Marshal's Aura and Listen checks

[heavyfuel]

The Marshal's Aura has the following description: "Activating an aura involves haranguing, ordering, directing, encouraging, cajoling, or calming allies. A marshal sizes up the enemy, allies, and the terrain, then gives allies the direction that they can use to do their best."

So how do you rule this aura vs the Listen skill?

If a group of adventurers with a Marshal is approaching, it should be easy to know that they're coming. What would the Base DC for this be?

Also, can the Marshal apply Motivate Dexterity to Move Silently checks? My suspicions were confirmed in the RAW Q&A that by RAW, yes, it can. But should it affect it?

[Lycoris]

I suppose it would depend on what action(s) the Marshal is trying to lead the party through at the time, not to mention that some leaders(Marshals) may be able to inspire their followers in non-verbal manners (banners, hand signals, etc.). Regular speech is around DC0, and whispering is DC15 (both before modifiers), so anything between those two should be reasonable depending on how the Marshal chooses to manage his Aura. In the Hide/Move Silently case, I'd never penalize the Marshal/Party by more than what the Aura grants (no penalty at all should they have thought about it themselves and are using a reasonable work around in-character).

As the modifiers for distance/terrain to a listen check can be fairly steep (+1 per 10ft, even more for doors/walls), any penalty they would receive is probably pretty inconsequential unless they are fairly close to the listener (or are getting high bonuses from levels/items/spells/etc.), so it may even be fine to hand wave it.

[Fouredged Sword]

An aura is activated as a set action and persists until the aura is changed. ACTIVATING the aura would have the same listen DC as people talking, IE DC 0. Once the aura is active, no extra noise is needed.

[Vogonjeltz]

The Marshal's Aura has the following description: "Activating an aura involves haranguing, ordering, directing, encouraging, cajoling, or calming allies. A marshal sizes up the enemy, allies, and the terrain, then gives allies the direction that they can use to do their best."

So how do you rule this aura vs the Listen skill?

If a group of adventurers with a Marshal is approaching, it should be easy to know that they're coming. What would the Base DC for this be?

Also, can the Marshal apply Motivate Dexterity to Move Silently checks? My suspicions were confirmed in the RAW Q&A that by RAW, yes, it can. But should it affect it?

People whispering is DC 15, People talking is DC 0, A battle (which would include some amount of yelling) is DC -10. So it would be somewhere between 0 and -10 to hear the Marshal, who is probably yelling in some or most cases.

So, with 0 ranks in listen and a 0 wisdom modifier, someone could hear the Marshal from up to 300' away, which would happen 5% of the time if he's yelling out suggestions. Up to 200' away if he's just talking, and up to 50' away if he's whispering.

[Telok]

Marshal Mime!

I'm sorry. I couldn't stop myself. I'll go away now.

[Zaq]

Marshal Mime!

I'm sorry. I couldn't stop myself. I'll go away now.

Marshal Marceau?

[Galen]

Consider the scene in Forrest Gump when Lieutenant Dan stops his platoon mid-march and organizes them in a defensive position. He does all of that without a sound. That's how a good Marshal helps his party.

[Vogonjeltz]

Consider the scene in Forrest Gump when Lieutenant Dan stops his platoon mid-march and organizes them in a defensive position. He does all of that without a sound. That's how a good Marshal helps his party.

Battle signs are a language from Heroes of Battle. Not what the marshal class feature does though.

[heavyfuel]

Marshal Mime!

I'm sorry. I couldn't stop myself. I'll go away now.

No... Stay! I laughed!


Consider the scene in Forrest Gump when Lieutenant Dan stops his platoon mid-march and organizes them in a defensive position. He does all of that without a sound. That's how a good Marshal helps his party.


Battle signs are a language from Heroes of Battle. Not what the marshal class feature does though.

While signs can be used for simple communication that doesn't give enemies a Listen check, first you'd need both the Marshal and the rest of the party to spend a language in Battle Signals, but even then I don't think this works because according to HoB, "Most orders that can be communicated using battle signals are relatively straightforward, such as “Attack now,” “Stay here,” “Go over there,” or “Surround that target”; the language is incapable of more complex communication". So I don't think one can Motivate a party to do anything with sign language.