating a Diversion (Bluff)
If you succeed on a Bluff check to create a diversion, you may attempt a Stealth check to hide even without cover or concealment. This represents a moment of misdirection — the target looks away and you slip into shadow. The effect is brief: if the observer actively looks for you on their next turn, they may attempt a new Perception check.
Action
Moving stealthily: No separate action — Stealth is part of your normal movement. You may move up to half your speed with no penalty, or up to full speed at a –5 penalty.
Sniping: After making a ranged attack, you may spend a move action to re-hide. You take a –20 penalty on the Stealth check because the shot revealed your position.
Try Again
Yes. Each new attempt is part of your movement or a new move action (for sniping). Failing a Stealth check may alert observers and make subsequent attempts harder — once an observer knows roughly where you are, they may actively search (move action, new Perception check each round).
Special
- Armor check penalty: Applies directly to Stealth. Heavy armor is particularly punishing.
- Stealthy (feat): +2 to Stealth (and Escape Artist); increases to +4 in each once you have 10 or more ranks.
- Skill Focus — Stealth (feat): +3 to Stealth; increases to +6 with 10 or more ranks.
- Rogue: Stealth is a class skill. Many rogue talents interact with it directly — Slow Reactions, Assault Leader, and others depend on making a successful Stealth check before attacking.
- Ranger (favoured terrain): Rangers gain a bonus to Stealth (and other skills) in their favoured terrain.
- Hide in Plain Sight: Some class abilities (Ranger 17, Shadow Dancer, certain archetypes) allow a character to use Stealth even while observed and without cover or concealment, removing the core restriction.
- Size modifier: Smaller creatures find it easier to hide; larger ones harder. Fine +16, Diminutive +12, Tiny +8, Small +4, Medium +0, Large –4, Huge –8, Gargantuan –12, Colossal –16.
Untrained
Yes. Any character may attempt Stealth without ranks, subject to the cover/concealment requirement and all normal modifiers.