the "Noisy" armor trait says "This armor is loud and likely to alert others to your presence when you’re using the Avoid Notice exploration activity." Does it mean we cannot use the exploration activity or that we can but with the Check Penalty regardless of STR score? How about other stealth checks not part of Avoid Notice activity? We just apply the penalty regardless of STR? The words here are very unclear and could use a better wording..
I'm not sure either. Does the Avoid Notice activity reference the trait?
No it does not.
One possible explanation could be that using armor with this type prohibits from gaining the unnoticed status. That does not mean you can not stealth, i.e. be hidden or undeteced, however the other side will always know that there is someone or something out there, so they can act accordingly (usually by triggering an encounter or starting to actively conduct seek actions).
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
Curerently unknown effect.
I am currently using it as "if you are trying to avoid notice with noisy armour it is dm fiat as to whether it works or not", that is to say... if it is quiet there is no chance your noisy armour will be quiet, regardless of how good your stealth score is.
But if the creature is deaf or in a noisy environment then it has no impact.
It would be great if one of the DEV could chime in and clarify this for us
More likely we have to wait until the FAQ and first errata is live. I believe they are planning to have it out sooner than later.
Curerently unknown effect.
I am currently using it as "if you are trying to avoid notice with noisy armour it is dm fiat as to whether it works or not", that is to say... if it is quiet there is no chance your noisy armour will be quiet, regardless of how good your stealth score is.
But if the creature is deaf or in a noisy environment then it has no impact.
This is pretty much how I've read it. It's to give GM permission to say "you know what. I don't care how much you've munchkined up your stealth score your in armour that is reknowned for being noisy. You can't stealth while wearing it." Of course not all GMs are going to care for that sort of realism so it truly is going to have substantial table variance. If you want to reliably stealth while wearing armor, spring for the upgrade which has no benefit other than not having the noisy trait.
This is pretty much how I've read it. It's to give GM permission to say "you know what. I don't care how much you've munchkined up your stealth score your in armour that is reknowned for being noisy. You can't stealth while wearing it." Of course not all GMs are going to care for that sort of realism so it truly is going to have substantial table variance. If you want to reliably stealth while wearing armor, spring for the upgrade which has no benefit other than not having the noisy trait.Curerently unknown effect.
I am currently using it as "if you are trying to avoid notice with noisy armour it is dm fiat as to whether it works or not", that is to say... if it is quiet there is no chance your noisy armour will be quiet, regardless of how good your stealth score is.
But if the creature is deaf or in a noisy environment then it has no impact.
I am pretty sure that forbidding Avoid Notice or any Stealth checks entirely just because of an Armor Trait is absolutely out of the question. I think it's either a -1/-2 circumstance penalty or whatever the Check Penalty is for the Armor regardless of your Strength score, hopefully a DEV will see the post and chime in.