We all know it, spot and listen is way more easy and also you are able to get scores far higher then move silent or hide. That's a fact.
With right gear, the right build and a true sight spell on you you can hit actually well over 80+ spot on the server.
Listen the same, even though it is harder... but it is easy to hit around 50-55 listen...you should also remember that stand still gives you a bonus of +5 listen.
That means you need gear and spells that not exist today on the server to actually even be close to remain hidden at least for some time, even if you face a good spotter..as it is today he see you as soon you enter screen.
It have been tested, I do have one of the best sneaks on the server... tested against 3 good spotters, ALL saw me before 3 seconds had past. Yes, they are really good spotters, but so is my sneak.
camouflage is the best spell around to give hide bonus, but the spells that add on spot beat camouflage by far... Fact.
Better sneak gear or not, that be DM and developers choice...
But even to argue here about who "win" betwin the detectors or the sneak is sure not needed again.
Them that play sneaks and also them that have build characters made for detections knows exactly what i am talking about.
If you ever get to have around 65 move silent and hide you are actually lucky cause that means you have more or less the best gear on the server + all feats + max skillpoint backed up with a good Dex.
Something a good listener or spotter beats actually rather easy if they have placed some focus on be able to.
To give the sneak a fair chance he would need 10-15 more hide or move silent then the detectors to at least be able to remain hidden for some time.
What the biggest problem is as i see it is...for an example, i have a character, he have not skillpoints in spot, he have no good WIS to back it up with, with gear and a simple spell he hit 40 spot, that means there need to be a rather high level sneak with good gear to get past him, and yes...the spell he boost his spot with he can have on him permanent as the duration is far longer then his rest time, or just recast it when it goes out.
I do have a pure level 13 rogue, he have some really good sneak gear but not the best there is. He have placed three feats and maxed out both hide and MS with skillpoints, he would be detected within 15 seconds by my character with no skill points what so ever in spot or listen...sure not fair against the sneak as i see it.
If you never played a sneak here on PoTM, roll one up and you soon understand how hard it is here, negatives when you pick something up, open a lock, disable a trap, trigger a trap, true seeing monsters in many areas and what not.
But most disheartened when your midlevel sneak is spotted or heard by a noob character just falling out of the mists at the vistani ( not really true but close to
).
Last, something to keep in mind... many sneaks i build to use that as their main strength, cancel that for them and many of the sneaks loose their main "power".
Over and out!
// cheers!