Can it pick up undead? Can it pick up Constructs? Can it pick up objects in a room that are in contact with the ground or do they have to be living?
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Tremorsense wrote: A creature with tremorsense is sensitive to vibrations in the ground and can automatically pinpoint the location of anything that is in contact with the ground. Aquatic creatures with tremorsense can also sense the location of creatures moving through water. It can pick up all of those things. Undead, animals, elves, chairs, an anvil, a ladder. As for how accurate the 'image' is, that may be debatable. Not every creature with tremorsense necessarily has the same senses as every other one, just like creatures with hearing may not hear the same things or hear them the same.
Though the mechanics aren't explicitly spelled out (just like they aren't for darkvision or blindsight or blindsense (because it's likely different for each creature), typically there needs to be something making vibrations. In the case of furniture, the creature with the tremorsense is probably assumed to be giving out vibrations naturally while in contact with the ground as their own form of sonar or pinging, with which they are using their ability, and getting a sense of dimensions and objects touching the floor.
Thankfully this is Advice, so I'd suggest:
Most creatures with tremorsense probably can't tell the difference (just due to having tremorsense) between a human or an orc or an elf walking nearby, nor could they tell the difference between a panther and a wolf. There certainly would be differences, which technically might be discernible, but those would be based on knowledge or experience or other factors.
In general, a creature with tremorsense can walk through a darkened room without bumping into furniture and would be aware of people hiding behind a couch. They wouldn't be able to tell if someone were sitting or lying on the couch, or how many books were on a bookcase, or whether anything was on a table in the room. Obviously, specific or unusual examples might cause problems, like a very thick rug or unusual composition of the floor. Same with noticing secret compartments or secret doors, it would likely depend on the quality of their construction. Better-made ones might be considered to still require a Perception check to 'spot' them in passing. Those might be a GM call.
For your basic question, assume that a creature with tremorsense will notice any other creatures or objects in contact with the floor unless there's a intervening barrier that breaks up or interferes with vibrations, like a wall or pit.
The key words for Tremorsense are "on the ground."
Tremorsense wrote: automatically pinpoint the location of anything that is in contact with the ground. Aquatic creatures with tremorsense can also sense the location of creatures moving through water. Oops, I guess "in the water," too!
So, Undead? sure, unless the Undead are Incorporeal, then maybe not. Construct, yes, until they fly, possibly no, until they move: the GM might well rule that you can tell the difference between a sculpture and a Stone Golem until it starts moving.
It can detect a Rogue hiding no matter how sneaky, unless that Rogue is Climbing, then no dice. It wouldn't detect a Levitating Rogue, either.
Also, even if Tremorsence lets you pinpoint the position of an Invisible creature or a Rogue in his spiderhole, that doesn't negate any Concealment. You still don't get your Dex Mod to AC, and you are still potentially vulnerable to Sneak Attack Damage from an Invisible Rogue.
If a construct, or undead, is not moving, then it will not detect them as different than statues. I think that gargoyles also have the stand-still ability, which lets them spoof tremorsense also.
/cevah
Scott Wilhelm wrote: The key words for Tremorsense are "on the ground."
Tremorsense wrote: automatically pinpoint the location of anything that is in contact with the ground. Aquatic creatures with tremorsense can also sense the location of creatures moving through water. Oops, I guess "in the water," too!
So, Undead? sure, unless the Undead are Incorporeal, then maybe not. Construct, yes, until they fly, possibly no, until they move: the GM might well rule that you can tell the difference between a sculpture and a Stone Golem until it starts moving.
It can detect a Rogue hiding no matter how sneaky, unless that Rogue is Climbing, then no dice. It wouldn't detect a Levitating Rogue, either.
Also, even if Tremorsence lets you pinpoint the position of an Invisible creature or a Rogue in his spiderhole, that doesn't negate any Concealment. You still don't get your Dex Mod to AC, and you are still potentially vulnerable to Sneak Attack Damage from an Invisible Rogue.
But whatever that rogue is climbing is in contact with the ground. I would reduce the accuracy of what they sense but they still would be detected.
Only incorporeal/flying/levitating creatures are undetectable.
This is a weird thing in Pathfinder. Earth elementals are blind in the earth. They would have all the penalties of blindness and obscured vision. They cannot tell if there are rooms or caverns around them if they are empty.
Imagine if you lined a cave with metal spikes buried in the rock, an earth elemental would not know they are there.
It is all rather silly. House ruling tremor sense as echolocation for under the ground and tremor sense for things touching the surface is much betting IMO and make more sense.
Loren Pechtel wrote:
But whatever that rogue is climbing is in contact with the ground. I would reduce the accuracy of what they sense but they still would be detected.
That is not how the rule works though. The rogue being in contact with something ghat is on the ground such as a table, doesn't mean the rogue is on the ground.
It is a decent houserule to give general direction, not that I agree with it as a houserule either.
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