Hide In Shadows

By flattening his body or crouching in such as way as to blend into dark areas, and remaining perfectly still while doing so, the ranger can render himself nearly invisible in natural surroundings. This ability to hide in shadows works equally well in fields of tall grass, clumps of bushes, rocky hills, or any other wilderness area with dark or shaded terrain.

When hiding, the ranger can conceal himself from attackers and eavesdrop on his enemies. He can hide near a well-traveled road and secretly observe passersby, or conceal himself near an enemy campsite, waiting for an opportune moment to steal their treasure or supplies.

The Ranger Thief Abilities article gives the base chance for a ranger to hide in shadows, subject to the modifiers for race, Dexterity and armor. The following restrictions also apply:

• If attempting to hide in shadows on city streets, inside a building, or in any other non-wilderness setting, the ranger's chance is halved. Apply this reduction after all the other modifiers have been taken into account.
• The ranger must be unobserved while attempting to conceal himself. If an NPC or creature is watching him, the ranger can't hide successfully. If the NPC or creature becomes distracted, even momentarily, the ranger can slip into the area of concealment and attempt to hide.
• While hiding, the ranger must remain immobile, except for slow and careful movements, such as readying a weapon or sipping from a flask.
• If the area is completely dark--for instance, if there's an overcast sky in the dead of night--the ranger gains no special advantages from hiding in shadows, and can't use this ability.

If all these conditions are met, the DM rolls percentile dice as soon as the ranger has concealed himself. The DM doesn't tell the ranger the result of the roll; rather, the ranger learns if the attempt is successful from the reactions of those in the area.

If the check is less than or equal to the ranger's adjusted hide in shadows score, the ranger has successfully concealed himself. He's essentially invisible to all others in the area, including his companions. He has hidden successfully until he changes locations; an attempt to hide in shadows in a different area requires a new die roll. Characters using spells or magical items that reveal hidden or invisible objects can detect him. Likewise, creatures who use their sense of smell to locate prey or other exceptionally keen senses have their normal chance of sniffing out a ranger hiding in shadows.

If the check is greater than the ranger's hide in shadows score, he's failed to conceal himself and is as exposed as any normal character would be in the same area. This doesn't necessarily mean that others will notice him, especially if the area of concealment provides a lot of natural cover, such as a cluster of bushes or the long shadow from a tall tree. However, the ranger may not know if he's succeeded or failed until it's too late--for instance, if an NPC suddenly turns and charges.

[Complete Ranger's Handbook]