Stealth in Dungeons and Dragons 5e

Which class do you think has the best tools and abilities for stealth and infiltration?

Question. If i am a Gloomstalker Ranger fighting in total darkness in a room full of creatures with dark vision, do i have to spend an action every turn trying to hide in order to gain advantage on the attacks or is that advantage simply "baked in" to that situation. Obviously, being invisible to everyone, they would have disadvantage on their attacks against me...but would they get the opportunity to attack with a straight roll if they used an action to locate me? What would the perception check be for that? Disadvantage? DC?

The confidence with which Monty said "[killing someone in their sleep] is actually really hard to do" is scary D:
What have you seen? What have you done?

I'm dealing with this very issue right now. My party finished the last round of D&D stumbling upon a couple of sleeping goblins. We will pick up at this point next round.

lol, I just imagined a party sneaking up on a group of sleeping bandits, then everyone but the wizard stabbing the bandits and then the wizard just casting sleep and then repeat. 🤣

Pretty sure Sweeney Todd ends with a stealth kill from a child

One movie where “stealth kill” kinda could kill the big bad is Sean Reno in “Leon”

I do not understand the mechanics for stealth in combat. If you have to be hidden from the enemy to stealth, then they already can't see you. If you're capable of attacking them somehow from an unseen place, then you already have advantage without a stealth roll. What is the point of the stealth?

Hello everyone, new DM here. With stealth being limited to a creature not be able to see, how is it affected with Faerie Fire spell? The spell mentions the target can't turn invisible, but can it stealth? I guess it is hard to sneak while you are glowing.

I think it's more about pass without trace's second half. Where it says that creatures can't track you through non magical means and you moving silently that give people that thought; not the +10

*sneaks into the enemies lair. Then you see a guard. Sleeping. *
You "OK let me stab this guy in the jugular and call it a day."
you approach the guard slowly stealthfully having a strong nat 20 + 8 to your stealth. Thinking to yourself. (This can impossibly go wrong) then as you stab the man in the throat with a dagger doing just 2d4 Damage. The guard gets up looks af you screams for his life. (If he can scream) then he proceeds to get up and run away from you. Clearly you having no way to miss the attack. But then again. You diddent go the assassin so you weren't strong enough to kill a sleeping prone guard in one attack. Oh well

I have a system for stealth kills in my game. First the enemy must be unaware you are even there, you can't just be hidden from them, you have to sneak up behind them stealthily, roll a successful attack, third you have to do a straight roll and roll above the creatures' Constitution modifier (the only class I allow to add anything to this is the Assassin who can add their proficiency modifier). If they make all three rolls successfully the target is killed

Great explanation guys! Just want to clarify: if on a turn a player attacks, then breaks line of sight (behind an obstacle for example) the player can ABSOLUTELY roll a stealth check. The restrictions to attempting stealth is, as you stated, clearly being seen by enemy and "being in the open". If a person has broken line of sight, neither restriction applies. Your reasoning for not allowing it "everyone knows you're there", while totally reasonable, is not a restriction under the rules. So you are playing by a "table rule" not the PHB rules.

Assassins creed

Hi guys, great video. I do gave a hafling thief that does hide behind other players. One question, the Warlock's Devils Sight, how does that work in regards to darkness or dim light? What does the Warlock actually see, with details to the surrounding area? Its better than darkvision and has a range of 120 feet.

The “you still need to use a action to hide when your invisible” this doesn’t make sense, hide is the same as invisibility but with the requirement of moving to cover but wouldn’t it make more sense if you use regular movement with a stealth check instead of a action?

I'm not seeing in the rules here that state you are automatically revealed when you attack! To the contrary the rules are a simple true/false test. The First test criteria: CAN SEE YOU CLEARLY or WAS THERE A ALOUD NOISE & the second: UNTIL YOU ARE DISCOVERED. You will notice no where does it specifically state you are revealed. Thusly if you attack in a manner denying your opponents a visual line of sight and are relatively quite the first test Criteria is false, thus you remain hidden. The rules don't specify ANY sound, point of fact the specify loud sounds. Meaning, the only things that can Reveal your position are CLEARLY BEING SEEN or A LOUD NOISE. Thus we can deduce that any visual sightings or audible sounds that don't rise to level of Clearly visible or loud noise triggers a contested check which gives the player a chance they go undetected. Rules as Written

I QUOTE from the players handbook.

*********************PLAYERS HANDBOOK EXCERPT**************************************
"The DM decides when circumstances are appropriate for hiding. When you try to hide, make a Dexterity (Stealth) check. UNTIL YOU ARE DISCOVERED or YOU STOP HIDING, that check’s total is contested by the Wisdom (Perception) check of any creature that actively searches for signs of your presence.

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. An invisible creature can always try to hide. Signs of its passage might still be noticed, and it does have to stay quiet.

In combat, most creatures stay alert for signs of danger all around, so if you come out of hiding and approach a creature, it USUALLY sees you. However, under certain circumstances, the DM MIGHT ALLOW you to stay hidden as you approach a creature that is distracted, allowing you to gain advantage on an attack roll before you are seen.

Passive Perception. When you hide, there’s a chance someone will notice you even if they aren’t searching. To determine whether such a creature notices you, the DM compares your Dexterity (Stealth) check with that creature’s passive Wisdom (Perception) score, which equals 10 + the creature’s Wisdom modifier, as well as any other bonuses or penalties. If the creature has advantage, add 5. For disadvantage, subtract 5.

For example, if a 1st-level character (with a proficiency bonus of +2) has a Wisdom of 15 (a +2 modifier) and proficiency in Perception, he or she has a passive Wisdom (Perception) of 14.

What Can You See? One of the main factors in determining whether you can find a hidden creature or object is how well you can see in an area, which might be lightly or heavily obscured as explained in chapter 8, “Adventuring.”
***********************PLAYERS HANDBOOK EXCERPT END*************************************

If the opponent doesn't see initial attack & how could i have be seen especially if i attacked when they were looking opposite direction or while distracted. This tracks logically as well ever play paintball/air-soft have the shot go whizzing by your ear and turn around to look into a vast forest to see..... foliage good luck finding that sniper in the gillie suite......unless his cell phone goes off.

So, this brings us to this fact if the first test is false thus we remain hidden HOWEVER, this leads to the next stage a contested check of any creature that actively searches for signs of your presence. For what ever reason the DM may choose to allow a contested check to determine if the second criteria is true or false. Did the orc see or hear the arrow whizzing by his head, or was that a bird or perhaps a squirrel climbing a tree. Did the bugbear notice his companion being yanked back into a bush or hear a muffled cry or clank of armor or was that a dear?

The contested check helps determine whether any visual perceptions not rising to the level clearly being seen and any auditory sounds that don't qualify as loud are accounted for. So while you may not have been initially detected upon shooting it possible it triggers an investigation. The DM can penalize or incentivize based on the situation. It should be left up to the DM to adjudicate but, by the rules as written unless your are CLEARLY SEEN & NO LOUD NOISE'S are present your remain hidden and you remain hidden UNTIL discovered which may very well be through a contested check then again it may not.

Consider: I'm a thief in a grove, its dark and there are two guards making rounds and my party needs me to take out at least one of these sentries. One goes near a bush during his patrol. I tell my DM I'm making my way over to the bush. Assume I make it with no issues and that all relevant things such as initiative rolls have been made for myself and the relevant guard and rolling to hit takes place and are successful for the sake of this argument and I go first. ( I completely understand this may not always be the case and this is best possible scenario and a worst case scenario is entirely possible )

If I ready an action to sneak attack when the opposing guard is not looking and my target's back is turned to me then I optimize my chance for success as best i can.

I make my attack from behind using my shadow blade, hand placed over his mouth, blade into his back. He's surprised so in essence I get three attacks, based on winning initiative. After my first attack the DM more than likely depending how far away the other guard is might roll a passive check to determine IF I have been discovered! Remember the criteria for remaining hidden are as follows: Am I able to be clearly seen, did I make a loud noise & if clearly visible and no loud noise is false you remain hidden because although you might not have been clearly seen and while no loud noise was detected it's possible they saw something visually and potentially heard a noise and might decide too investigate which leads to have I been discovered. Acknowledging the fact I chose to act when the opposing sentry did not have a visual line of sight removes the "Clearly see you " test meaning this is false and thusly not applicable for the time being though this could change if he say turn around. Sense no loud noise was made this part of the test is also false.

Which leaves us to the aspect of the second criteria? The DM calls for a contested check due to the potential visual ambiguity or noise. The deciding factor is only was I discovered when I made my attack. Sense there's a question to the validity of this a contested check is warranted to actually determine IF I was discovered as it is not automatically a forgone conclusion how could it be when the primary factor is dependent on CLEARLY BEING SEEN and LOUD NOISE be present.

But i digress, so If the opposing guard fails his check I go undetected then it's the guards turn that I originally attacked, he's surprised so he loses his turn. I then sneak attack again and dispose of the guard. (Note: If the guard didn't die I would get another attack because I had higher initiative roll.) The DM will then more than likely roll again to see if I'm detected on this round: "were the guards muffles to loud or armor clanking to much" again check is warranted to determine this it is not a forgone conclusion.

Its should be noted that the party could greatly reduce the potential noise being an issue by having the cleric cast silence on me and the Bard pass without trace to further bolster my stealth check as well or other members of the party can participate to aid in a successful outcome before i go off to make my attempt. By successfully removing that one guard the entire party can now slowly surround the remaining guard possibly removing him without nary a sound or my thief can have a go at him as well or the mage can cast a minor illusion of the guard waving him over to a specific area. Tons of fun potential game play options exist here. ( Is it risky hell yeah it sure is, the die rolls could totally not go your way or a blown initiative roll might allow the guard to fire off an attack still that being said, if the party wants to give the rogue a shot why would you prevent this. If he pulled this off the party would be elated, The player playing the thief would be having a great experience.

The crux of the argument is you are still hidden until discovered and your not discovered until a creature CAN SEE YOU CLEARLY or a LOUD NOISE occurs. An audible noise if heard might give away your position .......was it heard, was it loud enough? The rules as written say you give away your position if you make noise, They even use the verbiage SUCH AS shouting a warning or knocking over a vase. Such as can also be replaced with Equally or similarly how about comparatively. Basically what I'm getting at is obviously this means a very loud noise breaks your stealth what about subtle sounds, muffled sounds, no sounds? Thusly, a contested check is warranted Yes, they might discover you when they investigate, they might not as well. The DM should adjudicate decide whether the situation warrants penalties to checks or bonus as needed but based on the rules as written stealth may not actually be broken when you attack if you do it right!

Halfling Rogue Scout (played by my husband) needed to get away from a pesky Glabrezu, so he grabbed on to the Druid's awakened Grizzly Bear companion as the bear ran into combat. Rogue concealed himself in the shaggy fur, and as the bear was awakened, he didn't panic at the unexpected passenger.
Rogue held his attack until the bear reared up to attack something.

That war-mage cultist expected a claw attack but instead got a Nat 20 sneak attack from a halfling rogue and went from a full 40 HP to -69.

Please, please, please help with this question. Im a new DM and im struggling with something.
Lets say my rogue pc wants to try and sneak through a room with three ogre’s playing cards. Its a dimly lit room and the door is already open, he wants to sneak past so he can retrieve something from a shelf and then return to the hall. As i read the rules it’s impossible due to the plain sight but that doesn’t sound right, what am i missing😢 help me please

As a game master for stealth kills I have a very narrow time that I consider it reasonable, like sneaking into someones bedroom while they are passed out drunk or deeply sleeping, MAYBE. But also keep in mind that slitting a throat isn't instantaneous, it still takes a moment or two for the person to actually die, what if they have a ready healing item on hand or within reach, hell even a deep laceration to the heart isn't instant. There is very little that is instantaneous death for something that is human or has humanlike biology. Even in CQC you are taught that a killing wound will likely incapacitate or otherwise make an enemy combatant unable to strike back due to shock but they aren't dead.

I have a shadow marked elf whom I like to call a gloom assassin which is an assassin/gloom stalker multiclass. She had also had acquired lost family heirlooms boots of elvenkind and cloak of elvenkind.

I was playing in an Arena style setup (think Gladiatorial) where I had my character cast Invisibility then basically go into a corner and wait until the enemies were weak enough. Then she used her own spells to decimate the remaining enemies.

As a DM I would allow players to add their Strength Modifer and Dexterity Modifer when grabbing a creature and slitting their throat.
DC would be 15.
If they pull it off, instant kill.
Unless the creature had armor is Large.

August 5th, 2022.
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Thank you for doing these guides, Dudes, they are fun, informative and well made :D

So you say, a rogue loses his surprise bonus in the asssassination skill, when the enemy rolls a higher initiative. But the enemys action is skipped because he is surprised. I think even he has a higher initiative he is still surprised, because he doesnt make his turn. I dont think you lose your surprise just because of a lower initiative roll. When the enemy is clearly surprised and he has a higher initiative than the other, why should that skip the surprise? He still doesnt know that someone is there and attacks him

The Ranger also has an ability called "Nature's Veil". This is great for giving advantage on attacks if timed properly. Not to be confused with the "Hide in Plain Site" Ranger ability, which can also come in handy in certain situations. I personally love the Ranger class. Especially if you multi-class with Rogue. Great video!

"An invisible creature can't be seen, so it can always try to hide." PHP 177 Lightfoot Halfling, "Naturally Stealthy. You can attempt to hide even when you are obscured only by a creature that is at least one size larger than you." PHP p28

You guys are reading into the rules a lot. The official DND 5E stance is don't read into the rules if they arent written. Break line of sight and use bonus action to hide was the intent of the rogue's design. Once line of site is broken, they get a new roll, they have to defeat passive and active Wisdom Perceptions. People get lost in the fog of war. Because you can attack as part of your move its completely possible for a rogue to begin and end its turn where the enemy has no line of sight. Even if its just hiding behind the barbarian in the case of a halfling.

rambo

My friend and I were sneaking into a fortress and we made sure to be well prepared for it. We had invisibility, boots of elvenkind to hide the sound of our feet, rary’s telepathic bond to communicate psychically, & prestidigitation to clean up ourselves before enter and periodically inside to have literally no chance of us leaving footsteps or even a dust particle. We got caught somehow cause someone had truesight and was apparently actively looking for us? It was me a sorlock and my friend who is an arcane trickster rogue who with reliable talent could not get less than a 25 on stealth checks. So I was astonished when we got caught so I used an eversmoking bottle to heavily obscure ourselves and went back into hiding elsewhere in the fortress. I made sure to keep note of that guy & casted a subtle dispel magic on his truesight and easily got through.

"I have a sneaking suspicion that this video might surprise you." I love this man.

What about Halfling rogues? Can they hide behind someone larger than them and be hidden every time? Halfling rogue is hidden attacks a enemy then runs over to a player and hide? Is the Halfling hidden?

Funnily enough, for this video, my sound somehow didn't work until i fired it up a second time

As far as stealth kills go, I usually make my non-rogue characters do a combo of stealth and slight of hand rolls (and some other rolls depending on what they how to kill them). For example, I had a fighting that wanted to sneak up behind the guard, cover the guards mouth, slit his throat, and hide the body around the corner. They had to roll stealth, slight of hand, athletics (to catch the body), and slight of hand again (to hide the body. They failed to catch the body and the other guards were alerted.

Snoke was one- hit stealth killed.

A few weeks back my players got a taste of having a surprise round against them, never again will they attempt a long rest in the middle of a dungeon.

Bare in mind that someone really making an argument for stealth-killing most enemies would mean they could just as easily be stealth-killed by an enemy. It's a two-edged blade.

Recently started DMing for the first time, first session was a simple heist, taking cargo from a ship's hold. I figured they'd break stealth after a round or two and muscle through the rest of a fairly simple combat, making off with goods before reinforcements arrive. They stole the whole boat silently.

not a stealth kill in the sense you mentioned, but the way the BBEG dies in Wizards is very humorously anti-climatic

When Conan kills Thulsa Doom is the ultimate anticlimactic boss fight.

So if i am invisible, i can hide without cover?

Just sounds like you two don't like stealth.

This video was exactly what I was looking for, thank you

We had a a rule that if during sneak and if you got a nat 20 you could roll again and if you got another nat 20 you could stealth kill most opponents in one hit

Simplified:
- Use common sense
- Roll stealth when not being spotted by whoever you want to hide from
- Natural darkness is not magical, moon light exists and if it is quiet you'll have a hard time remaining undetected
- You can attempt to remain unnoticed in plain sight, but don't expect AC's kind of BS
- Use common sense, again