Listen check to hear someone not moving [Archive] - Wizards Community

Listen check to hear someone not moving [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Kusari_Gamer
05-01-07, 12:29 PM If someone is standing in wait with a readied action to bull rush an opponent who opens the door would the opponent get a listen check? I feel that they would but techically he's trying to listen to a guy who's just standing there.

Opinions?
Vegepygmy
05-01-07, 12:38 PM I'd set the DC to hear the opponent breathing at 40, plus 5 for the door = 45.
Clearly_Toughpick
05-01-07, 12:48 PM The SRD has hearing people whispering with a DC of 15. And when you're next to someone, and you listen carefully, you can hear them breathing. So I would say the DC to hear someone breathing must be within the grasp of an ordinary person, so DC 20.

Then you've got the door in the way, the distance to make things more complicated. I think it would also be reasonable to add the 'breather's move silently modifier too.
Vegepygmy
05-01-07, 03:10 PM As I think it over, Clearly Toughpick makes a good point. 40 is really much too high.

I'd say the Listen DC to hear a person breathing heavily (i.e., after running some distance or fighting in a battle) would be about the same as whispering (15). I'd say someone breathing in some unusually loud way (i.e., deeply asleep or suffering some kind of nasal congestion) would be about 20, and someone breathing quietly (i.e., just standing there, not having recently exerted themselves at all) would be about 25.

So my revised answer is that it kind of depends on what the bull-rusher has been doing up until this point. (I wouldn't add anything for his Move Silently skill, though.)
tarkin
05-01-07, 04:01 PM Forty is way to high.

20 seems about right, for someoen not making any noise but also not skilled/trying to be quite.

I would probably use 20 + Move Silently roll if not moving at all and they have skill.
Vegepygmy
05-01-07, 05:58 PM Out of curiosity, why would you say that their Dexterity and/or talent for moving stealthily should affect the volume of their respiration?
Schmendrick
05-01-07, 07:53 PM Out of curiosity, why would you say that their Dexterity and/or talent for moving stealthily should affect the volume of their respiration?

You might not add their Dex bonus, but skill ranks (and feats) should certainly be added. The training and practice involved with the skill includes breathing quietly... otherwise why ever allow anyone to make a MS check above 20? Their breathing would just give them away...
Vegepygmy
05-01-07, 08:00 PM Good point.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Kusari_Gamer 05-01-07, 12:29 PM	If someone is standing in wait with a readied action to bull rush an opponent who opens the door would the opponent get a listen check? I feel that they would but techically he's trying to listen to a guy who's just standing there. Opinions?
Vegepygmy 05-01-07, 12:38 PM	I'd set the DC to hear the opponent breathing at 40, plus 5 for the door = 45.
Clearly_Toughpick 05-01-07, 12:48 PM	The SRD has hearing people whispering with a DC of 15. And when you're next to someone, and you listen carefully, you can hear them breathing. So I would say the DC to hear someone breathing must be within the grasp of an ordinary person, so DC 20. Then you've got the door in the way, the distance to make things more complicated. I think it would also be reasonable to add the 'breather's move silently modifier too.
Vegepygmy 05-01-07, 03:10 PM	As I think it over, Clearly Toughpick makes a good point. 40 is really much too high. I'd say the Listen DC to hear a person breathing heavily (i.e., after running some distance or fighting in a battle) would be about the same as whispering (15). I'd say someone breathing in some unusually loud way (i.e., deeply asleep or suffering some kind of nasal congestion) would be about 20, and someone breathing quietly (i.e., just standing there, not having recently exerted themselves at all) would be about 25. So my revised answer is that it kind of depends on what the bull-rusher has been doing up until this point. (I wouldn't add anything for his Move Silently skill, though.)
tarkin 05-01-07, 04:01 PM	Forty is way to high. 20 seems about right, for someoen not making any noise but also not skilled/trying to be quite. I would probably use 20 + Move Silently roll if not moving at all and they have skill.
Vegepygmy 05-01-07, 05:58 PM	Out of curiosity, why would you say that their Dexterity and/or talent for moving stealthily should affect the volume of their respiration?
Schmendrick 05-01-07, 07:53 PM	Out of curiosity, why would you say that their Dexterity and/or talent for moving stealthily should affect the volume of their respiration? You might not add their Dex bonus, but skill ranks (and feats) should certainly be added. The training and practice involved with the skill includes breathing quietly... otherwise why ever allow anyone to make a MS check above 20? Their breathing would just give them away...
Vegepygmy 05-01-07, 08:00 PM	Good point.