Post by Rekov on Sept 1, 2016 16:15:05 GMT -5
I am trying to better understand the mechanics behind the stealth system. This is necessary because it directly affects the choices we as players need to make in leveling up. What follows is my current understanding, which may more may not be correct.
Stealth
One of the visible stats is Stealth. It is strongly influenced by the environment, with some areas having negative Stealth modifiers, and some having positive. Triggers further differentiate areas with additional Stealth modifiers.
The Hide ability tree gives bonuses to Stealth. Some armors will have a Stealth bonus, though none seem to have penalties.
It is unclear whether Stealth refers only to the hide component of traditional NWN2 stealth mechanics, or both. It is a visible stat on the character sheet.
Noise Penalty
All armor comes with a Noise Penalty which is typically a negative value. This suggests that it is added to whatever underlying move silently stat EoA uses. Some abilities such as the Quiet Agility and Move Silently trees reduce the Noise Penalty by negative amounts (a negative subtracted from a negative yields a greater number).
According to PE, the Noise Penalty can be reduced to the point that it is a positive value, and actually a bonus. That is, there is a use for having more Noise Penalty reduction than your gear provides Noise Penalty.
Hide
The Camouflage armor mod provides a bonus to Hide. It is unclear whether this refers to hide in the traditional sense, or Stealth in the EoA sense.
Conclusions:
The traditional NWN2 distinction between hide and move silently still seems to exist. This can be demonstrated by detecting a mob via hearing, and then later via sight. Additionally, the Unexpected Approach abilities explicitly draw a distinction between the two, allowing characters to sneak attack mobs which have heard them but not yet seen them.
We can be relatively sure that Noise Penalty is simply added to the underlying move silently.
It is unclear whether Stealth refers only to hide or whether it also affects move silently in some way.
Arguments in favor of the former are that the Hide ability tree grants Stealth bonuses, and that the environmental Stealth modifier seems to correlate to visual conditions and cover as opposed to the likelihood of the ground to be noisy.
It would be useful to have a Noise Penalty stat on the character sheet.
Arguments in favor of the latter are that Hide is elsewhere referred to as its own stat, and that only Stealth is a visible stat on the character sheet.
Stealth
One of the visible stats is Stealth. It is strongly influenced by the environment, with some areas having negative Stealth modifiers, and some having positive. Triggers further differentiate areas with additional Stealth modifiers.
The Hide ability tree gives bonuses to Stealth. Some armors will have a Stealth bonus, though none seem to have penalties.
It is unclear whether Stealth refers only to the hide component of traditional NWN2 stealth mechanics, or both. It is a visible stat on the character sheet.
Noise Penalty
All armor comes with a Noise Penalty which is typically a negative value. This suggests that it is added to whatever underlying move silently stat EoA uses. Some abilities such as the Quiet Agility and Move Silently trees reduce the Noise Penalty by negative amounts (a negative subtracted from a negative yields a greater number).
According to PE, the Noise Penalty can be reduced to the point that it is a positive value, and actually a bonus. That is, there is a use for having more Noise Penalty reduction than your gear provides Noise Penalty.
Hide
The Camouflage armor mod provides a bonus to Hide. It is unclear whether this refers to hide in the traditional sense, or Stealth in the EoA sense.
Conclusions:
The traditional NWN2 distinction between hide and move silently still seems to exist. This can be demonstrated by detecting a mob via hearing, and then later via sight. Additionally, the Unexpected Approach abilities explicitly draw a distinction between the two, allowing characters to sneak attack mobs which have heard them but not yet seen them.
We can be relatively sure that Noise Penalty is simply added to the underlying move silently.
It is unclear whether Stealth refers only to hide or whether it also affects move silently in some way.
Arguments in favor of the former are that the Hide ability tree grants Stealth bonuses, and that the environmental Stealth modifier seems to correlate to visual conditions and cover as opposed to the likelihood of the ground to be noisy.
It would be useful to have a Noise Penalty stat on the character sheet.
Arguments in favor of the latter are that Hide is elsewhere referred to as its own stat, and that only Stealth is a visible stat on the character sheet.