Setting up an ambush

[barry lyndon]

Having a bit of a block on this and I want to be as fair as possible.

Scenario 1: Bandits are hiding in bushes by the side of the road, crossbows ready. Players riding past on horses, when they hear a cry for help. They dismount and approach the area on their guard, unwittingly approaching the bandits unless they can perceive them.

Scenario 2:

As above but there's no cry, they simply ride past the bandits who fire from the bushes.

Suggestions for 1. The stealth bonus for the bandits
Suggestions for 2. The passive perception for unaware PCs and/or stealth bonus for hiding bandits.

[blackbloodtroll]

1: Depends on cover, and base skill modifiers. Bandits can Take 10.

2: The players making the check are distracted, so Bandits get +5. Otherwise, same as above.

[zza ni]

1: ranks +dex + fev class skill + any other ocndition that might add, (light level, cover behind bushes,distraction etc).
2: bandits - the same as #1, pc's pasive perception = normal percepetion. thre is no difrence.

notice that a leve 1 goblin with stealth skill focus as feat,a dex of 18 (14 +4 racial))with 1 rank in stealth and having it as calss skill will have :+4(small)+4(racial)+4(dex)+4 (1 rank+3 fev) +3 (skill focus)= +19 at stealth without counting cover and or light effect.

[DM_Blake]

For simplicity, just give the bandits a Take-10 on Stealth. Figure out their skill normally (Ranks + DEX mod + class bonus). Add in circumstance bonus if you think their cover is exceptionally good (did they pick any old bush or did they search for the perfect spot long before setting this ambush?). Don't forget the distance modifier adds to the Perception DC (so it essentially adds to the final Stealth result by modifying the DC on the opposed Perception roll to spot the hidden bandits).

Add in other circumstance modifiers for lighting or other effects that could make the perception check easier or harder.

If they are planning to use Sneak Attack then make the check when their target gets to 30 feet away (which is a +2 modifier to the DC on the Perception check as mentioned above).

I disagree with "distracted". Hearing a cry for help does not distract the targets of the ambush, and certainly just simply riding horses on a road does not distract them either.

Now you should have your DC for the PC's Perception checks.

There is no such thing as "passive perception". Each PC gets a Perception check at the point that matters the most (right before the ambush attack). Arguably, you could do one perception check for each PC on each round that the ambush is in sight, starting from hundreds of feet away as they ride along the road, but it's just more practical to make just the final check where it matters - just handwaive it as there was total concealment from farther back on the road.

(Side note: if you do want to use "passive perception", while I don't think it's a rule in the game, it is generally recognized as whatever would result from using a Take-10 on a Perception check. Calculate this for each PC and keep it on a post-it note in front of you. The PCs spot the ambush at whatever distance their "passive perception" value exceeds the DC of the ambushers' Stealth check, adjusted for distance modifiers, or if they never beat that value, they fail to perceive the ambush in time. This is a not a core rule, but it is how most people use the notion of "passive perception". Make sure your players accept this as a house rule first).