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Unveiling the Shadows: A Deep Dive into Hiding in D&D 5e

The hiding rule in 5e revolves around a Dexterity (Stealth) check contested by the Wisdom (Perception) check of creatures actively searching for you. Successfully hiding means your location is unknown to those who fail their Perception check. This grants advantages in combat, allowing you to make surprise attacks and avoid being directly targeted. The key elements are obscurement, actively hiding via the Stealth skill, and the watchful eyes (or other senses) of your opponents.

The Fundamentals of Stealth in Fifth Edition

Hiding in D&D 5e isn’t just about ducking behind a rock; it’s a strategic dance between skill checks, environmental factors, and the senses of your adversaries. Understanding the nuances of this interaction is crucial for any player looking to master the art of stealth.

How to Hide: The Core Mechanics

To attempt to hide, you must first be obscured in some way. This could be anything from dim light and fog to heavy foliage or a convenient suit of armor on display. If you’re clearly visible, you can’t attempt to hide. Once obscured, you use your action (or a bonus action if you have features like the Rogue’s Cunning Action) to make a Dexterity (Stealth) check.

The result of your Stealth check becomes your hiding total, which is then contested by the Wisdom (Perception) checks of any creatures actively searching for you. If their Perception check exceeds your Stealth total, they spot you. If your Stealth total is higher, you remain hidden.

The Importance of Vision and Other Senses

Remember, you can’t hide from a creature that can clearly see you. This means that even with a high Stealth skill, attempting to hide in plain sight is futile. However, vision isn’t the only sense to consider. Creatures with blindsight, tremorsense, or truesight can potentially bypass traditional visual obscurity.

Blindsight: Allows creatures to perceive their surroundings without relying on sight. Invisibility is irrelevant, but physical obstacles still provide hiding opportunities.
Tremorsense: Detects vibrations in the ground. Hiding behind a solid object might work, but lying prone on open ground won’t.
Truesight: The ultimate sensory ability, truesight pierces illusions, sees through invisibility, and reveals the true form of shapechangers. Good luck hiding from someone with this!

Staying Hidden: Maintaining the Illusion

Hiding isn’t a one-time success; it’s an ongoing effort. Your Stealth check remains your hiding total until you are discovered or stop hiding. Certain actions, like making an attack or moving into clear view, automatically break your cover. However, the DM has the final say, and actions that could potentially reveal you might require another Stealth check.

Advantages of Being Hidden

Successfully hiding grants several tactical advantages in combat.

Advantage on Attack Rolls: If you are hidden from a target when you attack, you gain advantage on the attack roll. This significantly increases your chances of hitting.
Disadvantage on Attacks Against You: Creatures that can’t see you have disadvantage on attack rolls against you. This makes you a much harder target to hit.
Surprise: If you successfully hide before combat begins, you might gain the element of surprise, giving your party a crucial advantage.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Hiding in 5e

Here are 15 frequently asked questions to further clarify the nuances of the hiding rule:

Does invisibility automatically make me hidden? No. Invisibility grants the benefits of being unseen, but you still need to make a Stealth check to hide if creatures are actively searching. They may not see you, but they might hear you or detect your scent.
If I’m invisible, do I still need cover to hide? Not necessarily, but it helps. While invisibility makes you unseen, sounds and other sensory clues can still give you away. Cover provides additional obscurity, making it harder to pinpoint your location.
Can I hide in combat? Yes. You can use your action (or a bonus action, for classes like Rogue) to attempt to hide during combat.
What happens if I make an attack while hidden? Generally, making an attack reveals your location. However, some feats like the Skulker feat allow you to remain hidden even after a missed ranged attack.
How does the Skulker feat affect hiding? The Skulker feat allows you to try to hide even when lightly obscured by foliage, heavy rain, falling snow, mist, and other natural phenomena. Additionally, if you miss with a ranged weapon attack while hidden, you don’t automatically reveal your location.
Can I hide from a creature with blindsight? You can try to hide, yes. Blindsight overrides invisibility, but the creature may still not detect you. Whether that is due to sound or other means, it is still up to the DM.
Can I hide from a creature with tremorsense? It depends. Tremorsense detects vibrations, so hiding behind a solid, immobile object might work, but lying prone on open ground likely won’t.
Does darkness automatically make me hidden? No. Darkness provides obscurity, allowing you to attempt to hide, but you still need to succeed on a Stealth check.
How does dim light affect hiding? Dim light provides obscurity, allowing you to attempt to hide.
What skills modify hiding? The Dexterity (Stealth) skill is used for hiding. Your Dexterity modifier and proficiency bonus (if you’re proficient in Stealth) are added to your roll.
What happens if two creatures are searching for me? Each creature makes its own Wisdom (Perception) check, and your Stealth total is compared to each of those checks individually.
If I move while hidden, do I need to make another Stealth check? It depends on the DM and the circumstances. Moving slowly and quietly might not require a new check, while moving quickly or through difficult terrain likely will.
Can I hide behind a creature? The Naturally Stealthy racial trait (primarily Goblins and Halflings) allows you to attempt to hide even when you are obscured only by a creature that is at least one size larger than you.
How does heavy obscurement affect hiding? Heavy obscurement (like thick fog or magical darkness) grants total cover, allowing you to attempt to hide more easily.
Does the DM ever roll my Stealth check for me? Yes, the DM may choose to roll your Stealth check in secret to prevent you from knowing whether or not you’ve been spotted, adding an element of suspense.

Mastering the Art of Stealth: Tips and Tricks

Beyond the core mechanics, mastering stealth involves understanding how to leverage the environment and exploit your character’s abilities. Here are a few additional tips:

Choose your moment: Don’t try to hide in the middle of a brightly lit room. Look for areas of shadow, cover, or concealment.
Use your surroundings: Interact with the environment to create distractions or obscure your movements.
Communicate with your party: Coordinate your movements with your allies to maximize your stealth and avoid accidentally revealing each other’s positions.
Consider feats and class features: Certain feats (like Skulker) and class features (like the Rogue’s Cunning Action) can significantly enhance your stealth capabilities.

By understanding the rules and employing these tactics, you can become a master of stealth, slipping through the shadows and striking from unexpected angles. The world of D&D is ripe with opportunities for those who know how to use it. As educators and learners, the Games Learning Society helps us to better understand games and gaming. Consider visiting GamesLearningSociety.org to learn more!

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