You have entered a well lit room with zero cover and zero obstructions, where not but seconds prior two of your allies have rushed through the door to attack the occupants. At this point, your foes are likely to be weary of more opponents entering through the door. If you have nothing to hide behind or obstruct yourself from their view, what do you hope to accomplish with a high stealth roll? Not being able to roll stealth does not preclude you from positioning yourself behind them into a flanking position. You are contradicting yourself in stating that you did not wish to "hide" but in the same vein implying you wished to enter the room undetected.
The DM ruled that given the room, regardless of the perceived distraction you believe your allies to be causing, no amount of sneaking would allow you enter the room undetected, that is well within their purview; it is not a requirement that you be allowed to roll to do something and that a DC be set for it, it is perfectly reasonable that at times, things are simply not possible, this is one of those cases.
You have entered a well lit room with zero cover and zero obstructions, where not but seconds prior two of your allies have rushed through the door to attack the occupants. At this point, your foes are likely to be weary of more opponents entering through the door. If you have nothing to hide behind or obstruct yourself from their view, what do you hope to accomplish with a high stealth roll? Not being able to roll stealth does not preclude you from positioning yourself behind them into a flanking position. You are contradicting yourself in stating that you did not wish to "hide" but in the same vein implying you wished to enter the room undetected.
The DM ruled that given the room, regardless of the perceived distraction you believe your allies to be causing, no amount of sneaking would allow you enter the room undetected, that is well within their purview; it is not a requirement that you be allowed to roll to do something and that a DC be set for it, it is perfectly reasonable that at times, things are simply not possible, this is one of those cases.
But it IS possible though.
Hide and stealth are not the same. I’m not contradicting myself. I was trying to get into a strategic position without being noticed (stealth), not by hiding. Just like a defensive end pummeling a quarterback, as I said before. He’s not hiding, but the quarterback never noticed him.
I'm not following your post. What exactly is your question?
I see that you were still in the doorway. That would let you hide behind the wall next to the doorway, of course, if you wanted to snipe from the doorway. It wouldn't let you hide inside the room.
If you had a way to fix the lighting conditions in the room and the Skulker feat (or you were a Wood Elf and had a DM willing to interpret the lighting conditions as natural), you could hide behind darkness from anything using darkvision to see you. If you were a Lightfoot Halfling, you could do what you said you wanted to do, which was hide behind your party members. Are you a lightfoot halfling? Or a wood elf? Or do you have the Skulker feat?
Barring that, you need something to hide behind. A high elf can do this at will, for example, by having the minor illusion cantrip on standby for providing portable cover to hide behind. Shape Water can also provide portable cover, with more steps. There are some other racial spells which might be able to apply here, like a Drow's Darkness. Are you a race with racial spells?
Your post reads like you're complaining you built your Rogue without a reliable way to hide and then found yourself without a reliable way to hide. What were you expecting? That's why these other abilities I'm listing are good. Your only built-in option as a Phantom is to forego hiding entirely and use Steady Aim to Sneak Attack, relying on your party to drag you into position.
And your DM determined that the QB was staring right at the defensive end. I am not saying your tactic is never possible, I am saying your DM determined that in this exact instance, it was not. We can keep arguing in circles, but as I and others have pointed out, your DM was well within his right to call this as he did.
The mechanics of this edition do not support "distraction" except by defined mechanics (for instance, if the enemies were under the effect of an Enthrall spell). Being in combat is not one of those. While in combat, every character and NPC is assumed to see 360 degrees around them at all times. No, this is not realistic, but it's how the game works. There are no "blindsides" in 5e combat like in a football or hockey game.
That said, I've had DMs allow a hidden character to remain so while moving maybe 5-10ft in the open. However, if you want to be able to hide or sneak in open combat, you'll generally need some way to obscure yourself or impair your enemies' senses (e.g. a smoke bomb or a flashbang).
If you're just trying to ensure advantage for yourself in this situation, you could propose your DM make use of the Flanking variant rules. (Note those rules tend to be more a detriment to a party than a benefit as the party's melee members often end up outnumbered in my experience.)
And your DM determined that the QB was staring right at the defensive end. I am not saying your tactic is never possible, I am saying your DM determined that in this exact instance, it was not. We can keep arguing in circles, but as I and others have pointed out, your DM was well within his right to call this as he did.
I don’t mean to be argumentative in the least, nor am I here to complain. I just feel the scenario IS possible and thought dismissing the idea so quickly without a moment of consideration was unfair.
My son is a Marine. I’ve witnessed the formation drills they run, and a number of them involve suppression fire on an area an enemy inhabits, giving an opportunity for soldiers on either side to move forward and flank.
I just assumed a fireball in their faces would give me that one second I needed to make my move.
Question. Is your table using the optional flanking rules? If not, there is no mechanical difference between running into the room screaming “I’m a pterodactyl, I’m a pterodactyl!!” While waving your arms until you get into a “flanking” position. And trying to sneak into the room into a “flanking” position.
In combat, most creatures stay alert for signs of danger all around, so if you come out of hiding and approach a creature, it usually sees you. However, under certain circumstances, the DM might allow you to stay hidden as you approach a creature that is distracted, allowing you to gain advantage on an attack roll before you are seen.
When combat starts, enemies are alert for danger. So unless you are hiding then stealthing into the room isn’t usually going to work. In the rules quoted above, if the DM decides there is enough distraction then you could roll for stealth. In your case, your DM decided it wasn’t possible.
Question. Is your table using the optional flanking rules? If not, there is no mechanical difference between running into the room screaming “I’m a pterodactyl, I’m a pterodactyl!!” While waving your arms until you get into a “flanking” position. And trying to sneak into the room into a “flanking” position.
In combat, most creatures stay alert for signs of danger all around, so if you come out of hiding and approach a creature, it usually sees you. However, under certain circumstances, the DM might allow you to stay hidden as you approach a creature that is distracted, allowing you to gain advantage on an attack roll before you are seen.
When combat starts, enemies are alert for danger. So unless you are hiding then stealthing into the room isn’t usually going to work. In the rules quoted above, if the DM decides there is enough distraction then you could roll for stealth. In your case, your DM decided it wasn’t possible.
I'm cognizant of everything you offered. You still just don't understand the scenario I'm trying to paint a picture of here.
Can an enemy be distracted? Yes. Easily.
Could this distraction open up a chance for my rogue to sneak unnoticed. Also yes.
I'm not running in screaming I'm a pterodactyl. I'm roleplaying my rogue. I'm roleplaying what I think he would do in that situation. How do the two even compare? How do they even relate???
You’re right. I’m not understanding what you were trying to accomplish. Wether the DM allowed you to roll stealth or not I guess you could have role played it as if you did and “snuck” your way around. But would of been like Cartman thinking he was invisible crossing a stage
In the end, I understand your desire to RP your character but I also understand your DM making the decision they did and they were well within their rights to do so. Would it have been better if he allowed you to roll but it would have had no effect no matter how high you rolled?
Could this distraction open up a chance for my rogue to sneak unnoticed. Also yes.
I'm not running in screaming I'm a pterodactyl. I'm roleplaying my rogue. I'm roleplaying what I think he would do in that situation. How do the two even compare? How do they even relate???
If you want an ally to distract the enemy and give you advantage on your attack, they have to take the help action on their turn. But I assume you're not interested in the mechanics as much as the roleplaying, so let's look at the situation from a different perspective.
There are 3 people in a room. They've just watched 2 foes charge through the door and initiate combat. At this point they are alert for more foes and have a numerical advantage, so at least one of them is not really distracted by the fighting. Bearing all this in mind, they're going to notice you as soon as you come through the same door into the brightly lit room with no cover.
Could this distraction open up a chance for my rogue to sneak unnoticed. Also yes.
I'm not running in screaming I'm a pterodactyl. I'm roleplaying my rogue. I'm roleplaying what I think he would do in that situation. How do the two even compare? How do they even relate???
If you want an ally to distract the enemy and give you advantage on your attack, they have to take the help action on their turn. But I assume you're not interested in the mechanics as much as the roleplaying, so let's look at the situation from a different perspective.
There are 3 people in a room. They've just watched 2 foes charge through the door and initiate combat. At this point they are alert for more foes and have a numerical advantage, so at least one of them is not really distracted by the fighting. Bearing all this in mind, they're going to notice you as soon as you come through the same door into the brightly lit room with no cover.
I love this answer and respect your viewpoint. My entire narrative is this: combat, while possibly time consuming in real life, passes as seconds in the game. Mal was tense, ready for his opening. Orin, that barrel riding, pimp gnome (bright blue) wizard unleashed a fireball that engulfed all three enemies (and Ser Brown, the paladin, because we’re a band of misfits and hardcore role play out alignments) that became his last second of combat. I’m up, and within MY second these guys are still swatting away fuego magico. Isn’t it possible I could run, in that moment that’s mine, past their line of sight? The stealth role would include the difficult circumstances, the ability to remain silent, making it almost impossibly achievable with a DC of 45 or 50.
Ah hell. You’re right. I should have run up to the wizard with my potently poisoned Cat’s Claw (+3 hit and damage) and use Wails from the Grave on the closest dread night. To the wizard that’s (1d6+12) plus Sneak Attack (6d6), and, if he fails his Con Save, an additional 2d8 damage and he’s poisoned. Wails from the Grave hit the dread knight, pummeling it with necrotic tendrils, taking damage equal to another Sneak Attack roll that’s halved and rounded up. I didn’t need a token, so Malice was in my off hand. I swing the oddly curved short sword at the wizard as my second attack. If I hit, the wizard will feel another 1d6+11 points of damage. Ser Brown had him bloodied, so if my hits were clean I may have finished him off.
Yeah, that’s what I should have done. What a great learning experience. You guys rock.
And your DM determined that the QB was staring right at the defensive end. I am not saying your tactic is never possible, I am saying your DM determined that in this exact instance, it was not. We can keep arguing in circles, but as I and others have pointed out, your DM was well within his right to call this as he did.
I don’t mean to be argumentative in the least, nor am I here to complain. I just feel the scenario IS possible and thought dismissing the idea so quickly without a moment of consideration was unfair.
My son is a Marine. I’ve witnessed the formation drills they run, and a number of them involve suppression fire on an area an enemy inhabits, giving an opportunity for soldiers on either side to move forward and flank.
I just assumed a fireball in their faces would give me that one second I needed to make my move.
That's not a Stealth check and wouldn't involve Dexterity. That's a Charisma (Deception) check or a Charisma (Performance) check or a Wisdom (Insight) check. You don't roll Dexterity (Stealth) to determine when someone is distracted and take that opportunity to move innocuously.
Mal was tense, ready for his opening. Orin, that barrel riding, pimp gnome (bright blue) wizard unleashed a fireball that engulfed all three enemies (and Ser Brown, the paladin, because we’re a band of misfits and hardcore role play out alignments) that became his last second of combat. I’m up, and within MY second these guys are still swatting away fuego magico. Isn’t it possible I could run, in that moment that’s mine, past their line of sight? The stealth role would include the difficult circumstances, the ability to remain silent, making it almost impossibly achievable with a DC of 45 or 50.
The DM is the arbiter of where the edge of impossibility lies and clearly told you that it was not possible. Maybe they should have told you that your character can tell it wasn't possible, but generally you should accept the call that the game referee makes so as not to impede the flow of the game. The DM also is the one to call for a roll when they deem it necessary. You as a player don't call for rolls, you just describe your actions. If you need a place to portray the benefit of your enemy being distracted, getting your Sneak Attack to go off is a pretty good place to start.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Canto alla vita alla sua bellezza ad ogni sua ferita ogni sua carezza!
I sing to life and to its tragic beauty To pain and to strife, but all that dances through me The rise and the fall, I've lived through it all!
It honestly sounds like you don't agree with the ruling and have come here looking for us to agree that you were right and he was wrong. At least that's how it sounds to me.
To answer your question regarding whether or not you should have been given the option to try I will say only this:
Depending on the DM, yes you could have tried. Some DMs may have given Disadvantage on the attempt. Others may have given an absurdly high DC or given the enemies Advantage on their perception checks to notice you. Others yet may have combined all of these options. Your DM, though, chose to rule that no, the enemies were aware of your presence so you could not attempt a stealthy approach. Any of the aforementioned choices, including the one your DM gave, would have been equally correct because it's their role to make that determination.
Now that that's been said, here's my advice:
Your DM may simply be of the mindset that if they are setting unattainable DC numbers then there's no point in having you roll. I, personally, prefer to let the players roll and, even if success was impossible from the start, I can use the result as a basis for the description of the attempt. If you disagree with their decision just roll with it during the game and talk to them about it afterwards. With any luck you and they can come to a compromise or understanding. At the very least it would likely be more productive than arguing with those here who agree with the ruling of the DM given the circumstances you have described.
Stealth is so much more than just hiding. Hiding is dependent on stealth, yes, but using stealth to its fullest does not require hiding. I wanted to sneak my way behind them to flank
Stealth require you to go unotice. The way to escape notice is try to hide and be unseen and unheard. As i said, it's possible while hidden, to sneak past distracted creatures and stay hidden that way. But Stealth hardly let anyone you're aware and that you can see sneak past you by simply moving silently.
It's become a given that when we adventure I'm 1) second in march order behind the paladin, and 2 that when the party is about to open a door, Malfecto is close by but hidden. In this case, I was hidden. I should have included that in my OP. If there is a chance of my character being revealed when the door is opened, I usually "hold" my stealth roll until that time and use it against the passive perception of anything on the opposite side of the door that may have spotted me.
If you were already hidden and get in the doorway, then the DM either
1) use your Stealth check vs Passive Perception of any distracted enemy
2) Or determine that you're no longer hidden from enemies now seeing you
Either options is fine and within it's right as a DM to adjucate this situation. If you wanted to know if option 1 was a possbility, you have your answer.
As others have already explained, the DM is completely correct in his adjudication of the rules, and you are wrong according to the rules.
HIDING
The DM decides when circumstances are appropriate for hiding. When you try to hide, make a Dexterity (Stealth) check. Until you are discovered or you stop hiding, that check's total is contested by the Wisdom (Perception) check of any creature that actively searches for signs of your presence.
You can't hide from a creature that can see you clearly, and you give away your position if you make noise, such as shouting a warning or knocking over a vase. An invisible creature can always try to hide. Signs of its passage might still be noticed, and it does have to stay quiet.
In combat, most creatures stay alert for signs of danger all around, so if you come out of hiding and approach a creature, it usually sees you. However, under certain circumstances, the DM might allow you to stay hidden as you approach a creature that is distracted, allowing you to gain advantage on an attack roll before you are seen.
However, the DM could easily have bent the rules and let you stay hidden one way or another. In the case at hand, he chose to stick to the rules as written. That is all there is to it.
I'm surprised it hasn't come up, but I think what you're actually trying to do is the Disengage Option.
It sounds like your intent is to say, "Can I use the distraction of battle to get past the enemies guarding the wizard without them attacking or blocking me?"
That's the Disengage Option... it allows you to move without triggering opportunity attacks. The name is a bit misleading in that regard, because it doesn't sound like the right flavor, but it mechanically accomplishes what you're trying to do. Rogues can Disengage as a bonus action, so you can use that to get into strategically valuable positions.
As others have already explained, the DM is completely correct in his adjudication of the rules, and you are wrong according to the rules.
HIDING
The DM decides when circumstances are appropriate for hiding. When you try to hide, make a Dexterity (Stealth) check. Until you are discovered or you stop hiding, that check's total is contested by the Wisdom (Perception) check of any creature that actively searches for signs of your presence.
You can't hide from a creature that can see you clearly, and you give away your position if you make noise, such as shouting a warning or knocking over a vase. An invisible creature can always try to hide. Signs of its passage might still be noticed, and it does have to stay quiet.
In combat, most creatures stay alert for signs of danger all around, so if you come out of hiding and approach a creature, it usually sees you. However, under certain circumstances, the DM might allow you to stay hidden as you approach a creature that is distracted, allowing you to gain advantage on an attack roll before you are seen.
However, the DM could easily have bent the rules and let you stay hidden one way or another. In the case at hand, he chose to stick to the rules as written. That is all there is to it.
You copied and pasted the rules for Hide. Thanks for that. I don't believe you've read any of my posts. Nothing I attempted to do is even IN the rules. This horse has been beaten to death. Thanks for your uplifting response.
I wasn't trying to hide. I was still behind the door and hadn't yet entered the room. The enemies were distracted. Shouldn't I have been able to attempt a stealth check, no matter how challenging the roll would have been?
You could be hidden in the hallway. You could make a ranged attack with advantage by stepping out to where you can see your target and shooting. However, as soon as you move into the room and are clearly visible - you are no longer hidden. That is just how 5e works.
During combat, ALL creatures are assumed to be paying attention to their surroundings, looking around (even behind them) - they aren't so focused on the creature right in front of them that they aren't paying attention to the rest of the room. There is no possibility to use the "distraction of battle" to hide because there isn't any unless the characters do something specifically to cause a distraction that the DM might adjudicate as allowing a creature to move without being seen. Usually though, these situations would not occur in combat (like distracting a guard while someone sneaks up behind them). Once you are in combat, everyone is paying attention.
This edition has no "hide in shadows" unless the shadows prevent the target from seeing you (or you are a gloomstalker ranger, or you have the skulker feat - both of which provide additional options).
Also, halflings can hide behind creatures at least one size larger than them in combat.
Here are the rules ...
"HIDING The DM decides when circumstances are appropriate for hiding. When you try to hide, make a Dexterity (Stealth) check. Until you are discovered or you stop hiding, that check's total is contested by the Wisdom (Perception) check of any creature that actively searches for signs of your presence. You can't hide from a creature that can see you clearly, and you give away your position if you make noise, such as shouting a warning or knocking over a vase."
"In combat, most creatures stay alert for signs of danger all around, so if you come out of hiding and approach a creature, it usually sees you. However, under certain circumstances, the DM might allow you to stay hidden as you approach a creature that is distracted, allowing you to gain advantage on an attack roll before you are seen."
Regular combat is not considered enough of a distraction to allow a character to successfully hide (i.e. use stealth to move without being noticed = hide)
"If you are hidden - both unseen and unheard - when you make an attack, you give away your location when the attack hits or misses."
But it IS possible though.
---
Hide and stealth are not the same. I’m not contradicting myself. I was trying to get into a strategic position without being noticed (stealth), not by hiding. Just like a defensive end pummeling a quarterback, as I said before. He’s not hiding, but the quarterback never noticed him.
---
---
And your DM determined that the QB was staring right at the defensive end. I am not saying your tactic is never possible, I am saying your DM determined that in this exact instance, it was not. We can keep arguing in circles, but as I and others have pointed out, your DM was well within his right to call this as he did.
The mechanics of this edition do not support "distraction" except by defined mechanics (for instance, if the enemies were under the effect of an Enthrall spell). Being in combat is not one of those. While in combat, every character and NPC is assumed to see 360 degrees around them at all times. No, this is not realistic, but it's how the game works. There are no "blindsides" in 5e combat like in a football or hockey game.
That said, I've had DMs allow a hidden character to remain so while moving maybe 5-10ft in the open. However, if you want to be able to hide or sneak in open combat, you'll generally need some way to obscure yourself or impair your enemies' senses (e.g. a smoke bomb or a flashbang).
If you're just trying to ensure advantage for yourself in this situation, you could propose your DM make use of the Flanking variant rules. (Note those rules tend to be more a detriment to a party than a benefit as the party's melee members often end up outnumbered in my experience.)
I don’t mean to be argumentative in the least, nor am I here to complain. I just feel the scenario IS possible and thought dismissing the idea so quickly without a moment of consideration was unfair.
My son is a Marine. I’ve witnessed the formation drills they run, and a number of them involve suppression fire on an area an enemy inhabits, giving an opportunity for soldiers on either side to move forward and flank.
I just assumed a fireball in their faces would give me that one second I needed to make my move.
---
Question. Is your table using the optional flanking rules? If not, there is no mechanical difference between running into the room screaming “I’m a pterodactyl, I’m a pterodactyl!!” While waving your arms until you get into a “flanking” position. And trying to sneak into the room into a “flanking” position.
When combat starts, enemies are alert for danger. So unless you are hiding then stealthing into the room isn’t usually going to work. In the rules quoted above, if the DM decides there is enough distraction then you could roll for stealth. In your case, your DM decided it wasn’t possible.
EZD6 by DM Scotty
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/397599/EZD6-Core-Rulebook?
I'm cognizant of everything you offered. You still just don't understand the scenario I'm trying to paint a picture of here.
Can an enemy be distracted? Yes. Easily.
Could this distraction open up a chance for my rogue to sneak unnoticed. Also yes.
I'm not running in screaming I'm a pterodactyl. I'm roleplaying my rogue. I'm roleplaying what I think he would do in that situation. How do the two even compare? How do they even relate???
---
You’re right. I’m not understanding what you were trying to accomplish. Wether the DM allowed you to roll stealth or not I guess you could have role played it as if you did and “snuck” your way around. But would of been like Cartman thinking he was invisible crossing a stage
In the end, I understand your desire to RP your character but I also understand your DM making the decision they did and they were well within their rights to do so. Would it have been better if he allowed you to roll but it would have had no effect no matter how high you rolled?
EZD6 by DM Scotty
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/397599/EZD6-Core-Rulebook?
If you want an ally to distract the enemy and give you advantage on your attack, they have to take the help action on their turn. But I assume you're not interested in the mechanics as much as the roleplaying, so let's look at the situation from a different perspective.
There are 3 people in a room. They've just watched 2 foes charge through the door and initiate combat. At this point they are alert for more foes and have a numerical advantage, so at least one of them is not really distracted by the fighting. Bearing all this in mind, they're going to notice you as soon as you come through the same door into the brightly lit room with no cover.
I love this answer and respect your viewpoint. My entire narrative is this: combat, while possibly time consuming in real life, passes as seconds in the game. Mal was tense, ready for his opening. Orin, that barrel riding, pimp gnome (bright blue) wizard unleashed a fireball that engulfed all three enemies (and Ser Brown, the paladin, because we’re a band of misfits and hardcore role play out alignments) that became his last second of combat. I’m up, and within MY second these guys are still swatting away fuego magico. Isn’t it possible I could run, in that moment that’s mine, past their line of sight? The stealth role would include the difficult circumstances, the ability to remain silent, making it almost impossibly achievable with a DC of 45 or 50.
---
Ah hell. You’re right. I should have run up to the wizard with my potently poisoned Cat’s Claw (+3 hit and damage) and use Wails from the Grave on the closest dread night. To the wizard that’s (1d6+12) plus Sneak Attack (6d6), and, if he fails his Con Save, an additional 2d8 damage and he’s poisoned. Wails from the Grave hit the dread knight, pummeling it with necrotic tendrils, taking damage equal to another Sneak Attack roll that’s halved and rounded up. I didn’t need a token, so Malice was in my off hand. I swing the oddly curved short sword at the wizard as my second attack. If I hit, the wizard will feel another 1d6+11 points of damage. Ser Brown had him bloodied, so if my hits were clean I may have finished him off.
Yeah, that’s what I should have done. What a great learning experience. You guys rock.
---
That's not a Stealth check and wouldn't involve Dexterity. That's a Charisma (Deception) check or a Charisma (Performance) check or a Wisdom (Insight) check. You don't roll Dexterity (Stealth) to determine when someone is distracted and take that opportunity to move innocuously.
The DM is the arbiter of where the edge of impossibility lies and clearly told you that it was not possible. Maybe they should have told you that your character can tell it wasn't possible, but generally you should accept the call that the game referee makes so as not to impede the flow of the game. The DM also is the one to call for a roll when they deem it necessary. You as a player don't call for rolls, you just describe your actions. If you need a place to portray the benefit of your enemy being distracted, getting your Sneak Attack to go off is a pretty good place to start.
Canto alla vita
alla sua bellezza
ad ogni sua ferita
ogni sua carezza!
I sing to life and to its tragic beauty
To pain and to strife, but all that dances through me
The rise and the fall, I've lived through it all!
It honestly sounds like you don't agree with the ruling and have come here looking for us to agree that you were right and he was wrong. At least that's how it sounds to me.
To answer your question regarding whether or not you should have been given the option to try I will say only this:
Depending on the DM, yes you could have tried. Some DMs may have given Disadvantage on the attempt. Others may have given an absurdly high DC or given the enemies Advantage on their perception checks to notice you. Others yet may have combined all of these options. Your DM, though, chose to rule that no, the enemies were aware of your presence so you could not attempt a stealthy approach. Any of the aforementioned choices, including the one your DM gave, would have been equally correct because it's their role to make that determination.
Now that that's been said, here's my advice:
Your DM may simply be of the mindset that if they are setting unattainable DC numbers then there's no point in having you roll. I, personally, prefer to let the players roll and, even if success was impossible from the start, I can use the result as a basis for the description of the attempt. If you disagree with their decision just roll with it during the game and talk to them about it afterwards. With any luck you and they can come to a compromise or understanding. At the very least it would likely be more productive than arguing with those here who agree with the ruling of the DM given the circumstances you have described.
Stealth require you to go unotice. The way to escape notice is try to hide and be unseen and unheard. As i said, it's possible while hidden, to sneak past distracted creatures and stay hidden that way. But Stealth hardly let anyone you're aware and that you can see sneak past you by simply moving silently.
If you were already hidden and get in the doorway, then the DM either
1) use your Stealth check vs Passive Perception of any distracted enemy
2) Or determine that you're no longer hidden from enemies now seeing you
Either options is fine and within it's right as a DM to adjucate this situation. If you wanted to know if option 1 was a possbility, you have your answer.
As others have already explained, the DM is completely correct in his adjudication of the rules, and you are wrong according to the rules.
However, the DM could easily have bent the rules and let you stay hidden one way or another. In the case at hand, he chose to stick to the rules as written. That is all there is to it.
I'm surprised it hasn't come up, but I think what you're actually trying to do is the Disengage Option.
It sounds like your intent is to say, "Can I use the distraction of battle to get past the enemies guarding the wizard without them attacking or blocking me?"
That's the Disengage Option... it allows you to move without triggering opportunity attacks. The name is a bit misleading in that regard, because it doesn't sound like the right flavor, but it mechanically accomplishes what you're trying to do. Rogues can Disengage as a bonus action, so you can use that to get into strategically valuable positions.
Watch Crits for Breakfast, an adults-only RP-Heavy Roll20 Livestream at twitch.tv/afterdisbooty
And now you too can play with the amazing art and assets we use in Roll20 for our campaign at Hazel's Emporium
You copied and pasted the rules for Hide. Thanks for that. I don't believe you've read any of my posts. Nothing I attempted to do is even IN the rules. This horse has been beaten to death. Thanks for your uplifting response.
---
You could be hidden in the hallway. You could make a ranged attack with advantage by stepping out to where you can see your target and shooting. However, as soon as you move into the room and are clearly visible - you are no longer hidden. That is just how 5e works.
During combat, ALL creatures are assumed to be paying attention to their surroundings, looking around (even behind them) - they aren't so focused on the creature right in front of them that they aren't paying attention to the rest of the room. There is no possibility to use the "distraction of battle" to hide because there isn't any unless the characters do something specifically to cause a distraction that the DM might adjudicate as allowing a creature to move without being seen. Usually though, these situations would not occur in combat (like distracting a guard while someone sneaks up behind them). Once you are in combat, everyone is paying attention.
This edition has no "hide in shadows" unless the shadows prevent the target from seeing you (or you are a gloomstalker ranger, or you have the skulker feat - both of which provide additional options).
Also, halflings can hide behind creatures at least one size larger than them in combat.
Here are the rules ...
"HIDING
The DM decides when circumstances are appropriate for hiding. When you try to hide, make a Dexterity (Stealth) check. Until you are discovered or you stop hiding, that check's total is contested by the Wisdom (Perception) check of any creature that actively searches for signs of your presence. You can't hide from a creature that can see you clearly, and you give away your position if you make noise, such as shouting a warning or knocking over a vase."
"In combat, most creatures stay alert for signs of danger all around, so if you come out of hiding and approach a creature, it usually sees you. However, under certain circumstances, the DM might allow you to stay hidden as you approach a creature that is distracted, allowing you to gain advantage on an attack roll before you are seen."
Regular combat is not considered enough of a distraction to allow a character to successfully hide (i.e. use stealth to move without being noticed = hide)
"If you are hidden - both unseen and unheard - when you make an attack, you give away your location when the attack hits or misses."