Is listen worth the skill points?

[noilli]

I've read people on the forums being dismissive of listen but I've not seen an explanation.

[negative]

Not really worth it. Seems to be some debate about whether it actually helps see stealthed mobs. But you could just take Spot for that. Simply taking it to get the DM text hints is not worth it at all.

[Arianrhod]

Spot helps the character locate stealthed monsters (as shadowy forms), secret doors, and traps.
Listen helps the character locate stealthed monsters (as reddish footsteps).

There may be some incentive for someone like a barbarian (who has Listen as a class skill but not Spot) to put points in Listen, but there is very little incentive for anyone else to do so. Also, Listen is a "usable untrained" skill, which means +Listen skill items work even for characters who have no ranks in the skill. For that reason, if you're looking for a place to put an extra couple of points at first level, something like Tumble (which you need at least one rank in to benefit from potions/+skill items, etc.) is generally a better choice.

[muffinlad]

I only put it in as a skill for Barbarians, because it is cheaper than Spot.

When I ran in the desert all the time, it was great...now, not so much.


muffinlistener