Use this skill to hear approaching enemies, to detect someone sneaking up on you from behind, or to eavesdrop on someone else's conversation.
Check: Your Listen check is either made against a DC that reflects how quiet the noise is that you might hear, or it is opposed by your target's Move Silently check.
| LISTEN DC | SOUND |
|
-10 |
A battle |
|
0 |
People talking* |
|
5 |
A person in Medium armour walking at a slow pace (10ft./Rnd) trying not to make any noise. |
|
10 |
An unarmoured person walking at a slow pace (15ft./Rnd) trying not to make any noise. |
|
15 |
A 1st-Lvl Rogue using Move Silently to sneak past the listener. |
|
15 |
People whispering* |
|
19 |
A cat stalking |
|
30 |
An owl gliding in for a kill |
|
* Beating DC by 10 or more, you can make out what is being said, assuming that you understand the language. |
|
|
LISTEN DC MOD |
CONDITION |
|
+5 |
Through a door |
|
+15 |
Through a stone wall |
|
+1 |
per 10 feet of distance |
|
+5 |
Listener distracted |
In the case of people trying to be quiet, the Dc's given on the table can be replaced by Move Silently checks, in which case the indicated DC would be their average check result (or close to it). For instance, the DC 19 noted on the table for a cat stalking means that an average cat has a +9 bonus on Move Silently checks. Assuming an average roll of 10 on 1D20, its Move silently check result would be 19.
Action: Varies. Every time you have a chance to hear something in a reactive manner (e.g. when someone makes a noise or you move into a new area), you can make a Listen check without using an action. Trying to hear something you failed to hear previously is a move action.
Try Again: Yes. You can try to hear something that you failed to hear previously at no penalty.
Special: When several characters are listening to the same thing, the DM can make a single 1D20 roll and use it for all the individual's Listen checks.
A fascinated creature takes a -4 penalty on Listen checks made as reactions.
If you have the Alertness Feat, you get a +2 bonus on Listen checks.
A ranger gains a +2 bonus on Listen checks when using this skill against a favoured enemy.
An elf, gnome, or halfling has a +2 racial bonus on Listen checks, thanks to the keen ears with which members of those races are blessed.
A half-elf has a +1 racial bonus on Listen checks. Their hearing is good because of their elven heritage, but not as keen as that of a full elf.
A sleeping character may make Listen checks at a -10 penalty. A successful check awakens the sleeper.
Based on the entry in the Player's Handbook 3.5 Page 78