KahlessNestor
Adventurer
I have never had anyone require me to use an action to make a Perception check.
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D&D 5E Search as a Bonus Action
- Thread starter Ganymede81
- Start date
Ganymede81
First Post
Dang, you're right. Hopefully that ability (whether belonging to the Inquisitive or not) gets worked into something official.
Flamestrike
Legend
I'd like to see Rangers get it. At the very least in favored terrain.
ExploderWizard
Hero
Searching is a little more involved than just making a perception check. You have a passive perception score to use while you are taking other actions. You don't need to use an action to get results on a passive check. That would be the opposite of passive.
KahlessNestor
Adventurer
So why do we have a Search action and why are people complaining that it isn't bonus actioned?
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If I had to guess... my belief is that they want to allow creatures to hide in combat successfully more often than not, in order to make it a valid and cool tactic. Especially when it comes to most PCs and monsters who don't get to Hide with Bonus actions and instead have to use their Action to do so. It would be almost pointless for them to give up their Actions to Hide... only for other people to get to use their Bonus actions to find them on their turn and then get to Attack using their actions. All those PCs and monsters are giving up their Actions for little to no benefit.
That being said... I find for myself as a practical table situation that the only creatures who ever really Hide during combat are those who can do so using Bonus actions-- Rogues and Goblins mainly. But thus the reverse ends up being true-- because Search uses your Action, most creatures don't bother searching for the Rogues or Goblins because even if they roll high, they no longer have an Action to Attack or do anything about it. The only real tactic available to them is to use their movement to go into the bushes or run around the wall (whatever the Heavily Obscuring terrain is that the Rogue/Goblin is using to Hide) and hope they break through the Obscuring terrain to gain Line of Sight (at which time, they would use their Action to Attack or Cast A Spell.) Sometimes that works, usually it doesn't.
As a result... I myself have given EVERY creature on the battlefield the opportunity to use Search using a Bonus action. Because I've found that invariably the Rogues and Goblins have such high Stealth modifiers that they are almost never seen by a creature's Passive Perception, and thus Hiding is no longer a questionable action, it always works and they are never found during a fight. So I give everyone else a sporting chance by letting them roll their Perceptions using a Bonus action just to possibly give them the chance to spot the Hiding creatures. Thus far, it's been okay. Because even if a couple creatures do spot the Rogue/Goblin... enough still fail that the Rogue/Goblin has plenty of targets remaining to attack with Advantage/Sneak Attack. But at least now they also can take a ranged attack occasionally too.
That being said... I find for myself as a practical table situation that the only creatures who ever really Hide during combat are those who can do so using Bonus actions-- Rogues and Goblins mainly. But thus the reverse ends up being true-- because Search uses your Action, most creatures don't bother searching for the Rogues or Goblins because even if they roll high, they no longer have an Action to Attack or do anything about it. The only real tactic available to them is to use their movement to go into the bushes or run around the wall (whatever the Heavily Obscuring terrain is that the Rogue/Goblin is using to Hide) and hope they break through the Obscuring terrain to gain Line of Sight (at which time, they would use their Action to Attack or Cast A Spell.) Sometimes that works, usually it doesn't.
As a result... I myself have given EVERY creature on the battlefield the opportunity to use Search using a Bonus action. Because I've found that invariably the Rogues and Goblins have such high Stealth modifiers that they are almost never seen by a creature's Passive Perception, and thus Hiding is no longer a questionable action, it always works and they are never found during a fight. So I give everyone else a sporting chance by letting them roll their Perceptions using a Bonus action just to possibly give them the chance to spot the Hiding creatures. Thus far, it's been okay. Because even if a couple creatures do spot the Rogue/Goblin... enough still fail that the Rogue/Goblin has plenty of targets remaining to attack with Advantage/Sneak Attack. But at least now they also can take a ranged attack occasionally too.
Flamestrike
Legend
When a critter wants to Hide, it uses the Hide action (on its turn). Rogues and some critters can take the Hide action as a bonus action.
When a critter (on its turn) decides to Hide, it makes a stealth check opposed by your passive perception. On a success, it becomes hidden, and you cant target it with attacks on your turn (and dont know where it is).
The only way to find it (other than it subsequently revealing itself) is for you to take the Search action on your turn, and beat its stealth check result with a perception check.
Lets say youre fighting an invisible stalker. The creature is always invisible so it can always attempt to hide. On its turn it uses its action to hide (and makes a steath check opposed to your passive perception). On a success, it becomes hidden and you cant do anything against it on your turn.
You could use the search action to find it however. An investigative Rogue can search for it as a bonus action, then use his action to attack it (or whatver he wants to use his action for).
Its a really good ability. Im surprised we dont see it more. Its a perfect class feature for Rangers for mine.
Rhenny
Adventurer
I think one reason search is not a bonus action is to speed up play. If it were a bonus action every PC would be using it every turn when they didn't have another bonus action that was more advantageous.
Also, as others have said, there needs to be some chance for monsters/npcs and other special features or items to remain hidden. And, to truly search a small area seems likely to take at least 6 seconds. Finding a magic item buried in some rubble should require a conscious decision to spend an action rooting around in that pile. I don't see it as a casual/nearly passive experience.
Also, as others have said, there needs to be some chance for monsters/npcs and other special features or items to remain hidden. And, to truly search a small area seems likely to take at least 6 seconds. Finding a magic item buried in some rubble should require a conscious decision to spend an action rooting around in that pile. I don't see it as a casual/nearly passive experience.
Ganymede81
First Post
I don't think anyone is proposing that this ability should be open to all PCs, only specific PCs that have it as a special class feature.
GX.Sigma
Adventurer
Maybe because they haven't yet found a project where that would be the best choice? Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should. Doing something just because it hasn't been done yet it is not good design.
My interpretation of lockpicking is that it's too slow to be a one-round activity anyway. In combat, you'd need 5 successes (or whatever) to pick a lock. For a normal person, it'd take a minimum of five rounds, but a Thief could do it in two and a half.
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