tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4116097391013897989.post3209028783990884291..comments2024-03-27T04:54:55.570-04:00Comments on THOUGHT EATER: Fixing Passive Perception in 4eJeremy "frothsof" Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04663928183049867947noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4116097391013897989.post-20182905338199683602012-04-20T21:13:06.484-04:002012-04-20T21:13:06.484-04:00Its all about painting the picture and immersion f...Its all about painting the picture and immersion for Me!GamerSeusshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10741296990334061997noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4116097391013897989.post-53771600629671668862012-04-20T18:56:18.753-04:002012-04-20T18:56:18.753-04:00good stuff, very flavorful. i like how you are usi...good stuff, very flavorful. i like how you are using passive skills to determine the way you describe something; it adds an extra layer of improvisation for the dm. thanks for the post!Jeremy "frothsof" Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04663928183049867947noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4116097391013897989.post-33369293974931430242012-04-20T18:46:45.291-04:002012-04-20T18:46:45.291-04:00Passive checks aren't made for everything. A P...Passive checks aren't made for everything. A Passive check is the equivalent of "Taking 10" from older editions on skills, as such, it requires a reasonable time exposed to some things before you just notice them. If someone hangs around for 5-10 mins near a trap without triggering it and their Passive Perception would detect it according to the DC I set (I don't use the chart, I set my own) then I may weave something into my narrative that might hint there is a trap nearby and inspire active checks. Otherwise, I use Passive Perception to determine, without having to have people roll, who might notice an errant smell on the breeze, or even the fact that there is a breeze in a cave that slightly comes from the North.<br /><br />When I describe a new encounter area (or any new area mostly, so that they don't automatically clue in that heavy description means something's up) I look at my PCs' Passive Perception scores and according to those scores, I will single out individuals that notice extra things. If I mention that "the cave is overwhelmed with the smell of limestone and mildew from the walls dripping water, forming stalagtites and stalagmites throughout the chamber, some forming together into calicites" I may tell the character with the 22 Passive Perception via a note or something "you also detect the faintest smell of copper or iron, just beneath the surface of the mildew smell...putting you in mind of a slaughterhouse" thus cluing in to that PC that there is something else there that his keener senses help him with.<br /><br />Finding traps, searching puzzles for clues, things like that require active checks. Also, depending on the puzzle, it may not be perception that is needed. If your examining a magically locked chest for traps, there may not be any truly mundane indicators that its trapped at all, however, while doing this passive search...I may consult your Passive Arcana (add 10 to Arcana) since you are actively searching, if your trained...and if its good enough, I'll indicate "There doesn't appear to be any kind of trap or anything within the chest's lock, however, when you run your hands over the wood, the hairs on the back of your neck stand up and you get a slight whiff of ozone in the air...a cloying almost acid taste at the back of your throat"<br /><br />Seuss (lordseussmd on YM)GamerSeusshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10741296990334061997noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4116097391013897989.post-82484506719516517682012-04-20T15:30:10.223-04:002012-04-20T15:30:10.223-04:00thanks again sorcerer!thanks again sorcerer!Jeremy "frothsof" Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04663928183049867947noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4116097391013897989.post-66104646383442905092012-04-20T15:28:39.318-04:002012-04-20T15:28:39.318-04:00I like it. As much as I love 4e, the Passive skill...I like it. As much as I love 4e, the Passive skills always struck me as just... lazy. Aside from just outright banning Passive skills, I think this article offers a very good alternative to the RAW.Sorcerer Blobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05382723026649507528noreply@blogger.com