From how far away can someone reliably hear a loud scream, assuming no barriers and generally optimal sound-carrying conditions (such as an open field) in this game?
From how far away can someone reliably hear a loud scream, assuming no barriers and generally optimal sound-carrying conditions (such as an open field) in this game?
Exactly as far as the DM thinks it should. Welcome to Pathfinder [ask your DM's edition]. ;)
All I can tell you is that you can sense a creature automatically with hearing [it's just hidden] unless it uses stealth. So I know that you can hear someone breathing across that open field but I can't tell you if they hear the scream [that's a perception check].
"In space, no one can hear you scream."
I don't think there are distances associated with perception at all, as near as I can determine. Could be due to all those old PF1 threads about not being able to see the sun.
Exactly as far as the DM thinks it should. Welcome to Pathfinder [ask your DM's edition]. ;)
Well I'm the DM, and I was thinking of having an illusory bridge over a deep chasm of sharp stalagmites. The plan is to have an NPC illusionist distract most of the party while an illusory creature lures one of them to his doom by calling from the other side.
Caught unawares by the illusion, the victim falls and is impaled before they can so much as scream.
Since a person falls 500 feet in the first round, and 1,500 feet per round thereafter, I was originally wondering how deep I would need to make the pit and how far they would have to fall IMMEDIETLY for no one to be able to hear their scream. But now I'm thinking I'll just simplify things with a silence spell.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
I'd have to be a Silence effect since lots of people naturally "Yelp!" when startled, as they might if their feet fall out from underneath them.
Also one could argue if they have time enough to Grab an Edge, they have time enough to squeal.
That said, I think going in with the presupposition that this will work seems a bit unfair. Unless there's a reason the party would naturally disperse, two people breaking away would be noticed, though it might not spark suspicion. Yet if you have an NPC calling one PC, wouldn't the other PCs hear too? Or wouldn't that one PC tell their buddies?
Seems a bit contrived.
There was an old trap in Module A2 where a stuffed bear rolls out on a noisy contraption. It's scary and maybe did a little damage, but it's only a diversion for another, quieter trap which swallows the rear party members whose yelps can be attributed to the bear. I believe the module had rules for when the party would realize they were missing people, but I don't think that'd even work in later editions w/ no facing. Adventurers are assumed to be looking over their shoulders.
Now if you had a Doppelganger or illusory substitute immediately swap out or areas of darkness...
As for other times, I like the Hero System method even if it does take modest calculations. So you might get -1 at 10' (or 5' or 20', whatever you want as your base, which could vary by conditions), then every X2 you get another -1, so at 20', 40', 80', etc. On the flip side, you'd +1 for every doubling of size of what's being looked for.
Napkin calculations suffice IMO.
"In space, no one can hear you scream."
I don't think there are distances associated with perception at all, as near as I can determine. Could be due to all those old PF1 threads about not being able to see the sun.
There are circumstance penalties and/or Seek checks requires for adverse conditions: it's up to the DM to figure out if distance is one of those and which of those he uses [or both].
Imprecise Senses [Source Core Rulebook pg. 464], a noisy room in the case of hearing requires a Seek
Wind [Source Core Rulebook pg. 517], imposes a circumstance penalty on auditory Perception checks.
Since a person falls 500 feet in the first round, and 1,500 feet per round thereafter, I was originally wondering how deep I would need to make the pit and how far they would have to fall IMMEDIETLY for no one to be able to hear their scream. But now I'm thinking I'll just simplify things with a silence spell.
Use silence: 2000' for a yell is nothing. The normal intelligible outdoor range of the male human voice in still air is 590'. Just hearing a yell under optimal acoustic conditions is 10.5 miles across still water at night. A natural echo chamber, like a chasm/pit, is going to be pretty optimal for hearing noise.
You could also add noise/wind to force Seek checks at a a possible penalty to hear instead of silence. Depends on how much you want them to fall.
Oh well, guess it won't be quiet. :P
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
I'm sorry that I don't have anything productive to add to the question at hand, but I just want to say I love the title of this thread. It seems like it should be an early EP from Factory records by Joy Division or the Durutti Column.