Help me be sneaky... (PF only)

[JoeYounger]

As the title implies, I'm playing a sneaky character, a halfling ninja to be precise. I've got a 20 dex, 1 rank, 3 class skill bonus, 3 skill focus, 4 size for a +16 to stealth at level 1. I asked about getting a master work tool (padded shoes? black spandex? anyone?) but was told that wouldn't fly. Either way, I'm fine with where my check is at, my question is how to beat scent. There were a few ways around it back in 3.5, but I don't know of anything in PF, so I thought I'd ask. Anyone know of anything? If I have to I'll look into getting some smelling salts and whatnot to try and "overload" their scent ability for a round or two, using the bluff-a distraction to get concealment to hide rules, I'll see if I can combine the bluff with throwing a whole package of smelling salts. I don't even know that it'll come up, but I want to be prepared incase it does. I'd like to figure out some ways around blindsite and whatnot too, but I'm less concerned about those since we're playing e6 (PFE6? PF6?) and those are a bit more rare at our levels.

Thoughts?

[Krazzman]

Masterworked sneaking tool: Shoes. Seriously if your dm doesn't let that fly I don't know what else he'll block. Additionally camo coats (1 Urban one 1 for rocks, 1 for nature etc). Against scent as you mentioned something contained with strong scent. The rules for scent, afaik are that he has to do a really awesome search check to even notice you if there is another, stronger form of smell at work. Additonally depending on the smell itself it could be that you make the scenter sick.

Back to the shoes. If you want good evidence for a "sneaktool" read Brent Weeks Night Angel Trilogy. In the first book there is the master described as a minmaxer in the art of sneaking.

Hope this helps.

[Waker]

On the PF SRD, there is a feat Conceal Scent, which prevents you from being tracked by scent and fuddles with their ability to notice your presence. Can't find exactly where the feat originates.

[grarrrg]

Can't find exactly where the feat originates.

BOOM! (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/general-feats/conceal-scent)
Pathfinder Companion: Osirion, Land of Pharaohs

That's where the SRD is ham-dandy.

Bottom of every page lists what book "x" came out of.

You are on your own for Page Number though.

[Waker]

Thank you for pointing that out grarrrg, apparently the copyright notice has the Hide in Plain Sight ability.

[JoeYounger]

Thanks for the help guys, we're currently playing core (PG, APG, and the ultimates) only, so the feat won't help, but I'll look back into the scent with multiple creatures there.

[NamelessNPC]

Negate Aroma, a druid/ranger/alchemist 1 spell. Lasts hour per level. Buy some pots

Edit: It's from the APG, so it's kosher

[cZak]

I've liked the idea of using reduced lighting tactically to my PC's benefit. But its the rare DM that actually enforces the vision rules.

Having a high 'Stealth' is ok, but generally not by itself.

Once combat is engaged, how do you plan to benefit?
Without some cover or reduced illumination, your one trick pony kind of goes away. Eventually I suppose you're looking for the Hide in plain sight/ camouflage/ etc...
In the meantime, bring along some smoke sticks or other mundane methods of extinguishing/ reducing light levels to give you the opportunity to hide.
Magic wise, MIC has a 'Daylight' pellet which seems making a 'Darkness' pellet logical. I talked a DM into allowing them for ~50gp/ ea.

The problem with this is if you don't have some extra-vision (dark or low light) you're as limited or more than your enemies.
There are magic items and spells that provide extra vision, but the items all seem expensive to me.

[JoeYounger]

I've liked the idea of using reduced lighting tactically to my PC's benefit. But its the rare DM that actually enforces the vision rules.

Having a high 'Stealth' is ok, but generally not by itself.

Once combat is engaged, how do you plan to benefit?
Without some cover or reduced illumination, your one trick pony kind of goes away. Eventually I suppose you're looking for the Hide in plain sight/ camouflage/ etc...
In the meantime, bring along some smoke sticks or other mundane methods of extinguishing/ reducing light levels to give you the opportunity to hide.
Magic wise, MIC has a 'Daylight' pellet which seems making a 'Darkness' pellet logical. I talked a DM into allowing them for ~50gp/ ea.

The problem with this is if you don't have some extra-vision (dark or low light) you're as limited or more than your enemies.
There are magic items and spells that provide extra vision, but the items all seem expensive to me.

Yeah, my DM is pretty by-the-books so I'm under the impression lighting will play a role. I plan on being a pretty hard 1 trick poney, I'll sneak out of combat and for the first round, then I'll more than likely only attack if I can flank. I've just not got the dmg output to attack without sneak atk. I had initially planned on pumping str and dex and running around with a great sword for 3d6 dmg at level 1 (we're playing e6 so I'll never get to take advantage of a lot of the rogue stuff.) But my main plan had been exactly that, smoke sticks for concealment or bluff for a diversion haha. I expect that stealth will play a better role in out of combat recon and whatnot though.



Negate Aroma, a druid/ranger/alchemist 1 spell. Lasts hour per level. Buy some pots

Edit: It's from the APG, so it's kosher

Thanks for this, I saw it and thought about it, but we're playing in a low (very low) magic campaign and my party has frowned on the idea of crafting stuff ourselves so it seems a bit out of reach. I'll try for it though, I may get lucky and be able to knowledge: local my way into finding some. I was really hoping more for a mundane item. IIRC in 3.5 there was a suit that was essentially a plastic bag that went over your clothes to keep your scent in, and a potent pellet that basically covered all other scents in the area. Unfortunately I wasn't able to find a PF version of either of these.