D&D 5E Alternative for Elves' "Keen Senses"

[Hawk Diesel]

What about adding a d4 for Perception checks? This way it stacks with other abilities like a rogue's reliable talent or expertise (if you allow that to be taken with Perception).

I've kinda wondered if Keen Sense was supposed to be focused more on sight, or are all of an elf's senses heightened? If it's just sight, you could add the d4 to Perception and Investigation checks that rely on sight. If it's all of their senses, maybe you could grant a semblance of the Alert feat. Hidden enemies attacking elves don't benefit from advantage due to being hidden. This grants an ability that works thematically, but is also less... I don't know... mechanical? Numbers driven?

 

[R_J_K75]

I do miss the distinction between low-light vision and darkvision.

Pretty sure no one has ever said they miss infravision. What a pain describing the crap was. Only benefit of it was...oh wait there wasn't one.

 

[GreyLord]

Hmm, you could give them an immunity to illusion magic, and hence able to always be able to see invisible things (creatures..etc.).

Like a perception bonus, but better?

Or, that could be too strong. Maybe just better saves against illusions, or maybe just able to always see invisible things and never take disadvantage against blurry items (such as displacer beasts) and the such?

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Hmm, you could give them an immunity to illusion magic, and hence able to always be able to see invisible things (creatures..etc.).

Like a perception bonus, but better?

Or, that could be too strong. Maybe just better saves against illusions, or maybe just able to always see invisible things and never take disadvantage against blurry items (such as displacer beasts) and the such?

I think something more like Ear for Deceit (which makes 7 or lower into 8) would be better, that way Elf Rogues who eventually get Reliable Talent gain a bit of a benefit still.

It isn't quite as strong as Advantage, so it also makes getting advantage by other means a good thing.

I think giving reliant talent or ear for deceit to characters that really should not fail on easy tasks a better option than a weak +2 bonus or advantage that does not play well with other advantages.

You could reword it (or is it already that way) that if you have disadvantage, you can only replace one roll. That makes failure possible in very unfavourable circumstances.

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

Something like this?

Piercing Sight
When you make a Wisdom (Perception), Wisdom (Insight) or Intelligence (Investigation) ability check, you can treat any roll of 6 or lower as a 7.

 

[NotAYakk]

Weave Sense: When you see, hear, smell or otherwise interact with an illusion, if its investigation DC is lower than 10+intelligence+proficiency, you know it to be an illusion.

Keen Senses: When not in combat, you have advantage on perception checks.

Fey Senses: You have advantage on investigation checks against illusions and insight checks to bypass magical disguise and deception.

Keen Senses: When you make a wisdom(perception) check, you may add 1d4 to the roll.

Fey Focus: You never have disadvantage on perception checks.

 

[Peter BOSCO'S]

This one breaks the usual design rules but what about "Keen Senses - You never, ever have Disadvantage on any Perception check or on any Passive Perception."

 

[NaturalZero]

Maybe it's not exactly what you're looking for an elf, but I would be interested in seeing a broader set of senses present in racial stat-blocks -

• Darkvision - see in the total darkness, but in greyscale
• Infravision - see heat. See through invisibility and concealment but you're unable to see details, writing, etc.
• Blindsight
• Tremorsense
• Mist-sight - see through fog, heavy rain, snow, or murky water without penalty.

 

[Cap'n Kobold]

Maybe give them the choice of proficiency in Investigation, Insight or Stealth.
Seems Elfy enough and of a similar power level.

 

[Rune]

Pretty sure no one has ever said they miss infravision. What a pain describing the crap was. Only benefit of it was...oh wait there wasn't one.

There was one. You could track across stone surfaces due to the slightly different temperature of the footprints. At least, that’s the way we played.