I've a wood elf ranger. However I'm a little unclear on the difference to stealth and the racial characteristic of hiding in wilderness wood elves have? They seem to overlap? Also at what point can I hide and use an attack with advantage?
THIS is the description of the "Hide" mechanic, from the Basic rules.
As you can see, it is not that the two overlap, it's that one (Stealth) is the mechanical representation of the other, which is the actual action (Hide).
Furthermore, HERE is the explanation of what happens when you cannot be seen by your target (or you are targeted by a creature you cannot see), detailing that being hidden indeed grants Advantage on the attack.
Hope this helps :)
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Born in Italy, moved a bunch, living in Spain, my heart always belonged to Roleplaying Games
Mask of the wild says "You can attempt to hide even when you are only lightly obscured by foliage, heavy rain, falling snow, mist, and other natural phenomena."
Normally you need to be not visible to your target in order to attempt to hide this usually requires one to be heavily obscured or the like Wood elves can make the attempt whist only being lightly obscured.
It doesn't mean you're automatically successful at hiding.. just that you can make the attempt (in a situation where a creature of another race could not).
I play a Wood Elf Rogue that takes advantage of this quite well. Cunning Action allows you to use Hide as a Bonus Action, so when we're in a wooded area for combat, I'll often use my movement to get behind a tree, shrub, etc - then I ask the DM if I can use my Bonus Action to Hide as I'm now lightly obscured. In order to succeed or fail at my attempt, he has me roll for stealth.
The Wood Elf racial simply gives you the chance to hide based on only being partially obscured, whereas other races (or sub-races of Elves) would need better cover to justify trying to hide.
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I've a wood elf ranger. However I'm a little unclear on the difference to stealth and the racial characteristic of hiding in wilderness wood elves have? They seem to overlap? Also at what point can I hide and use an attack with advantage?
THIS is the description of the "Hide" mechanic, from the Basic rules.
As you can see, it is not that the two overlap, it's that one (Stealth) is the mechanical representation of the other, which is the actual action (Hide).
Furthermore, HERE is the explanation of what happens when you cannot be seen by your target (or you are targeted by a creature you cannot see), detailing that being hidden indeed grants Advantage on the attack.
Hope this helps :)
Born in Italy, moved a bunch, living in Spain, my heart always belonged to Roleplaying Games
Thank you for the reply, however If I can automatically hide in the wild even with light cover, why do I still need to roll stealth?
Mask of the wild says "You can attempt to hide even when you are only lightly obscured by foliage, heavy rain, falling snow, mist, and other natural phenomena."
Normally you need to be not visible to your target in order to attempt to hide this usually requires one to be heavily obscured or the like Wood elves can make the attempt whist only being lightly obscured.
It doesn't mean you're automatically successful at hiding.. just that you can make the attempt (in a situation where a creature of another race could not).
Thanks , so I would still expend an action and roll stealth?
Yes.
I play a Wood Elf Rogue that takes advantage of this quite well. Cunning Action allows you to use Hide as a Bonus Action, so when we're in a wooded area for combat, I'll often use my movement to get behind a tree, shrub, etc - then I ask the DM if I can use my Bonus Action to Hide as I'm now lightly obscured. In order to succeed or fail at my attempt, he has me roll for stealth.
The Wood Elf racial simply gives you the chance to hide based on only being partially obscured, whereas other races (or sub-races of Elves) would need better cover to justify trying to hide.