I have a character in my campaign that has a low wisdom and therefore a low perception. They want to know what they could do to train themselves to gain a proficiency in perception... I suggested they boost their ability score when they reach the appropriate level. They thought about it, but they would like to know if there are any other options.
I guess there could be a magical solution... but what kind of mundane training could do this? Any cool and clever ideas that I as a beleaguered DM could use?
Cool! So he can get trained... but does he find somebody who's really perceptive? Or like a ninja who would attack the Pink Panther without notice..? What would I offer up that sensibly trains this proficiency? Brainstorm with me, people.
The rule of thumb that I use in such cases is ..... invoke the player's inventiveness.
Get THEM to decide who their character is going to approach to look for training in being more perceptive.
You just get to decide whether the choice the player has made is a reasonable one.
It's probably a thing that's a bit peculiar to adventurers as a whole, because it doesn't feel right for a PC to walk up to the bar man and say, "Good sir, do you know someone around this town who could train me in being more perceptive?" like there might be local perception night classes. It's just not the sort of thing that a barman would know either I expect.
So, perhaps the PC instead decides to contact the local town guard - keeping watch for things is literally their job, right? They might be able to help. They might get referred to Sergeant Andersen, the grizzled veteran who tells war stories (that may or may not be true) who agrees to train them, but on condition that they (insert plot hook here - like clear out a band of ogres that sometimes cause the town trouble). The training would probably involve service to the town watch for the duration, under tutelage of the guard captain.
End result - your player has the training for their character they want, they also made an interesting new contact that could be relevant in the future and you have a plot hook for some more adventure for the group.
I tend to use the classic kung fu film, The 36th chamber of shaolin, as my inspiration for training (it’s about 90% training montage!). In one challenge, to increase student’s peripheral vision and use of eyes to detect threats, two incense sticks are placed on either side of a person’s head, so that if they turn their head, they get burnt. The trainee must follow a moving candle operated by the trainer with only their eyes. Once past this, the new challenge involves the trainee attacking dummies with reflective surfaces at which a light is shone. They must follow and attack all the dummies that are selected, which could be multiple at once, until they have demonstrated competence at this task.
Specialize in different types of perception using feats (take the alert feat, +5 to initiative; take the observant feat +5 passive; take the dungeon delver feat, get good at finding traps and secret doors)
Magic items
Training the skill
Traveling to long-saddle and accepting a test of courage from the fuzzy quarterstaff at Ivy mansion in the form of a frothy pink liquid of unknown effects.
I have a character in my campaign that has a low wisdom and therefore a low perception. They want to know what they could do to train themselves to gain a proficiency in perception... I suggested they boost their ability score when they reach the appropriate level. They thought about it, but they would like to know if there are any other options.
I guess there could be a magical solution... but what kind of mundane training could do this? Any cool and clever ideas that I as a beleaguered DM could use?
If you are using feats, they can take Skilled and choose perception as one of the skills they become proficient in.
Here is a search using the magic item search on this site for items that grant advantage on perception
How do you get a one-armed goblin out of a tree?
Wave!
Additionally, there are "training" options in the PHB, https://www.dndbeyond.com/compendium/rules/phb/adventuring#Training, using downtime to train in a new language or set of tools. This can likely be modified ad DM discretion to allow training in a "skill" as well.
How do you get a one-armed goblin out of a tree?
Wave!
The Player's Handbook mentions the option to gain additional proficiencies as downtime training between adventures.
https://www.dndbeyond.com/compendium/rules/basic-rules/adventuring#Training
Pun-loving nerd | She/Her/Hers | Profile art by Becca Golins
If you need help with homebrew, please post on the homebrew forums, where multiple staff and moderators can read your post and help you!
"We got this, no problem! I'll take the twenty on the left - you guys handle the one on the right!"🔊
Cool! So he can get trained... but does he find somebody who's really perceptive? Or like a ninja who would attack the Pink Panther without notice..? What would I offer up that sensibly trains this proficiency? Brainstorm with me, people.
Nice! Magic to save the day.
The rule of thumb that I use in such cases is ..... invoke the player's inventiveness.
Get THEM to decide who their character is going to approach to look for training in being more perceptive.
You just get to decide whether the choice the player has made is a reasonable one.
It's probably a thing that's a bit peculiar to adventurers as a whole, because it doesn't feel right for a PC to walk up to the bar man and say, "Good sir, do you know someone around this town who could train me in being more perceptive?" like there might be local perception night classes. It's just not the sort of thing that a barman would know either I expect.
So, perhaps the PC instead decides to contact the local town guard - keeping watch for things is literally their job, right? They might be able to help. They might get referred to Sergeant Andersen, the grizzled veteran who tells war stories (that may or may not be true) who agrees to train them, but on condition that they (insert plot hook here - like clear out a band of ogres that sometimes cause the town trouble). The training would probably involve service to the town watch for the duration, under tutelage of the guard captain.
End result - your player has the training for their character they want, they also made an interesting new contact that could be relevant in the future and you have a plot hook for some more adventure for the group.
Pun-loving nerd | She/Her/Hers | Profile art by Becca Golins
If you need help with homebrew, please post on the homebrew forums, where multiple staff and moderators can read your post and help you!
"We got this, no problem! I'll take the twenty on the left - you guys handle the one on the right!"🔊
I tend to use the classic kung fu film, The 36th chamber of shaolin, as my inspiration for training (it’s about 90% training montage!). In one challenge, to increase student’s peripheral vision and use of eyes to detect threats, two incense sticks are placed on either side of a person’s head, so that if they turn their head, they get burnt. The trainee must follow a moving candle operated by the trainer with only their eyes. Once past this, the new challenge involves the trainee attacking dummies with reflective surfaces at which a light is shone. They must follow and attack all the dummies that are selected, which could be multiple at once, until they have demonstrated competence at this task.
Choices:
And, of course, there's the Perceptive feat from the skill feats Unearthed Arcana.
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both" -- allegedly Benjamin Franklin
Tooltips (Help/aid)