D&D 5E Lightfoot Halfling Naturally Stealthy Trait

[Melkor]

The description of the trait states: "Lightfoot trait: Naturally Stealthy. You can attempt to hide even when you are obscured only by a creature that is at least one size larger than you."

How do you become obscured by a creature?

If you were behind an enemy that was one size larger than you, could you hide from that creature by counting it as causing you to be obscured (even with no facing in Basic)?

Just a bit confused by the qualification of 'obscured.'

Thanks.

 

[fjw70]

I don't think you can use that to hide from the creature you are using to obscure yourself with, but you can use it to hide from his buddies that are on the opposite side of him.


If the DM determines that the creature is faced a certain away then I would allow anyone to use stealth to be hidden behind the creature.

 

[MarkB]

The most obvious way to use it is to hide behind your own taller allies, so that the monsters don't know you're there until you break cover (or until your cover walks away).

 

[Joe Liker]

"Obscured" is a poor choice of words here. What they meant was "cover."

In 5e, if there's another creature between you and the creature you are hiding from, you have half cover (which grants +2 to your AC and Dex saves), but you cannot use half cover to hide because you are still visible.

Lightfoot halflings can use the half cover provided by Medium or larger creatures to hide. It doesn't matter if the cover is friend or foe, but you can only hide from creatures on the other side of it, not from the covering creature itself.