Let's say you have a Musket Master who wants to start picking off a roadblock from 240 feet while stealthed.
He has a stealth check bonus of 20.
Let's say he rolls a 10 on the d20.
Perception DCs increase by 1 for every 10 feet: 24 for this distance.
Perception DC=54 to perceive him moving into position.
If he attacks the soldiers at the roadblock, he takes a -20 to another stealth attempt. So the subsequent Perception DC is 34.
Now, he applies an Oil of Silence to his musket, providing Silence for one hour.
Does this do anything to reduce the -20 stealth check penalty after attacking? Surely the lack of a boom would be worth something?
Does this do anything to reduce the -20 stealth check penalty after attacking? Surely the lack of a boom would be worth something?
By strict RAW, it would not grant any bonus because it does not say it grants a bonus.
By 'common sense' RAI: My assumption is thatt he sniping rules are written around the most common ranged weapon, the bow. That means that -20 to the Stealth check is already assuming a near-noiseless weapon attack.
As a GM, I'd rule that someone using an unsilenced firearm would have more like a -40 penalty to his Stealth check; using the oil would make it the standard -20.
So no, I don't believe the oil of silence would grant additional benefit; I'd say that without it you'd have an even worse penalty, while with it you'd have the standard penalty.
The DC 34 is to perceive him, actually see the Musket Master in his sniper's nest. The DC to hear the crack of his musket, IMO, is much lower.
An oil of silence wouldn't make the MM harder to see, but it would silence his weapon.
By 'common sense' RAI: My assumption is thatt he sniping rules are written around the most common ranged weapon, the bow. That means that -20 to the Stealth check is already assuming a near-noiseless weapon attack.As a GM, I'd rule that someone using an unsilenced firearm would have more like a -40 penalty to his Stealth check; using the oil would make it the standard -20.
Fair enough. I have joked about my musket having the ability "summon guard".
The DC 34 is to perceive him, actually see the Musket Master in his sniper's nest. The DC to hear the crack of his musket, IMO, is much lower.
An oil of silence wouldn't make the MM harder to see, but it would silence his weapon.
Alright, so the oil is necessary to not totally blow my cover, and I should look into stealth-enhancing items :)
Thanks guys