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Last night's session ended with the PCs scrambling to get under cover before being spotted by a flying adversary approaching overhead. This is a published adventure -- I'll identify the adventure and encounter in the spoiler below -- and rather than proceed with opposed perception/stealth checks, the adventure says that if every member of the party makes a DC 20 stealth check, the adversary will not notice them and will fly on. The particular cover available provides a +5 bonus.
One of the PCs has a -3 for stealth due to his armor check penalty. I can understand why that's the case for attempts at stealth while moving, but does it also apply when the character is standing perfectly still, hiding with total concealment? That would seem odd to me, but I can't find anything to suggest that there are any circumstances where the ACP would not apply.
Armor Check Penalty: Any armor heavier than leather, as well as any shield, hurts a character's ability to use Dexterity- and Strength-based skills. An armor check penalty applies to all Dexterity- and Strength-based skill checks. A character's encumbrance may also incur an armor check penalty.
Am I missing an exception for Dex-based skill checks when you're standing still? Is this just how the rules work?
One of the PCs has a -3 for stealth due to his armor check penalty. I can understand why that's the case for attempts at stealth while moving, but does it also apply when the character is standing perfectly still, hiding with total concealment? That would seem odd to me, but I can't find anything to suggest that there are any circumstances where the ACP would not apply.
At least a normal person can't stand perfectly still. And every little movement comes at the risk of the armor making some noise. So I'd stick with the -3 penalty. Can't remember any sentence in the books about it either.
However, you are the GM there and it likely won't decide the campaign, so listen to your gut feeling if you want.
The armour is bulky, if made of metal is also tends to stand out from the cover. There is the smell of Metal and lubricant from the armour, as the previous poster said it is hard to stay still.
As a GM I would go with the penalty , not everyone is stealthy and it seems quite reasonable that this guy cannot hide, as a player I would also be happy.
I have not run the game in question so I can't say if anything would influence me. If the encounter is likely to be a total disaster then fudge it, if not let the players live with the consequences of character design.
Stealth is not just sound.
It's smell (sweaty, unwashed human body, leather preservative, etc) which some predators can notice from very long distances.
It's color (hunter orange, for example). It's unnatural shadows or patterns in the foliage. It's the flash of light when the sunlight hits the metal armor
It's the *lack* of birdsong and animal movement.