Let's say I am a Rogue in a party of adventurers who is about to open a door to a room with a nasty critter within. As a Rogue, I want to be able to open the door, peek in, observe the critter, step back, Stealth with my bow drawn, arrow knocked and then lean into the doorway firing off an arrow. The creature is within 30' and I have the Rogue Talent 'Slow Reaction' which will prevent the critter from being able to lay an AoO for one round if I hit as a Sneak Attack.
I'm thinking that the creature's awareness of me will have a bunch to do with what will happen.
-If the creature is aware and is waiting when I open the door, will it have surprise?
-If I duck back out, even after being attacked, do I have to Bluff in order to Stealth or is the fact that I am completely out of view enough to simply Stealth?
-I'm just trying to get a handle on how this all works...
Let's say I am a Rogue in a party of adventurers who is about to open a door to a room with a nasty critter within. As a Rogue, I want to be able to open the door, peek in, observe the critter, step back, Stealth with my bow drawn, arrow knocked and then lean into the doorway firing off an arrow. The creature is within 30' and I have the Rogue Talent 'Slow Reaction' which will prevent the critter from being able to lay an AoO for one round if I hit as a Sneak Attack.
I'm thinking that the creature's awareness of me will have a bunch to do with what will happen.
-If the creature is aware and is waiting when I open the door, will it have surprise?
-If I duck back out, even after being attacked, do I have to Bluff in order to Stealth or is the fact that I am completely out of view enough to simply Stealth?
-I'm just trying to get a handle on how this all works...
The creature would probably get a perception test to notice the door was opened. I would set the DC based on the sneaking character's stealth with circumstance bonuses(increase the DC if the door is small or well oiled, decrease it if the door is big or squeeky, etc.)
If you have full concealment, you do not need to bluff to hide. The only caveat is that there are creatures that can "see" through solid walls(creature has blindsight, the wall is an illusion, etc.), so the sneaky character may or may not have concealment.
-If the creature is aware and is waiting when I open the door, will it have surprise?
-If I duck back out, even after being attacked, do I have to Bluff in order to Stealth or is the fact that I am completely out of view enough to simply Stealth?
-I'm just trying to get a handle on how this all works...
If the creature is aware of you, and you are aware of the creature, then there is no surprise, and everything proceeds in initiative order.
If you duck back out of sight (gaining concealment) then you can attempt to use Stealth again.
You have a lot of things happening in this scenario. I would say you would have to make a stealth check to get to the door and open it. Then depending on how far you were to "step back" you would need to make another roll to get your bow out and knock an arrow, and finally a third one when you move back to the door to take a shot.
Now after you shoot, you have initiated combat, so an initiative will be rolled. If the critter beats your init then I would give it a new perception check, with a significant bonus to find you as you have shot it through a door into a room, there are few places you could be and it should know the direction based on the direction the arrow is sticking in it. If it succeeds on the perception check it comes after you, if not I would have it seek cover. If it loses init then obviously you can attempt to move away from the area and make another stealth check to remain hidden.
Again a lot going on and it really depends on the DM.
First question comes down to GM judgment. If you knew the creature was in the room and it was there waiting when you opened the door - I'd rule no surprise but the creature would have an action readied if it was waiting.
If you are completely out of sight then you can use Stealth, but keep in mind that the creature will probably come through the door after you, at which point you'll be in full view again unless you have something (like dim lighting) to use for hiding.
-If the creature is aware and is waiting when I open the door, will it have surprise?
-If I duck back out, even after being attacked, do I have to Bluff in order to Stealth or is the fact that I am completely out of view enough to simply Stealth?
-I'm just trying to get a handle on how this all works...
If the creature is aware of you, and you are aware of the creature, then there is no surprise, and everything proceeds in initiative order.
If you duck back out of sight (gaining concealment) then you can attempt to use Stealth again.
One quick caveat.
If the creature is aware of you, it may still be possible to surprise it. It depends on the creature. If the creature is not expecting a fight(for example it is a kindly old man expecting a friendly chat), then you may still be able to surprise him. It may be possible to surprise someone who is aware of you with a successful bluff against their sense motive. "I come in peace, I am not here to hurt you" Right before you shoot them in the face.
This will not work against any creature that is expecting a fight, which is most random aggressive monsters you run into in a dungeon.
In many cases, in a hostile dungeon, the creature(s) will know there are intruders, so I am working under that impression.
My goal with this question is to be able to lay down one ranged Sneak Attack, so that I can then move and set up a potential flanking position, so that I can lay down more Sneak Attacks.
I have the Rogue Talent 'Slow Reactions' which prevents an opponent from getting an AoO for one round if hit by a successful Sneak Attack. I have a Combat Melee Rogue build, so it's essential to not only be able to set up a Sneak Attack via Flanking (using Acrobatics, in many cases), but to also avoid an AoO when moving through threatened/occupied squares.
Make sense?
Sooo, I want to be able to open a door in stealth mode with a bow drawn (arrow knocked not important as that is integrated in the attack phase) and plunk the creature if it's within 30' for a Sneak Attack.
As a Rogue, I want to be able to open the door
If the door is being observed when it is opened, then said nasty critter knows someone is at the door. In PF, there's no facing to determine if a creature is observing the door -- so it's up to the DM to simply rule if the critter notices or not. The door might have cover relative to the critter, which would be good if you were trying to hide.
If the door *is* being observed or you *don't have* cover opening the door relative to the creature, I'd just have everyone roll initiative (assuming they're near the door) since nasty critter is likely to know someone is there.
If the door *isn't* being observed or you *have* cover opening the door relative to the creature, I'd give the rogue an opposed stealth vs. perception check to quietly open the door -- modified by some arbitrary "squeakiness" value, depending on how old the door is. If the hinges are located outside the room, then I'd allow a low disable device check to remove the "squeakiness" from the door.
peek in, observe the critter, step back
With a door open and the rogue not being observed/you have cover, I'd give an opposed stealth vs. perception check to move to the door and peek in. I assume if you make the check, you don't need to make another check to "step back" -- as long as you're in the same 5 ft. square.
Stealth with my bow drawn, arrow knocked and then lean into the doorway firing off an arrow. The creature is within 30' and I have the Rogue Talent 'Slow Reaction' which will prevent the critter from being able to lay an AoO for one round if I hit as a Sneak Attack.
There is a DC 25 perception check to hear a bow drawn (it's actually in the list of DCs for perception), but this is kind of unnecessary. You're in the surprise round at this point. You can't use sniping because it requires a move action immediately after the attack -- and you can only take a single standard or move action in a surprise round.
-If the creature is aware and is waiting when I open the door, will it have surprise?
No, no creature that is aware that someone is there is surprised.
-If I duck back out, even after being attacked, do I have to Bluff in order to Stealth or is the fact that I am completely out of view enough to simply Stealth?
"Stealth" isn't a mode or state like WoW. When you fire, the enemy has seen you -- unless you do sniping, which you can't in this situation.
In many cases, in a hostile dungeon, the creature(s) will know there are intruders, so I am working under that impression.
My goal with this question is to be able to lay down one ranged Sneak Attack, so that I can then move and set up a potential flanking position, so that I can lay down more Sneak Attacks.
I have the Rogue Talent 'Slow Reactions' which prevents an opponent from getting an AoO for one round if hit by a successful Sneak Attack. I have a Combat Melee Rogue build, so it's essential to not only be able to set up a Sneak Attack via Flanking (using Acrobatics, in many cases), but to also avoid an AoO when moving through threatened/occupied squares.Make sense?
Sooo, I want to be able to open a door in stealth mode with a bow drawn (arrow knocked not important as that is integrated in the attack phase) and plunk the creature if it's within 30' for a Sneak Attack.
You need to catch your opponent flat-footed here to get your Sneak Attack. Therefore, you either have to gain a surprise round, or win initiative. The key here is being Stealthy enough (with opposed checks) so that your opponent is unaware of you right up to the point you initiate your attack.
You might be able to catch your opponent flat-footed without a surprise round here. You'd have to win initiative and then open the door and fire.
I don't think Slow Reaction is as beneficial to you as it is to your party. It only lasts 1 round beginning on your turn. Acrobatics will help you more with avoiding AoO's.
In many cases, in a hostile dungeon, the creature(s) will know there are intruders, so I am working under that impression.
My goal with this question is to be able to lay down one ranged Sneak Attack, so that I can then move and set up a potential flanking position, so that I can lay down more Sneak Attacks.
I have the Rogue Talent 'Slow Reactions' which prevents an opponent from getting an AoO for one round if hit by a successful Sneak Attack. I have a Combat Melee Rogue build, so it's essential to not only be able to set up a Sneak Attack via Flanking (using Acrobatics, in many cases), but to also avoid an AoO when moving through threatened/occupied squares.Make sense?
Sooo, I want to be able to open a door in stealth mode with a bow drawn (arrow knocked not important as that is integrated in the attack phase) and plunk the creature if it's within 30' for a Sneak Attack.
You need to catch your opponent flat-footed here to get your Sneak Attack. Therefore, you either have to gain a surprise round, or win initiative. The key here is being Stealthy enough (with opposed checks) so that your opponent is unaware of you right up to the point you initiate your attack.
You might be able to catch your opponent flat-footed without a surprise round here. You'd have to win initiative and then open the door and fire.
I don't think Slow Reaction is as beneficial to you as it is to your party. It only lasts 1 round beginning on your turn. Acrobatics will help you more with avoiding AoO's.
Well, if I get a Sneak Attack off with a ranged weapon and have Slow Reactions kick in, I'll be able to move through that creature's threatened/occupied (with a successful Acrobatics check) square (either this round or the next, depending on whether I've already moved or won initiative the next round)WITHOUT them getting an AoO. I'd say that is pretty significant, no?
Well, if I get a Sneak Attack off with a ranged weapon and have Slow Reactions kick in, I'll be able to move through that creature's threatened/occupied (with a successful Acrobatics check) square (either this round or the next, depending on whether I've already moved or won initiative the next round)WITHOUT them getting an AoO. I'd say that is pretty significant, no?
I suppose it depends on how you micro-manage the end of the 1 round duration of Slow Reactions. I'd say the duration begins immediately after the Sneak Attack portion of your round and ends on your turn immediately after the order equivalent action you take in your next round (such that you gain no more than a combination of 2 move or standard equivalent actions during the Slow Reactions). In other words, Slow Reactions may end in between the standard/movement actions youi perform the next round. So I agree with you. Originally I was thinking that a 1 round duration effect you initiate on your turn ended at the BEGINNING of your turn.
As far as winning initiative the next round, you should already have determined initiative for this encounter.