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Passive Investigation?
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<blockquote data-quote="Shadowspaz" data-source="post: 6733433" data-attributes="member: 6802965"><p>So I'm currently writing up an adventure path of my own for some friends of mine, and will be running. I found myself setting all kinds of passive Investigation DC's, and one in particular doesn't seem to have crossed anyone's minds here. Long story short, the adventurers have to go to an abandoned castle, and search for a lock-box. While searching, if none of the players specifically ask if the castle has seen recent use, I set a passive investigation dc to notice just that. Once revealed that the castle has in fact been in use, I set an active investigation dc to be able to tell who was using it. Such as soldiers, refugees, or bandits, in this case its bandits. If they notice they can avoid being in the bandits base when they get back, not really a useless ability in my opinion. I just don't really see passive investigation being used to find hidden objects, doors, or traps. Perception is for all things, objects, people. Investigation is for deduction based on what you can see, you notice the place isn't as dusty as you think it would be. There is fresh cut wood by the fire pit. Another example might be, noticing a window is broken out instead of in, like one might expect for a robbery... Though I suppose you could argue in some cases that a passive investigation could be used to notice that a room you are in should be bigger, if it shares a wall with the next. Deducting there could be a secret passage going between the two. Thus helping the player find a secret room.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Shadowspaz, post: 6733433, member: 6802965"] So I'm currently writing up an adventure path of my own for some friends of mine, and will be running. I found myself setting all kinds of passive Investigation DC's, and one in particular doesn't seem to have crossed anyone's minds here. Long story short, the adventurers have to go to an abandoned castle, and search for a lock-box. While searching, if none of the players specifically ask if the castle has seen recent use, I set a passive investigation dc to notice just that. Once revealed that the castle has in fact been in use, I set an active investigation dc to be able to tell who was using it. Such as soldiers, refugees, or bandits, in this case its bandits. If they notice they can avoid being in the bandits base when they get back, not really a useless ability in my opinion. I just don't really see passive investigation being used to find hidden objects, doors, or traps. Perception is for all things, objects, people. Investigation is for deduction based on what you can see, you notice the place isn't as dusty as you think it would be. There is fresh cut wood by the fire pit. Another example might be, noticing a window is broken out instead of in, like one might expect for a robbery... Though I suppose you could argue in some cases that a passive investigation could be used to notice that a room you are in should be bigger, if it shares a wall with the next. Deducting there could be a secret passage going between the two. Thus helping the player find a secret room. [/QUOTE]
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