D&D 5E Understanding Passive Checks

[Maxperson]

"A longsword does 1d8 damage in the hands of a 1st level newb and a 20th level master swordsman?" Ridiculous!

And untrue!

In the hands of a master swordsman it does up to 8d8+8, depending on how many attacks hit and how many superiority dice are used.

"A wizard owns a pouch wherein he not only is able to store incredibly small components for dozens of different spells, but also has it so organized that he can also reach in with two fingers and pull a specific one or two out of it at the same time while also saying magic words and intricate hand motions all in less than 6 seconds in order to cast a spell?" Ludicrous!

Go see a stage magician perform sometime. People are capable of amazing things like that.

"A newb druid is able to completely polymorph themselves into any animal they want at almost the very beginning of their adventuring career, but wizards haven't be able to figure out a way to do it before they reach 7th level?" Preposterous!

Druids can't polymorph at all.

"Elves live for thousands of years, but somehow only gain real power in the few years they go out on the road adventuring next to humans, where they all can go from levels 1 to 20 at the same rate in even a matter of weeks depending on the adventure the DM runs?" Laughable!

Yes it is, but that's the DM's choice. He doesn't have to run it that way.

"When a character gets really exhausted... the first thing that becomes more difficult for them to do is recalling magical, religious, historical and nature lore... but things like swordfighting and walking at their normal pace can all be done without any problems whatsoever." Nonsensical!

Makes perfect sense. When I get tired, I start having recall issues long before I'm physically impacted. First thing to go with me are names of people and places. Then other recall issues. It's not impossible, just more difficult.

 

[Weiley31]

Isn't the thing with Passive Scores is that it's pretty much 10+Modifer for the appropriate score? So at most, outside of advantage granting a flat +5, isn't the highest you can get with Passive Scores a 15?

A Passive Score would pretty much auto-succeed any DC skill check that isn't a 15. So you can still either choose to roll OR just breeze through the easy/medium skill checks when necessary.

 

[Maxperson]

Isn't the thing with Passive Scores is that it's pretty much 10+Modifer for the appropriate score? So at most, outside of advantage granting a flat +5, isn't the highest you can get with Passive Scores a 15?

A Passive Score would pretty much auto-succeed any DC skill check that isn't a 15. So you can still either choose to roll OR just breeze through the easy/medium skill checks when necessary.

No. Proficiency also gets added, so a passive perception can hit 21, 26 if you take the Observant feat.

 

[Weiley31]

No. Proficiency also gets added, so a passive perception can hit 21, 26 if you take the Observant feat.

Oh..yeah that's right. I stand corrected.

 

[Weiley31]

So..............how DO you "do" Passive Scores then? I was gonna follow it as a notion of that they auto-pass the set DC of a skill check if one comes up and the Passive Score is higher. But as Maxperson said in his example, passive perception, if at a assumed +5 WIS modifier, would pretty much any sort of Skill Check easy to pass unless it was something like a 27 or higher. And if every skill has a Passive variant, ala the DND Beyond Character Sheet with Passive Insight/Investigation.....

Hmmm.

 

[Maxperson]

So..............how DO you "do" Passive Scores then? I was gonna follow it as a notion of that they auto-pass the set DC of a skill check if one comes up and the Passive Score is higher. But as Maxperson said in his example, passive perception, if at a assumed +5 WIS modifier, would pretty much any sort of Skill Check easy to pass unless it was something like a 27 or higher. And if every skill has a Passive variant, ala the DND Beyond Character Sheet with Passive Insight/Investigation.....

Hmmm.

What gets me is that passive perception represents actively looking. Someone should have told the WotC design staff what passive and active mean.

 

[Iry]

I tend to run it as Calm vs Stressful.

Calm situations use your passive unless you tell me otherwise. Both CAN exist at the same time, like being Calm (on perception) because you think no monsters are around, but Stressful (on investigation) because of possible traps.

 

[Charlaquin]

What gets me is that passive perception represents actively looking. Someone should have told the WotC design staff what passive and active mean.

I do agree with you about that. The mechanic is poorly named.

 

[Hriston]

When it matters is when you should have to roll. Otherwise you end up with the ridiculous situation of only rolling a 10. No matter what. On every passive check, and that doesn't make any sense. There's nothing about the subconscious that implies such a regular level of ability. And if they are constantly actively checking, then there's nothing passive about the check at all.

Like I said, as DM you’re free to call for a roll on every check if you want. Passive checks are just another tool the DM can use to resolve certain action declarations the players make. I’m not sure why the subconscious is figuring into your post or who “they” are or what “actively checking” means. Passive in passive check just means the player isn’t rolling dice. That’s all it means.

 

[iserith]

So..............how DO you "do" Passive Scores then? I was gonna follow it as a notion of that they auto-pass the set DC of a skill check if one comes up and the Passive Score is higher. But as Maxperson said in his example, passive perception, if at a assumed +5 WIS modifier, would pretty much any sort of Skill Check easy to pass unless it was something like a 27 or higher. And if every skill has a Passive variant, ala the DND Beyond Character Sheet with Passive Insight/Investigation.....

Hmmm.

The process is pretty simple in my view. If there's going to be an ability check, ask yourself whether it's resolving a task that is being performed repeatedly over time or is it resolving a one-off task right now. If it's the former, use the passive check. If it's the latter, use a regular ability check.

Generally speaking, passive checks will come up only when trying to determine surprise or when the PCs are keeping watch for traps while traveling the adventure location provided they are are in the right rank of the marching order. One doesn't need to worry about them much in other contexts.