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There are a few basic points that make the difference between a roleplay stealther and someone who is just an OOC noob using the stealth skill.

Here are a few things one should take heed of, if they ever want to be taken seriously as a stealth roleplayer :

1 - Never hide in the open without the use of smokebombs
2 - Try to reveal yourself in the shadows, in the open looks just plain weird*
3 - NEVER EVER open doors when in stealth mode! Not only would this instantly give you away, a true stealther shows patience and cunning to enter buildings.

*Unless you got a good reason such as by jumping out of a tree, off a roof, behind an object, etc. etc.

Ofcourse, everyone can abide these rules as they see fit. For the Organization, however, do not even bother applying if you don't understand why I wrote this article (go join a syndicate with less high standards). By all means this piece is not a personal attack against anyone, I just thought these issues were too important not to point out.

I think I can live with people sneakily opening doors to slide past them into a room. This is enough to cause some RP suspicion and a search could possibly finger out the stealther. People with detect hidden are buggers to sneak past if you're waiting for them to open the door.

Detect hidden is the main culprit for us stealthers suddenly appearing in the middle of open ground.  We try to stay out of the way of warred allies but they move around so much. 

I don't remember Detect Hidden being so popular until it became passive.

That's due to the new Mondain's Legacy 'Jack of all trades' for the Human race, which gives a basic 20% in each skill. So with Warring guilds you are often Automatically revealed.

My dislike for stealthers is legendary :) Don't tell Mela!!!!

And hence why I actually HAVE Detect Hidden


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Back on topic:

'Scouts' rely FAR too much on the stealthing skill and should use more the natural terrain. Stealthing is not some magical thing that renders you invisible, you're 'moving stealthily'. Get into the mindset that you're not invisible but crawling through the terrain and everything that got mentionned here is commun sense. (use the actual stealthing skill as an exponent of that)

Likewise, Detect Hidden is not a 'skill' for me. Erik just has better awareness around him. I even use housedetect if there's no danger of revealing people outside your 'awareness' (one room house or noone else in the house, people revealed outside line of sight should be ignored anyhow)

To me it's mindbaffling that people expect to casually walk in large groups of foes and expect NOT to be seen :) If the terrain allows you to hide behind, in or under objects, perhaps.....But not simply walking in between them appearing like a ghost....It's not magic.

For me to stop abusing stealth, id need some assurance that the enemy isnt going to abuse the isomtric veiw of this game, and come running after my tag every time they see it.

Crawling through the shrub is all well and good, but have YOU ever tried sneaking up on a bunch of loyalists through heavy tree cover? Many will still come running after you, line of sight or no.

My own view is that maybe stealth IS magical to some extent in this game. This is a fantasy setting after all, where we heal with bandages mid fight and stand toe to toe with 8 foot ogres and pwn them. Theres ENDLESS fiction of fairies and their kin using glamours or veils to make themselves unseen. For some this is an inate ability, as is the ability of some people to see through the glamours with ease.

This would allow us to justify what most stealthers are ALLREADY doing with stealth. The only limitation should be your stealth skill, with some rules regarding it.

0 - 60 Stealth -  Stick to trees and building shadows, do not try to cross open areas in sight of others. Do not hide in front of people, EVER.

61 - 70 Stealth - You can cross small open spaces, say across a road or from one building shadow to the other. Hide near people only if their back are turned to you.

71 - 80 - Cross larger open areas, follow people stealthed, stealth through the open asuming that there arent too many people looking in your direction

81+ The ability to hide in front of others who are looking at you, and pretty much do everything that someone who is well versed in glamours could do. But dont be surprised when they realize what youve done. Possibly acompanying it with some sort of emote would help. *Begins to look transparent, and then fades out of sight completely*

If we regarded stealth as glamours and veils instead of just sneaking about, then itd be a bit more flexible. And we'd have some realistic rules for the stuff most stealthers are gonna do anyway. Might interfere with some wytchery-hating guilds, as glamours are a sort of magic, but thats for them to deal with, not us =)

The problem with rp stealthing is that some noob is going to say that they saw you no matter what....

I know i would :P

When hiding, try walking into the shadow of a building or behind a tree..its what I do and it looks nifty!

Do as stealthers do! Use the surroundings.

Stealth sucks, become a Dragoon!

*Recruitment poster here*

 ;D

Well, in the end I guess it just comes down to what my uncle once told me.

"Peter,^Juulwith great power comes great responsibility!"

*Growls at Erik! and Joey!*