• PaintedSnail@kbin.social
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      1 year ago

      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.

      • RufusLoacker@feddit.it
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        1 year ago

        Just to continue this reasoning, why can the character be less perceptive when actively searching than when he is not?

        • AdmiralRob@lemmy.zip
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          1 year ago

          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
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          1 year ago

          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.