@mikemearls Curious on your thoughts: Using Passive Perception seems easy, & you can do some cool things with Passive Insight. How would you handle a PC with a high Passive Investigation? Would they just auto-detect every secret door/trap? Sorta like Sherlock?
— Daniel Etheridge (@TheDanEtheridge) October 21, 2018
I run it like Sherlock Holmes and allow auto detection. Many DMs see this as a problem, but in my experience giving the party more info makes the game more interesting and makes that player feel like a star. https://t.co/jR7xicHZk1
— Mike Mearls, but Spooky (@mikemearls) October 21, 2018
Perhaps a more concise statement: DMs, don’t be so precious about the secrets in your campaign or adventure. They’re a lot more fun when the entire group works with them. What’s the fun in being the only one to know about something?
— Mike Mearls, but Spooky (@mikemearls) October 21, 2018
IME, assuming the players will miss a clue or overlook a secret is as bad a DM mistake as assuming a monster/NPC can’t be beaten or that the characters will follow only one, specific path.
— Mike Mearls, but Spooky (@mikemearls) October 21, 2018
It seems like this runs the risk of becoming an interactive novel. The DM knows all of the passive scores of the characters, so she is essentially pre-deciding who will notice what.
— Jamie LaFountain (@horatiodrank) October 22, 2018
This can be a big issue for DMs – given what you know of the characters’ abilities, is it cheating to set challenges that they auto succeed or fail? It speaks to DMing techniques, IMO. (1/7) My approach is more natural, in that I just assign DCs to things without worrying about the PCs’ abilities. My current game has kind of random attendance, so basing things off a specific PC can go sidewise if that player is absent. (2/7)
— Mike Mearls, but Spooky (@mikemearls) October 23, 2018
My approach dodges the issue, because in all honesty I have no idea what the PCs’ passive Perception ratings are. Another case where being lazy is a benefit! (3/7) Other DMs like to be more tailored in their approach, taking close account of what the PCs can do and building from there. This is where it can feel cheaty, since you know ahead of time if the PCs will spot something. (4/7)
— Mike Mearls, but Spooky (@mikemearls) October 23, 2018
In this case, I’d recommend adding a random element to DCs that are matched against passive scores. Remember, the passive mechanic is there so that you can have the player make a check without their knowledge. (5/7) Even a well-meaning player might have trouble keeping immersed when asked to make a check. If you keep the die rolling on your side of the screen, you can keep that intact. I’d set a DC to uncover something at 5 below normal, then add a d10 roll to DC w/passive check. (6/7)
— Mike Mearls, but Spooky (@mikemearls) October 23, 2018
That random element keeps things a little more predictable and lets you as DM aim toward a DC without feeling like you’ve decided ahead of time what might happen. (7/7)
— Mike Mearls, but Spooky (@mikemearls) October 23, 2018
