What about in cases where the player does something that might catch their attention or cause them to actively look, such as a door sliding open? Up to interpretation?
I like to add modifiers when the player do certain actions.
A player rolls a stealth then decided to open a window just around the corner from the guard. If it's a window that could squeak or grind, I'll give a +2 to the guard's passive. If the rest of the party decides to create a distraction, like talking to the guard, I'll give a -3 to the passive. It's definitely an interpretation situation, but it can be handled mechanically quite easily.
Let's say the player has to roll a second skill check, like Athletics to climb up to a second story balcony, and botches it. Then I'd look into an active Perception roll since the guard now has reason to try to find the interloper. You could add modifiers again, but generally just the act of rolling an active Perception would be enough, however it is up to you in the end.
Passive Perception is more of an Optional Rule. It exists to allow you to have your players be surprised about something like the party would be, metagaming repellent in other words. I do it differently, I instead randomly ask my players to make Perception Checks every once in a while and every time they enter a room. In my mind, there's always more you could see, it just isn't necessarily relevant. As for Monsters, Passive Perception is there to make it faster for the DM, and again prevent metagaming. You treat the situation like a Stealth DC Check essentially and players don't automatically know that their might have been something that could have seen them.
Active vs Passive Perception in simplistic terms would be "searching" vs "noticing". If someone's just standing around and you're trying to sneak past them, then I'd say it's your Stealth vs their Passive Perception. If it's a guard on duty and they're making rounds looking for trouble, I'd have the guard make an active Perception check against your Stealth roll for each loop the guard makes. If you escaped into a jungle and a search party was after you, that'd be active Perception imho. There may also be environmental factors to affect the rolls. For example, if you're trying to walk through a room where broken glass is strewn all over the floor, you might have disadvantage on your Stealth roll. If you're sneaking through a noisy building, the guard might have disadvantage on their Perception check.
Ok, I have a follow up to this question. Say your character ISNT expecting someone at first, but is fairly in the open, and is ambushed by a Barbarian. The DM allows an active perception roll, and you roll a natural 20, with a perception total of 26. That same round after the turns of the barbarian and the PC is resolved, a rogue comes out of hiding and sneak attacks the PC, who is no longer in base to base combat with the barbarian. Does the PC still use the active perception check that the DM allowed at the start of the round to notice the rogue, or do they still only get to use their passive perception, even though the DM called for an active perception roll in that same round?
Ok, I have a follow up to this question. Say your character ISNT expecting someone at first, but is fairly in the open, and is ambushed by a Barbarian. The DM allows an active perception roll, and you roll a natural 20, with a perception total of 26. That same round after the turns of the barbarian and the PC is resolved, a rogue comes out of hiding and sneak attacks the PC, who is no longer in base to base combat with the barbarian. Does the PC still use the active perception check that the DM allowed at the start of the round to notice the rogue, or do they still only get to use their passive perception, even though the DM called for an active perception roll in that same round?
The DM could do either. There is no specific rule for it.
If the barbarian has attacked from ambush, then an active perception check would usually require an action.
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Question I have after a recent session.
If a PC is sneaking around, under what circumstances should you use a perception check vs. the passive perception of what they are sneaking around?
Easiest way I make that judgement:
Are they looking for the/a person sneaking about? Active perception check (roll).
Do they believe all is well, not worried about sneaky people? Passive perception.
What about in cases where the player does something that might catch their attention or cause them to actively look, such as a door sliding open? Up to interpretation?
I like to add modifiers when the player do certain actions.
A player rolls a stealth then decided to open a window just around the corner from the guard. If it's a window that could squeak or grind, I'll give a +2 to the guard's passive. If the rest of the party decides to create a distraction, like talking to the guard, I'll give a -3 to the passive. It's definitely an interpretation situation, but it can be handled mechanically quite easily.
Let's say the player has to roll a second skill check, like Athletics to climb up to a second story balcony, and botches it. Then I'd look into an active Perception roll since the guard now has reason to try to find the interloper. You could add modifiers again, but generally just the act of rolling an active Perception would be enough, however it is up to you in the end.
Passive Perception is more of an Optional Rule. It exists to allow you to have your players be surprised about something like the party would be, metagaming repellent in other words. I do it differently, I instead randomly ask my players to make Perception Checks every once in a while and every time they enter a room. In my mind, there's always more you could see, it just isn't necessarily relevant. As for Monsters, Passive Perception is there to make it faster for the DM, and again prevent metagaming. You treat the situation like a Stealth DC Check essentially and players don't automatically know that their might have been something that could have seen them.
Active vs Passive Perception in simplistic terms would be "searching" vs "noticing". If someone's just standing around and you're trying to sneak past them, then I'd say it's your Stealth vs their Passive Perception. If it's a guard on duty and they're making rounds looking for trouble, I'd have the guard make an active Perception check against your Stealth roll for each loop the guard makes. If you escaped into a jungle and a search party was after you, that'd be active Perception imho. There may also be environmental factors to affect the rolls. For example, if you're trying to walk through a room where broken glass is strewn all over the floor, you might have disadvantage on your Stealth roll. If you're sneaking through a noisy building, the guard might have disadvantage on their Perception check.
Ok, I have a follow up to this question. Say your character ISNT expecting someone at first, but is fairly in the open, and is ambushed by a Barbarian. The DM allows an active perception roll, and you roll a natural 20, with a perception total of 26. That same round after the turns of the barbarian and the PC is resolved, a rogue comes out of hiding and sneak attacks the PC, who is no longer in base to base combat with the barbarian. Does the PC still use the active perception check that the DM allowed at the start of the round to notice the rogue, or do they still only get to use their passive perception, even though the DM called for an active perception roll in that same round?
The DM could do either. There is no specific rule for it.
If the barbarian has attacked from ambush, then an active perception check would usually require an action.