D&D 5E Cloak of Elvenkind - or how Hiding and Stealthing combines

[CapnZapp]

(I found earlier threads talking about the cloak, but none specifically discussing this)

These are the two benefits of the cloak of elvenkind (with the hood up, while attuned):
* "Wisdom (Perception) checks made to see you have disadvantage"
* "you have advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to hide"

Now how do you run this in practice, in your games?

When a character attempts to hide from, say, a patrolling guard, I would normally ask for a Stealth check and pit that against the guard's passive perception.

First question - is this how you'd do it?

Assuming a yes, doesn't this mean the cloak gives you a double benefit? Hiding means making a Stealth (Dex) check vs the passive perception of the enemy. The character gain advantage on her active roll and also the DC is lowered by -5 (because that's how disadvantage on passive checks work).

End result, the two benefits stack - giving a "double benefit".

Am I using the stealth rules correctly?

Is this how you would run the encounter? Again assuming a yes - is something this powerful appropriate for an Uncommon item?

 

[Yunru]

Yes and yes. But I also rule you're auto-discovered if you're in plain sight (i.e. no concealment, magical or otherwise).

It sounds great, but unless you've got something to hide, it's useless, and unless the entire party's got one it's only good for solo missions and getting the drop on enemies.

When those come up, it's great. And so it should be, it's a magic item.

 

[Eltab]

My AL Monk used a Cloak of Elvenkind while scouting out the enemy camp in one module. I told the DM I was going to be sneaky and Stealthy as normal circumstances. It just so happened that my character was optimized for Scouting. (Hmmm, how could that be? ) I found everything needful for the plot to progress, and got out again undetected. We also found out just how incompetent one set of guards were; we took advantage of this shortly.
The group followed my path back in, to the middle of the enemy's camp zone. We broke our Stealth on purpose, and shortly had the camp in a state of confusion while we grabbed our McGuffins and headed out.
(One McGuffin was a captured Owlbear, which we released first and got the heck out of its way. It did an excellent job of drawing attention away from us.)

The Cloak did the job it was designed to do.

 

[Warmaster Horus]

I agree with Yunru. You need to follow the standard rules for Hiding. However the cloak-wearer get's advantage to Hide and anyone trying to defeat their Hide roll has disadvantage. I use it all the time for my assassin archer since he tends to camp in a piece of cover during battle, shoots, then hides again.

 

[DEFCON 1]

Yes and yes. But I also rule you're auto-discovered if you're in plain sight (i.e. no concealment, magical or otherwise).

It sounds great, but unless you've got something to hide, it's useless, and unless the entire party's got one it's only good for solo missions and getting the drop on enemies.

When those come up, it's great. And so it should be, it's a magic item.

I also rule as Yunru does. As well as the requirement that the PC needs to be Lightly Obscured as they move in order remain hidden. Which oftentimes can be in short supply.

 

[CapnZapp]

Thank you for all replies.

 

[CapnZapp]

I agree with Yunru. You need to follow the standard rules for Hiding.

Just a quick (and possibly stupid) follow-up question, does this mean you (or Yunru?) believe I am not following the standard hiding rules...? If so, in what way?

 

[Mercule]

Yup. Yunru gave the right answer.

 

[Yunru]

does this mean you (or Yunru?) believe I am not following the standard hiding rules...?

I certainly don't. I mean do? Negative questions always confuse me.

 

[Hriston]

Is this how you would run the encounter?

No. In my games, the cloak-wearer can only try to hide as long as the guard can't see her, so the guard's attempt to notice the cloak-wearer is not a check "made to see" her and isn't at disadvantage. It's a check made to hear or sense her by some other means and uses the guard's full passive Perception score. The cloak-wearer still has advantage on the Dexterity (Stealth) check, of course.