Stealth bonuses from gear

[harperfan7]

I don't think it's right that a character with 0 stealth skill can eventually get a high enough bonus to sneak to avoid auto-detection by all enemies (200+ stealth). 

I propose changing the bonus granted by stealth-boosting gear to a smaller flat bonus, with an and/or percentage bonus as well.  Like:

Black balaclava
This item grants a +3 bonus to stealth or a +3% bonus to stealth, whichever gives a larger bonus. 

Frankly, all skill bonuses from items could work this way.

Edit:  After conferring with my advisors, I've come to the conclusion that halving the existing flat bonus of skill boosts, but also adding a +% of your base skill is probably a better solution.  The technomedic does this and exists in the game already, so theres a precedent.  So If a current balaclava gives +12 to stealth, it would now give +6 flat and some small percentage of your base (how much?  I'd leave that to styg the math genius); but if the bonus is about the same to a character who actually invested in stealth, then all is right in the world and I'm happy.

[Deep Driller]

all skill bonuses from items could work this way.

I concur. More often than not, +% works better in terms of keeping the balance when gradually improving character's abilities and perks.

[Eidein]

This is just a buff to stealth. If the flat is so low that it doesn't do much and stealth characters will always get the % buff then what's the point in the flat bonus?

[harperfan7]

After conferring with my advisors, I've come to the conclusion that halving the existing flat bonus of skill boosts, but also adding a +% of your base skill is probably a better solution.  The technomedic does this and exists in the game already, so theres a precedent.  So If a current balaclava gives +12 to stealth, it would now give +6 flat and some small percentage of your base (how much?  I'd leave that to styg the math genius); but if the bonus is about the same to a character who actually invested in stealth, then all is right in the world and I'm happy.

[Vokial]

While I don't think that you can get reliable stealth abilities from gear, I definitely understand what you brought up and find it valid.

Yet I don't know how can anyone get 200 points from gear. Could wear a Balaclava and Black Cloth Tabis with some Overcoat, a Cloaking Device (that depletes within seconds) and you're lucky to get to a 100 maybe. Which is not enough for anything and basically only allows you to bypass the Initiation check and start combat... from afar. Which is not advised for a non-stealth character, as now he's stuck wearing that armor for the entirety of the fight. At that point, he should actually focus on Stealth for good and embrace all it's combat benefits, use Ambush, etc.
I also find it ridiculous and lame to carry all that gear and change completely every time he wants to sneak by.

I think one either maxes out Stealth or leave it on zero. No point in putting just 100 points into it and rely on gear to boost it further, as you loose all the cool combat benefits from related feats like Snipe or some melee knife abilities. Also in situations and quests where it's useful, you also need every point you can get. Navigating the Grey Army Base and looting everything (including all lockers)? Attaching explosives in the Tin Can base for the Free Drones without getting exposed? Trying to walk past a tunnel full of Burrowers and their spawns? Not something one can do with just gear and sure as hell impossible without Interloper. Specializing in a few things to solve most problems and not bother with others is the way to go in this game opposed to dipping in a lot of abilities. In this regard it's similar to an immersive sim. There are more than one solution for something, so you can get higher with a 10-step ladder instead of 3 with just 5 steps each.

[harperfan7]

I have had over 200 on a guy with 0 stealth before.  Balaclava, soft black leather armor with nimble, ninja tabis, cloaking device, laylow. 

Ive played builds that go to 80 for blindsiding.  Having enough stealth to bypass an encounter is easy enough without any real investment; you dont need interloper for basic stealth needs.  Just being able to start a fight on your own terms is probably the biggest use of stealth.  Some builds with ambush only need enough to get to 100% crit chance, which is way easier if you use a cloaking device.