Player Tips: How to Roleplay Stealth (Rogues, thieves, whatever - Be sneaky, not silent)

Today we’re talking about being sneaky and secretive, and how you can and should invite your fellow players into that. I’m not talking about breaking off and doing things solo - I’m referring to doing stealthy things while everyone’s there, and letting them feel the tension right alongside you.

TTRPGs are built on collaboration. Even when your character’s pulling something off in secret, there’s a lot of fun in letting the table see that attempt. Because the tension isn’t just “Do I get away with it?”—it’s also “Who notices?” That shared suspense can be just as exciting as the outcome.

Say you’re playing the rogue or the sneaky type. If you just say, “I palm the keys so nobody notices,” that’s totally valid - but you might be skipping the most interesting part: the risk, the tension, the little thrill of maybe getting caught.

Here’s the fix: Just add the word ‘try’. Say what you're trying to do, not what already happened. “I’m trying to palm the keys so nobody notices.” Same action, same roll - but now you’re giving the GM something to work with. You’re giving your party something to react to. You’re building a scene, and in the shared suspense, you’re reminding everyone of the stakes.

So yes, be sneaky but don’t be silent.

If your character does something the other party members only find out about much later, it might not hit as hard, even if it works perfectly. What makes those moments memorable isn’t just the success, but the ripple it creates. The story comes alive when others have a chance to react, suspect, or uncover the truth. Sometimes the most powerful moments aren’t just about pulling something off, but about who might realize you did.

So next time you’re picking a pocket or slipping a vial of poison into a goblet, give the players the scene. Say it out loud: “I try to do this, hoping no one notices.” Boom. Now your party gets to react. Now we’ve got a story.

A TTRPG scene needs a back and forth and if you are removing the ability to react, the moment simply vanishes. That’s what happens in play when you declare, “I palm the keys super deftly, and nobody notices.” There’s zero narrative impact.  From the story’s point of view, nothing changed. The rogue now has the keys, but the guard never felt it, the party didn’t hold their breath during a shared glance. It’s as though the keys just teleported into your pocket, skipping the tension that would’ve made that moment have breathless uncertainty. That delicious what if of being seen. 

And honestly, sneakiness isn’t interesting because it’s secret; it’s interesting because it raises stakes in front of witnesses who are not really witnesses. When you openly say, “I try to palm the keys so nobody notices,” you hand the GM suspense and hand the table a cliff‑hanger (“Will anyone catch me?”). But if you keep it silent? No tension, no drama.

And more importantly, beyond the narrative impact, the bigger issue here is that you are - probably without meaning to - removing the agency of the other players. If you just do stuff the other players can’t even weigh in on, that’s fundamentally not good player behaviour. And that’s kind of what is happening here. By hiding intent and just declaring outcome, you silently erase everyone else’s chance to engage. Maybe the face would’ve wanted to run interference, the wizard might’ve cast Minor Illusion to help, or the paladin could’ve confronted you about dishonesty. Those character‑defining choices no longer exist because the cue never reached them.

So next time? Say the move. Build the tension. Share the moment. Be sneaky - but let everyone feel it. Play with your table, and when you aren’t boxing them out, even basic skill stuff can become electric.