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First, HiPS for the Shadowdancer (and Assassin) is a Supernatural ability. This requires a standard action to use unless the description states otherwise. It doesn't in this case. HiPS is an Extraordinary ability for the Ranger though and is thus a free action. Go Ranger!
Umm no.
If you want to try to rule it that way then the response is that the shadowdancer 'activates' his hide in plain sight ability at the start of the day. He now has the ability to use stealth to become unobserved when within 10' of dim light.
Now to use stealth will be part of moving (5' step or normal move action), but there is not a supernatural stealth going on here that is needing to be activated.
Likewise if the shadowdancer were unable to move, he could not elect to have shadows wrap around him/her and become unseen. His ability is constantly on but it requires him to use stealth and there are requirements for that... some of which are obviated by his ability, but not all (he has to roll the skill, has to move, becomes seen when he attacks, is foiled by certain special senses, etc).
-James
Thanks for the response, James!
It sounds as if you are advocating that HiPS is a free action.
What I'm saying is that HiPS for the Assassin and Shadowdancer is a supernatural ability per the description. PFRPG pg. 186 states that supernatural abilities are a standard action unless defined otherwise by the description.
"Hide in Plain Sight (Su): A shadowdancer can use the Stealth skill even while being observed. As long as she is within 10 feet of an area of dim light, a shadowdancer can hide herself from view in the open without anything to actually hide behind. She cannot, however, hide in her own shadow."
I didn't state and wouldn't agree that HiPS modifies the Stealth skill other than allowing an exception to the restrictions on using Stealth while being observed and requiring cover/concealment in most cases.
I love it when one of my threads keeps going, while remaining on topic all the while.
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I agree with James Maissen( or what my very loose perusal has lead me to believe he thinks).
Whether hips takes a standard action to activate or not is moot. The ability is not limited by a duration. Thus even if you had to activate it, you would only ever have to activate it once. After that, the way your stealth functions is changed.
Are we saying that paladins have to activate aura of courage or divine grace?
Aura of Courage is active while the Paladin is conscious but fails should the Paladin fall unconscious or die. Divine Grace applies to all savings throws and so is always active.
I dissemble.
I thank you and James for helping me look at HiPS from another angle. I concede that it doesn't require an action to activate. I remain adamant on the condition for it to function in that the character must be within 10 feet of dim light.
Once outside the stated proximity to dim light, the character loses the ability to use Stealth while being observed and requires cover or concealment to use Stealth against most creatures.
Do you disagree?
tremorsense.
The way I understand it, is that I cannot enter a state of "stealthiness" unless I am unobserved. I also must be in concealment or cover to maintain my "stealthiness".
Correct. However, there is debate as to what constitutes breaking observation. Total Concealment (as from darkness) and Cover break observation. The debate is typically over whether concealment is enough to break observation and allow a Stealth check.
In the change from 3.5 to PF the wording changed and it seems like PF's intention may have been to allow concealment to obscure observation just enough to allow for a Stealth attempt.
Should I leave cover or concealment I will lose my "stealthiness" and be visible.
This used to be very debated. Not anymore, PF released errata for the Stealth ability that cleared up their intent here.
Breaking Stealth: When you start your turn using Stealth, you can leave cover or concealment and remain unobserved as long as you succeed at a Stealth check and end your turn in cover or concealment. Your Stealth immediately ends after you make and attack roll, whether or not the attack is successful (except when sniping as noted below).
You can leave cover/concealment and not lose Stealth right away.
Hide in Plain Sight only allows me to enter a state of "stealthiness" while being observed, as long as I am within 10' of dim light, but otherwise does nothing.
It also overpowers Lowlight Vision and Darkvision.
From your scenarios (1a, 1b, and 2) it seems you have a good grasp. And your statement about DV at the end is correct. However, there are other things that could affect the numbers in your scenario. For instance: DCs for Perception become +1 harder for every 10' between you and the creature you are hiding from. So in Option 2, if Bill the Dwarf is standing 30 or more feet from the Shadowdancer his perception will fail to beat the 20 Stealth check.
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I really don't get what the fuss is about hips. Ooh, so the sneaky guy can get one attack per round with sneak attack making them maybe almost do as much damage as one of the attacks from any of the other martial characters all of whom are taking 2 or more swings per round. They aren't there to provide flanks or prevent enemies from flanking and because they're effectively not there, the damage done to the party is concentrated among fewer targets making it more likely to take one PC out. If you really want to hit the sneaky guy back, you can ready an action to do so, thereby getting just as many attacks back at them as they are getting at you. Out of combat it lets them scout and spy. Cool, let them do that, it allows the sneaky player to actually help out the group and feel useful.
I really don't get what the fuss is about hips. Ooh, so the sneaky guy can get one attack per round with sneak attack making them maybe almost do as much damage as one of the attacks from any of the other martial characters all of whom are taking 2 or more swings per round. They aren't there to provide flanks or prevent enemies from flanking and because they're effectively not there, the damage done to the party is concentrated among fewer targets making it more likely to take one PC out. If you really want to hit the sneaky guy back, you can ready an action to do so, thereby getting just as many attacks back at them as they are getting at you. Out of combat it lets them scout and spy. Cool, let them do that, it allows the sneaky player to actually help out the group and feel useful.
I agree. There are handful of tactical advantages it brings to the table above a guy using the un-buffed Stealth skill. It is a fantastic tool for guys who rely on Stealth. However, a Sneak Attacker's best option for damage is still going to be Flanking or acting first in the first round of combat. I have novice players at my table who rapidly handled the very first NPC they ever encountered who had HiPS. So, when I see experienced players and GMs whining about how "Over Powered" HiPS is, I have to shake my head.