Hide in Plain Sight - The Difference

[JackMage666]

So, Hide in Plain Sight can be either Supernatural or Extraordinary, but what's the difference?

Also, the Shadow Template's Ability - Shadow Blend, does that basically allow Hide in Plain Sight, because it gives Total Concealment (unless you're in full daylight)?

[Reinboom]

Extraordinary isn't removed in specific situations (antimagic field) that remove supernatural abilities.
Extraordinary is a physical task, usually requiring skill or a specific knowledge. The ranger's, for example, is hiding very well in overgrowth, knowing how to blend in with it.
The shadowdancer is using a supernatural power to move shadows to hide, and thus is supernatural.

That's about it.

--edit--
Oh, with total concealment, yes, you can make hide checks freely as HiPS allows. The different being that total concealment is slightly better, as there's still a miss chance when someone attacks you.

[CthulhuM]

Extraordinary and Supernatural Hide in Plain Sight are identical, except that the supernatural one doesn't work in an antimagic field or similar. Which one it is really just depends on the source, I suppose (i.e. whether you are magically warping the shadows around you in order to hide in them, or just preternaturally good at blending into your surroundings).

As for that the total concealment thing, the rules I've found are rather vague on what exactly it means. I've always interpreted it to mean that the creature in question is visible, but so shrouded in shadow that its precise position within its square cannot be determined. By that interpretation, the creature can use its concealment to hide, but cannot use it to disappear once it has actually been observed (at least, not without making a bluff check to create a diversion or something similar), while a creature with Hide in Plain Sight may choose to begin hiding and possibly disappear from view even while someone is watching it.

[Draz74]

Hide in Plain Sight (Ex)

While in any sort of natural terrain, a ranger of 17th level or higher can use the Hide skill even while being observed.

Hide in Plain Sight (Su)

A shadowdancer can use the Hide skill even while being observed. As long as she is within 10 feet of some sort of shadow, a shadowdancer can hide herself from view in the open without anything to actually hide behind. She cannot, however, hide in her own shadow.

Supernatural versions of the ability include a line about "without anything to actually hide behind." Extraordinary versions of the ability don't.

Both versions let you hide while someone is watching you, without having to Bluff them into looking away for a sec (or having to gain total concealment). But the [Ex] version still requires you to have cover or concealment before you can hide, while the [Su] version means you can hide without cover or concealment.

Of course, in Core-only, the distinction is pretty much trivial, because anytime a Ranger can use HiPS, he can also use Camouflage, which negates the need for cover or concealment. Camouflage + HiPS [Ex] ~=~ HiPS [Su]. (Where ~=~ means "almost equals".)

[JackMage666]

Aright, one more question then. With Shadow Blend, when I have total concealment, does that mean I get sneak attack on every attack? Provided, of course, that I have the sneak attack class feature.

[Draz74]

Aright, one more question then. With Shadow Blend, when I have total concealment, does that mean I get sneak attack on every attack? Provided, of course, that I have the sneak attack class feature.

The Rules in the SRD seem to assume that Invisibility is the only way to have Total Concealment from your opponent, and still be able to attack him. Therefore they don't say anything (that I can find) about this situation, except under Invisibility. (Hopefully this is the kind of thing fixed in the Rules Compendium.) But I think just about any DM would rule that having Total Concealment from Shadow Blend would work just like being Invisible, as far as Sneak Attack opportunities go.

And yes, being Invisible means every attack gets Sneak Attack, because someone being attacked by an Invisible foe loses their Dexterity bonus to AC according to the rules. The exception is when the target has the Blind-Fight feat, or Uncanny Dodge, or something similar.

[ZeroNumerous]

Sneak Attack applies anytime you have a miss chance, so you can use Blink, Greater Blink, and Displacement to qualify for sneak-attacks as well.