Does Wind Walk grant stealth benefits due to gaseous form?

Question

There has already been some helpful discussion about whether wind walk in D&D 5e also gives the extra effects associated with gaseous form (Just how gaseous is the "gaseous form" of the Wind Walk spell?). I understand the past consensus was that RAW says probably not, but that there is an acceptable basis for house rules to say otherwise.

In my group, we seem to have opted for the interpretation that being in wind walk's gaseous form gives us all the benefits of gaseous form. For example, we've been able to do do things like flow through small cracks in wind walk.

Under my group's interpretation of a wind walk that allows gaseous state benefits, would being a gas also make us more difficult to see, which would grant a stealth bonus? For context, we have a tentative plan to infiltrate a warehouse by slipping through a keyhole in wind walk, so we may need to resolve how easy it is for the guards on the other side to see us come in.

Answer 1

I think two different issues are being blurred here: hidden is unseen and unheard. Requirements to be unseen:

1. Being located in a heavily obscured area
2. Being located in a lightly obscured area only if you have the Skulker feat or Mask of the Wild - you're not clearly seen in this case
3. Positioned where something is blocking line of site
4. Invisible condition

Once one these conditions are met, you role dexterity, Stealth to determine if you are silent. If your dexterity stealth check succeeds, you're hidden (unseen and unheard, and you you cannot be directly targeted). If you are unseen, it does not give a bonus to stealth. Invisible Stalkers don't get a bonus to stealth because the are invisible. They are, however, able to hide, with a successful Stealth check, at any moment because the are invisible.

I personally think the RAI are that you use Wind Walk to visibly move past someone without hiding, with the assumption that they don't know you are the wisp of cloud. It can also be used to slip through a small area. If you're outside, I think you should be able to move past most creatures without causing alarm. If you're in a dungeon or a warehouse, for example, I would think it is highly suspicious to see a cloud float by you. You might want to call for an Intellect check to see if they are suspicious.

Answer 2

Gaseous Form gives no such benefit

If you play Wind Walk as though it does what Gaseous Form does, then it offers no bonus or ability to hide beyond what the ungaseous creature has.