How do you adjudicate the skulks' peerless camouflage ability in regards to combat. The description says they can move and run while Hiding. Would this then imply that if a PC can't make a Spot check vs. a skulk's Hide check (and most never will make this) that an attacking skulk would at least have concealment (20% miss chance) during combat? Or even total concealment (50% miss chance).
Kind of like the predator with his cloaking device active.
I'm just wondering if this is why the wimps are CR 2.
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Basically, yes, the predator cloak is basically the description I gave to my PCs when they first saw one of these guys in Ghelve's Locks. Mechanically I had them act as hidden until someone made the spot check to see them. Once that spot check was made they were "visible" enough to be hit normally, but only for that round because they could move and hide again during their next turn (at a significant minus since they were already seen).
When running these guys during the first adventure, remember that the party is essentially in a completely dark dungeon and that when the skulks are standing still they are essentially undetectable. If the party is using light sources then the skulks can sit out of range of 60-ft. darkvision and just plink away the illunimated heroes. Any time they ARE spotted, they can just take off around a corner and stop moving the hide again. They are incrediablly annoying monsters that can really drive your party batty as the PCs can walk right over them without seeing them.
Basically, yes, the predator cloak is basically the description I gave to my PCs when they first saw one of these guys in Ghelve's Locks. Mechanically I had them act as hidden until someone made the spot check to see them. Once that spot check was made they were "visible" enough to be hit normally, but only for that round because they could move and hide again during their next turn (at a significant minus since they were already seen).
When running these guys during the first adventure, remember that the party is essentially in a completely dark dungeon and that when the skulks are standing still they are essentially undetectable. If the party is using light sources then the skulks can sit out of range of 60-ft. darkvision and just plink away the illunimated heroes. Any time they ARE spotted, they can just take off around a corner and stop moving the hide again. They are incrediablly annoying monsters that can really drive your party batty as the PCs can walk right over them without seeing them.
Hmmm...more questions. How would ANY character Spot these things when their [i]minimum[/] Hide check result is 23? If a skulk takes 10 on its Hide check (i.e. prior to combat) the Spot DC is 32. Why would they need to stand out of darkvision range (it's not infravision anymore)? If they can Hide while moving and running why not while fighting?
An observation: the skulks themselves do not have darkvision and need light to see by.
Curious to know how the Paizo DMs handle this sort of thing. I cast Summon Sean K Reynolds and/or James Jacobs, Erik Mona, Any Other Paizonian (Epic-level spell).
I'm preparing to launch this thing - maybe tonight and I'm really interested to read what other DMs have done with their skulks.
I'm preparing to launch this thing - maybe tonight and I'm really interested to read what other DMs have done with their skulks.
I basically implemented a rule that the skulks could not hide in plain sight if they were being watched by a PC. As soon as they ran around a corner out of sight - they were hidden again. There were several nasty ambush/hit-and-run battles where a few skulks did a lot of damage. Fire crossbows, run away, hide, wait for the PCs to move past, sneak attack with rapier, etc.
My group also took their time exploring Jzadirune, so rather than leaving the skulks spread out in their various rooms, I had several of them gang up and set an ambush for them in the room with the Dancing Lights and the fountain. They hid behind the columns and got some good ranged attacks in with cover before the wizzie used Daze and Sleep on a few of them.
Hmmm...having them carrying thunderstones is pure evil. Can't even hearthe buggers if you're deaf.