Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 DungeonKrusher May 18, 2015 13:51:53	Forgive me if this has been threaded ad nauseum, but I have the Observant feat, and included in that a +5 to passive Investigation and Perception checks. I'm curious how that is being used in the games. Are they used as target DCs for opponents, such as hiding, disguise, or purposefully trying to impede a character's search?   In general, I've also been trying to figure out how to incorporate more passive checks into the game. For instance, one portion of the rule even says [paraphrased] that if you're doing something repeatedly, like checking for traps, you use your passive check. It seems to make sense that if time isn't an issue, or if there's not necessarily a penalty for failure, that your passive check could be used in lieu of an active roll -- or even as a baseline. I understand the need for a chance of failure if you're doing something in the heat of the moment where results could be either disastrous or amazing... but it seems like if you can spend an hour rummaging through a room, you should have a minimal chance for success.   Part of the issue is that my passive Perception is a 19, whereas my skill is +4. So I need a 15 just to acheive my basic amount of perceptivity? I know it's not a direct correlation, but it seems like 70% of the time it's better that I not *try* to look for something, and just hope it hits me in the head.  ;o)
#2 iserith May 18, 2015 16:38:31	DungeonKrusher wrote:
#3 Rya.Reisender May 19, 2015 3:18:25	If you are observant, the passive check is no longer the average result, though. Because that feat only increases your passive perception by +5 but does not increases your skill in perception by +5.   For me that means observant only gives you a benefit if: - You have plenty of time to do a task repeatly so the "Passive Check" section of the rules applies. In this case you don't roll actively, you just decide which of all the hidden stuff in the room you'll find. - Someone is trying to "Hide" which specifically states that this uses passive perception to check against the active stealth check of the creature hiding. - You are traveling and at the appropriate position of the marching order to notice a threat   Doing an active perception check is for completely different scenarios which might include: - Searching for something hidden in a specific location once - Actively searching for an already hidden enemy (for an enemy to be hidden, your passive perception must already have been too low) - If you are "front" in the marching order and you're about to step on a trap you didn't detect with your passive perception, right before you activate it   There isn't really a scenario where a bad active perception roll will give you a lower chance to find something over just using your passive perception, because it isn't really a choice which of the two to use in the first place.