I just came up with this idea, so it may need more content/some tweaking. My goal was to come up with a way to solve one of the big problems Pathfinder (and D&D in general) has with perception and stealth: a character's field of vision. Right now in the official rules it's apparently assumed that everyone can see all around them at all times (which doesn't happen irl or in most video games.) my goal was to make it pretty realistic while minimizing the effort the DM needs to implement it.
-----Custom Rules for Facing-----
1: at the end of a move action, you are facing the same direction you moved (e.g. you walk south, you're facing south)
2: If you end your turn after attacking an enemy, you are facing where that enemy was for the attack (e.g enemy was north of you you're now facing north, even if the enemy moves)
3: If neither of those are relevant, you say which way you are facing at the end your turn.
4: you are aware of creatures adjacent to you in combat, unless they stealthed up to you, then normal stealth attack rules apply.
5:Creatures are considered to have partial concealment against you if they are outside your field of vision unless another creature alerts you to their presence (or you the creature has many eyes giving it a full 360* f.o.v)
-----Field of vision and perception checks-----
Not using a perception check = your field of vision is a cone extending out from the direction you're facing
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Making a perception check as part of a move action: You can move up to half your speed and make a perception check to see everything within 180* of the direction you're facing
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If you don't move during the perception check: your check is made at a full 360*
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Examples of how this works:
Kair, a lv 4 rogue, is trying to stealth behind a guard on duty. The guard is slowly patrolling around the corridors of the mansion, moving at half speed and making his perception checks (with a f.o.v of 180*.)
Kair follows behind him using the furniture in the corridor as cover, and making stealth checks as usual. because Kair is out of the guard's view, he can stealth even if there is nothing to hide behind. Everything is going well for Kair until another guard on patrol rounds the corner and sees Kair sneaking behind the other guard. He alerts the other guard of the intruder and now Kair's cover is blown.
*Note: this would only affect visual perception checks. Ones based on other senses like tremor-sense, scent, blind-sense, etc aren't affected.
p.s. I'm really new on here so I'm not sure if custom facing rules has been discussed on here or not.... If so, then consider this another alternative?
