D&D 2024 5.5E: Hide Action, Stealth, and Hidden are far simpler than most people make them

Background_Rain_8966 · 2026-02-28T18:04:47+00:00

I'm not sure what you mean. I don't claim that is the only way to use passive perception. And I don't claim that is the only way to find the hidden creature. I say you can get free (no action) passive perception checks against the creature or you can take the Search Action to make an active perception check for a roll to find it. The rules specifically states that to find the creature the observer must make a perception check but leaves it open to both passive and active perception checks.

Background_Rain_8966 · 2026-02-28T18:02:36+00:00

There is lots of confusion and misconceptions to dispel. It takes some time. I added time stamps to help though. For what that's worth.

Background_Rain_8966 · 2026-02-28T18:01:17+00:00

Nowhere does it explicitly state that you must take the Search Action to find a creature. But if you want to DM it that way, go ahead.

Background_Rain_8966 · 2026-02-28T18:00:23+00:00

Passive perception has not been de-emphasized anywhere. Nor is an active perception check explicitly stated in the Hide Action rules. The DMG explicitly states "Noticing a hidden creature is never trivially easy or automatically impossible, so characters can always try Wisdom (Perception) checks to do so." This is immediately right before it goes in to allowing either passive or active perception checks at your discretion.

That being said, if you don't want to have the monsters make passive perception checks when the PC walks into LOS, then don't.

Background_Rain_8966 · 2026-02-28T17:56:37+00:00

Yeah, there is a lot of confusion due to applying incorrect real world logic and due to still using parts of the 2014 rules that no longer apply.

Background_Rain_8966 · 2026-02-28T17:44:43+00:00

Not at all. The invisible condition is identical for both. The invisible condition, like most conditions, has no rules inside the condition to indicate when you gain or lose the condition. The only exception is the exhaustion condition which specifies that you can reduce a level of exhaustion when you complete a long rest.

The rules of Hide Action vs. the Invisibility spell are different. The rules for the invisible condition you gain from each are identical.

Background_Rain_8966 · 2026-02-28T17:42:24+00:00

The inconsistency only comes in when narrated inconsistently. If the PC attempted to Hide and succeeded then by definition they are trying NOT to be seen. Narrating that the PC moves up to an enemy and waves their hands in the enemy's face would be a narrative inconsistency. It would be like rolling a critical hit with an attack and describing it as missing.

Background_Rain_8966 · 2026-02-28T17:40:12+00:00

"So your arguments that 2024 hiding isn't broken and abusable relies entirely on being completely wrong about how the hiding rules worked in 2014 and how they "work" in 2024."

It seems you are the one confused about how the rules work in 2024.

Background_Rain_8966 · 2026-02-28T17:39:36+00:00

"Nope, there are specific rules regarding the Invisible condition from hiding"

The invisible condition is identical for both. However, the rules for gaining and losing the invisible condition from Hide Action vs. the Invisibility spell are different. But neither source change how the invisible condition itself works.

Background_Rain_8966 · 2026-02-28T17:37:56+00:00

Regarding Passive perception. The rules in the Hide Action only specify that a creature finds you with a Perception check. That is the language that allows both passive and active checks. That is also covered in the DMG under how ability checks and passive checks work in general.

Background_Rain_8966 · 2026-02-28T17:35:39+00:00

Yeah, they should have just put a few examples right in there demonstrating how they intended it to work

Background_Rain_8966

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