The way I do it, if someone says they are actively searching, they roll and take what they roll. If they are not, then I use the passive score to let them know if they see something. However, I have played with DMs that use a rule where if you roll less than you passive then you can use your passive score.
7 Comments
Narrrz@kbin.social · 4 pts · 3y
"... the guard is completely lost in a world of his own and doesn't react even when you tread on his toes"
RufusLoacker@feddit.it · 3 pts · 3y
Shouldn't you use passive perception (even with disadvantage)?
PaintedSnail@kbin.social · 5 pts · 3y
The way I do it, if someone says they are actively searching, they roll and take what they roll. If they are not, then I use the passive score to let them know if they see something. However, I have played with DMs that use a rule where if you roll less than you passive then you can use your passive score.
sbv@sh.itjust.works · 1 pts · 3y
Not if the character is actively searching.
RufusLoacker@feddit.it · 3 pts · 3y
Just to continue this reasoning, why can the character be less perceptive when actively searching than when he is not?
AdmiralRob@lemmy.zip · 4 pts · 3y
Why do I accidentally find my wife's keys in plain sight when she's tearing the house apart panicking to find them?
sbv@sh.itjust.works · 3 pts · 3y
I dislike that rule. But you could justify it as the character getting distracted by a red herring. Such as a dog treat in the middle of the room.
I take the highest of the passive perception and the roll, because I'm a benevolent DM.