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I'm about to start up a new 4e campaign, and my roommate is playing a melee rogue. They're going to have a warlord, so she took melee basic training(DEX) as a feat for melee attacks.

She's been going on about how if she was hiding behind a wall or any cover and made a good stealth check to become hidden, on her next turn, she could move out from behind the wall, and then charge an enemy, thus having combat advantage against it from being hidden, and therefore her sneak attack dice.

I disagree!

I was hoping to get some clarification on this, thanks!

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    \$\begingroup\$ Good question, and welcome to the site! Small advice: try not to immediately accept answers: it discourages other people from answering. \$\endgroup\$ Commented Jul 7, 2011 at 20:18
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    \$\begingroup\$ @Zakriv My answer was wrong, so I asked the mods to delete it. Please see @GMNoob's answer, he is accurate in his explanation of the stealth rules. \$\endgroup\$
    – dpatchery
    Commented Jul 8, 2011 at 12:44
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    \$\begingroup\$ Have you considered accepting GMNoob's answer? It's a good one and deserves it, and it encourages people to answer future questions of yours. \$\endgroup\$
    – jprete
    Commented Jul 12, 2011 at 16:48
  • \$\begingroup\$ The Wizards forum community has written a definitive volume on stealth and how it works The rules of the Hidden Club \$\endgroup\$
    – wax eagle
    Commented Jan 7, 2014 at 14:38
  • \$\begingroup\$ @zakriv as per GMNoob's answer if she only charges its valid, but if she moves and charges its not. Remember a charge doesn't have to be in a straight line, just that every movement bring you closer to the target square. She could as part of the movement of the charge action step out from behind the wall so long as the movement met the rules of charging. \$\endgroup\$ Commented Jan 7, 2014 at 15:15

2 Answers 2

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A rogue gets sneak attack die, or combat advantage if at the begining of their action they have cover, or are concealed.

The rogue can charge from behind a wall and get the sneak attack dice, but since odds are they won't really have cover unless there is a tapestry or something like that, most of the cases they actually have to move, and then charge. That move action removes their cover.

However, some skills allow you to move and attack in the same action, and those actions get sneak attack dice.

The general rule is, check for cover at the end of each action. (move, standard, or minor) If there is no cover at the end of each action, then there is no stealth on the next action.

Source: Stealth

Stealth: Free action made after moving into a square at the end of an action. You may use a move action to make a Stealth check in your current square.

✦ Opposed Check: Stealth vs. passive Perception. If multiple enemies are present, your Stealth check is opposed by each enemy’s passive Perception check. If you moved more than 2 squares in the action prior to making the check, you take a –5 penalty to the Stealth check. If you ran, the penalty is –10.

✦ Becoming Hidden: You can make a Stealth check against an enemy only if you have superior cover or total concealment against the enemy or if you’re outside the enemy’s line of sight. Outside combat, the DM can allow you to make a Stealth check against a distracted enemy, even if you don’t have superior cover or total concealment and aren’t outside the enemy’s line of sight. The distracted enemy might be focused on something in a different direction, allowing you to sneak up.

✦ Success: You are hidden, which means you are silent and invisible to the enemy (see “Concealment” and “Targeting What You Can’t See,” page 281).

✦ Remaining Hidden: You remain hidden as long as you meet these requirements.

Keep Out of Sight: If you no longer have any cover or concealment against an enemy, you don’t remain hidden from that enemy. You don’t need superior cover, total concealment, or to stay outside line of sight, but you do need some degree of cover or concealment to remain hidden. You can’t use another creature as cover to remain hidden.

Keep Quiet: If you speak louder than a whisper or otherwise draw attention to yourself, you don’t remain hidden from any enemy that can hear you.

Keep Still: If you move more than 2 squares during an action, you must make a new Stealth check with a –5 penalty. If you run, the penalty is –10. If any enemy’s passive Perception check beats your check result, you don’t remain hidden from that enemy. Don’t Attack: If you attack, you don’t remain hidden.

✦ Not Remaining Hidden: If you take an action that causes you not to remain hidden, you retain the benefits of being hidden until you resolve the action. You can’t become hidden again at the end of that action.

✦ Enemy Activity: An enemy can try to find you on its turn. If an enemy makes an active Perception check and beats your Stealth check result (don’t make a new check), you don’t remain hidden from that enemy. Also, if an enemy tries to enter your space, you don’t remain hidden from that enemy.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Ah, so if she was hiding behind, say, a fallen log and made a stealth check, on her next turn, she could charge from behind it and get CA? Seeing as the log would just be difficult terrain, but cover? \$\endgroup\$
    – Zakriv
    Commented Jul 7, 2011 at 20:08
  • \$\begingroup\$ Yep! As long as its not a new action after they lose being hidden. \$\endgroup\$
    – GMNoob
    Commented Jul 7, 2011 at 20:26
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    \$\begingroup\$ Just remember that they need total cover to make the initial stealth check. \$\endgroup\$
    – GMNoob
    Commented Jul 7, 2011 at 20:36
  • \$\begingroup\$ @GMNoob I suggest that you add a bold line at the top of your answer simply stating that: "Yes, because Charging is a single action including a move and an attack" and then leave the rest of your answer. It's all there but its not clear at the beginning where you are going. \$\endgroup\$ Commented Jan 7, 2014 at 14:44
  • \$\begingroup\$ @JoshuaAslanSmith I think that will confuse people, because the question asks if they can move first and then charge. \$\endgroup\$
    – GMNoob
    Commented Jan 7, 2014 at 14:52
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No! The player cannot Move and Then Charge and remain Hidden. The player can, however, Charge while hidden. The reason is that any action which would cause a player to lose Hidden status does so at the end of that action. If the player moves out from behind cover, and then charges, the move action ending causes the player to lose Hidden status, before charging. If the player uses the Charge action without Moving first (if the target is within the player's normal speed range), then they remain hidden until the end of the action (the move and the basic melee attack).

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