Hi everyone,
Our group keeps running into edge cases with the Hide skill during combat and we can't find clean answers in the books.
The Scenario: Three-way encounter — one NPC, one melee PC (adjacent to NPC), one ranged PC (15 ft. away). The NPC has already seen the ranged PC. The ranged PC now wants to use Hide.
Questions:
- Does being in melee count as "distracted"? The NPC is actively fighting the adjacent PC. Does that qualify as the momentary distraction needed for the ranged PC to attempt a Hide check without a Bluff? Or does the NPC still have full awareness of everyone on the field?
- If not distracted — Bluff to create a diversion + Hide behind cover: The ranged PC succeeds on a Bluff check, gets the momentary diversion, and uses her Hide ranks to move up to 10 ft. behind a bush. Once she's hidden, does the NPC know which direction she moved? PHB says observers "know at least where you went" if you break line of sight without a diversion — does a successful Bluff negate that directional information?
- Cycling Hide between PCs: Can two PCs alternate turns using each other as cover — one hides behind the other while the other acts, then they swap — effectively keeping one PC hidden every other round? Is there a PHB ruling or does this fall to DM adjudication?
- Total cover while observable: If a PC is being actively observed and ducks behind total cover mid-combat, can she make a Hide check? The PHB wording is contradictory here — it says you can't hide while being observed, but also that total cover "usually obviates the need for a Hide check." Does ducking behind total cover while observed allow a Hide check?
Why I am asking: Our ranged PC has heavily invested in Hide and is trying to proc flat-footed against melee enemies by cycling in and out of hiding each round (Not sniping just ready action if melee gets close and being not spotted while waiting). We want to rule it fairly — neither shutting it down entirely nor letting it become a free damage loop.
The specific PHB text we keep going in circles on:
>"If people are observing you, even casually, you can't hide. You can run around a corner or behind cover so that you're out of sight and then hide, but the others then know at least where you went."
>"If your observers are momentarily distracted... you can attempt a Hide check if you can get to a hiding place of some kind. (The hiding place has to be within 1 foot per rank you have in Hide.) This check is made at a -10 penalty..."
How you people tend to play in those scenarios, and is there any citation that I am missing from the book?