Questions about Stealth, Prowling and Shadowmelt

[Jarulf]

As a Druid I have recently "discovered" the usefullness of prowling arround in cat form. Since I am also a Night Elf, I have this thing called shadowmelt. This has lead me to wonder a bit about all this and how it really works. So here are some questions tossed out.

What it the mechanics of "stealth" (in whatever form you get it) and do different forms have any differences? For example, if I prowl, how do that affect monster detection about me? Does it just decrease their detection radius? Is the radius the same but they have a smaller chance to detect me? Is it checked once or every second or something else? Looking at rogues and others with it, they can appear and dissapear at random intervalls, indicating to me it is a regulary checked thing. Does it work the same for monsters? Can any monster detect you or only some? Anything else to add?

How does skills improving it really effect things discussed in the previous question?

Is there any difference between standing still and walking while in prowl mode? Does it affect chance of detection?

How does shadowmelt come into play? The pop up text claims it should work together for rogues and druids, however, once in cat form, I can't activate shadowmelt, at least not while prowling.

If I want to hide, what is best, go into shadowmelt or go into prowl in bear form? What about with skills improving it?

How does the prowling of a Druid compare to that of a rogue, I would guess it is worth but can one quantify it somehow, puting some numbers on it or something?

Anything of interest that I missed?

[Zarathustra]

Minor nit as I run out the door: Can't prowl in Bear form. B)

[Quark]

What it the mechanics of "stealth" (in whatever form you get it) and do different forms have any differences? For example, if I prowl, how do that affect monster detection about me? Does it just decrease their detection radius? Is the radius the same but they have a smaller chance to detect me? Is it checked once or every second or something else? Looking at rogues and others with it, they can appear and dissapear at random intervalls, indicating to me it is a regulary checked thing. Does it work the same for monsters? Can any monster detect you or only some? Anything else to add?

When you're stealthed (and undetected), you're essentially invisible. Nothing can see you at all unless they pass a check. Mobs and players have a cone directly in front of them where they can check for stealth. The check is level dependent - it's based on one of the skills that automatically raises by 5 every level. The closer you are, the more likely you are to detect them. The check is on a regular interval, however I have never lost sight of someone while they weren't moving.

Note that since the check is done in a cone, being behind someone is a sure way of not being detected, regardless of the level difference.

How does skills improving it really effect things discussed in the previous question?

They simply raise the skill used in the check. Master of Deception and it's catform counterpart raise the skill by 1 each talent point, I believe. Shadowmeld also adds in a bonus to the skill.

Is there any difference between standing still and walking while in prowl mode? Does it affect chance of detection?

There is no penalty for moving around in my experience, so it's best to keep moving to stay out of the detect radius of others.

How does shadowmelt come into play? The pop up text claims it should work together for rogues and druids, however, once in cat form, I can't activate shadowmelt, at least not while prowling.

Prowling takes precedence over shadowmeld. Shadowmeld has the same detect checks as Prowl, but it doesn't get the bonuses, and you can't move.

If I want to hide, what is best, go into shadowmelt or go into prowl in bear (sic) form? What about with skills improving it?

Prowl, because of the bonuses and being able to move. I noted skill stuff higher up.

How does the prowling of a Druid compare to that of a rogue, I would guess it is worth but can one quantify it somehow, puting some numbers on it or something?

If I had to venture a guess, it would be simply as if the druid were a lower level rogue. I couldn't tell you how much lower level, though.

[Kevin]

My Night Elf Druid hangs out with a Night Elf rogue. If the rogue can stealth by it, I can stealth by it on the same path. I have noticed no difference in how well a mob can detect either one of us. Now I can't move as fast while stealthed and I don't have distract so there are things that I can't stealth by since I can't make them turn like a rogue can, but I have noticed no difference in how mobs detect me vs the rogue.

[Concillian]

They simply raise the skill used in the check.  Master of Deception and it's catform counterpart raise the skill by 1 each talent point, I believe.  Shadowmeld also adds in a bonus to the skill.
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When they had a numeric value associated to MoD, it was 3 per level. This means if you put 5 talent points in MoD, you had the equivalent stealth level of someone 3 levels higher than your own. I assume Druids are the same.

It makes a fairly large difference in my experience. Without MoD you pretty much have to distract every mob and worry about getting behind it. But with 5/5 MoD you can just about walk up and Cheap Shot anything that is approximately your level or lower.

In PvE you will get a warning that you are noticed, as the mob will generally make a noise and face you if you are 'close' to being detected.

[Brista]

http://forums-en.wow-europe.com/thread.asp...tmp=1#post40785

[Arnath]

There is no penalty for moving around in my experience, so it's best to keep moving to stay out of the detect radius of others.
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I could be wrong, but when I played my rogue, I noticed that if a mob turned around and looked at me while I was stealthed, it usually attacked me if I kept moving but left after a little bit if I stopped.

Arnath

[acidjax]

What it the mechanics of "stealth" (in whatever form you get it) and do different forms have any differences?

As far as I know, all three base stealth forms are identical. Shadowmeld places a restriction that doesn't allow you to move and prowl requires cat form.

Is the radius the same but they have a smaller chance to detect me? Is it checked once or every second or something else?

For monsters without ignore stealth or detect hidden the radius is considerably reduced. Monster stealth detection range is a longer frontal cone with less range to their sides and behind. Stealth checks seem to be different between monsters and players.

Monsters appear to have a set minimum detection range (depending on level difference and other stealth modifiers) and then a small range of variance where stealth rolls are applied.

For players there doesn't seem to be the range of variance and the check is applied in regular intervals.

How does skills improving it really effect things discussed in the previous question?

Different monsters have different stealth detection ranges. Your stealth level is compared to the monster detection level to determine the range of checks. Skills improving stealth will improve your effective stealth level.

How does shadowmelt come into play? The pop up text claims it should work together for rogues and druids, however, once in cat form, I can't activate shadowmelt, at least not while prowling.

On the Blizzard forums, CMs and developers have posted that shadowmeld will apply a slight passive bonus to your stealth level when you use prowl/stealth.

How does the prowling of a Druid compare to that of a rogue, I would guess it is worth but can one quantify it somehow, puting some numbers on it or something?

Without any other modifiers, I believe a X level prowling night elf druid has the same stealth level as a X level stealthed night elf rogue.

[Treesh]

I could be wrong, but when I played my rogue, I noticed that if a mob turned around and looked at me while I was stealthed, it usually attacked me if I kept moving but left after a little bit if I stopped.

Arnath
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Moving or not moving doesn't seem to matter for my rogues. They'll ignore me about the same amount of times regardless of what I do, until they start moving in their pattern again. And frequently, if you haven't moved away from their pattern, they'll just think they see you again so I just move away from where they were wandering so they don't get the opportunity again.

Edit: Oh, and if you've got another person who can stealth but neither of you can distract, that little trick of making them think they see one of you will help the other stealther get into position easier. :)