Does the DM at your table occasionally make hidden Perception. Investigation or Insight checks for the players so they don’t know how well they did? (So, the player is unsure if there is no trap or the NPC wasn’t lying, or if they didn’t roll well enough). #dnd Myself as the DM, I use passive Insight and make Charisma (Deception) checks secretly if NPCs lie.
I let players make their own active checks when they do something that calls for it.
— Dan Dillon (@Dan_Dillon_1) May 26, 2019
Situation: Player is actively searching for trap. Do you let them roll, use their Passive score, or roll yourself for them? #dnd I let them roll active checks "I search the intersection for traps."
If passive Perception could have detected the trap (usually can), it applies. Reason being by the time they decide to actively look, their passive would already have seen or missed it.
— Dan Dillon (@Dan_Dillon_1) May 26, 2019
I am leaning to using investigation for secret doors and traps rather than passive perception spotting everything simply by strolling down the passage. Sometimes I use passive perception to have their “spidey senses” go off but require investigation to detect the trap or door. Investigation could work for different things, but generally it’s a Percetion task to find straight up hidden things.
I use Imvestigation to determine what it is they’re messing with, how a trap works, how to operate a secret door they found that isn’t straight forward, etc.
— Dan Dillon (@Dan_Dillon_1) May 27, 2019
I tnd to do perception as observation, investigation as hands on and/or complex. But even then it’s a general rule of thumb. Yeah I go with the as written Perception = Sensory/noticing, Investigation = Deduction/drawing conclusions
— Dan Dillon (@Dan_Dillon_1) May 27, 2019
Dan. So you feel like passive checks, being + 10, are too high? I roll w + 5….. thoughts? Thanks No, I use passive checks as described in the book and have great luck with them.
— Dan Dillon (@Dan_Dillon_1) May 26, 2019
Luck? Lol. I guess my question is .. do you use passive checks as a base regardless of an active search. For example, a Rogue has PP 14, searches and rolls a 7……? If the passive Perception applies in the situation, yes, it essentially sets a minimum to their check. Reason being that by the time they decide to actively search, their passive has already spotted or missed it depending on the DC.
— Dan Dillon (@Dan_Dillon_1) May 26, 2019