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Message: <blockquote data-quote="KarinsDad" data-source="post: 5119482" data-attributes="member: 2011">I was totally unclear and misleading there.Perception appears to be a special case for the Passive Check rules. Take 10 cannot be used with the other skills in an encounter. The entire section on Take 10 and Passive Checks (i.e. using the Take 10 rules) in the PHB discusses when the PCs are not in an encounter (the sole exception being monster checks at the start of an encounter).However, the DMG seems to change that. It discusses using Passive Perception to discern hidden objects and significant details within an encounter area. The Traps section states that Passive Perception is used to notice traps. It does not state that the PC cannot do this if they are in an encounter. According to the original rules (pre-PHB 2), traps would have almost never been found in an encounter (shy of triggering them) if this were not the case since Active Perception used to take a Standard Action. It's clear that the designers wanted to allow Passive Perception during an encounter to minimally find traps and possibly to discern other details about encounter areas.Additionally, Passive Perception can be used for hidden objects. That means that unlike the Passive Checks for other skills that are limited to Opposed Skill uses of the skill, Passive Perception can be used not just against creatures, but against objects as well. It appears that the intent is that any Perception DC in the game system can use Passive Perception at any time for nearly any reason.The other skills do not have this advantage.Passive Perception appears to allow for auto-success at any time in a game (with the possible exception of Skill Challenges where there is no mention of using Passive skills except for settings DCs of enemies). Other skills only allow auto-success (if the DC is low enough) if the PCs are not in an encounter.That is how the rules differ for Passive Perception and the other skills. Passive Perception often allows for auto-success for anything that the player could use perception for. It effectively allows for Take 10, even within an encounter.</blockquote>

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