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Message: <blockquote data-quote="iserith" data-source="post: 7793610" data-attributes="member: 97077">Passive checks in D&D 5e are the average result for a task done repeatedly, or for when the DM wants to secretly determine whether the PC succeeds at something without rolling dice. Like any other ability check, it is used to determine the result of a task the player has described that the DM judges to have an uncertain outcome and a meaningful consequence for failure.Passive Perception in particular applies when the character is staying alert for hidden dangers such as monsters and traps. It is used in part to determine surprise and sets the DC for any monsters attempting to hide from the character. This is provided that the character is not distracted in some way, such as by performing an activity while traveling like navigating, foraging, drawing a map, tracking, or any other task the DM judges to be distracting. These sorts of activities mean that the character is automatically surprised by lurking monsters and does not notice any traps. An exception to this is the ranger in favored terrain, who can both stay alert for hidden dangers while performing one of these other tasks. The character's position in the marching order may also determine whether or not passive Perception can be applied.In general, as DM I do not change my description of the environment because a character has a high passive Perception score. They get the same description as everyone else and then may act to notice additional details in that environment. After they describe what they want to do (which we'll assume here is something related to spotting, hearing, or otherwise detecting the presence of something), I determine if the task is successful, not successful, or if there's an uncertain outcome. If there's an uncertain outcome and a meaningful consequence for failure, I call for a Wisdom (Perception) check with an appropriate DC.Automatic success and failure happen regularly in D&D 5e. Only tasks with an uncertain outcome and a meaningful consequence for failure have an ability check. And only the DM may call for ability checks, passive or otherwise, based on what the player has described as wanting to do. The smart play in this paradigm in my view is to pay attention to what the DM says about the environment and then describe a well-conceived task in a way that attempts to remove uncertainty as to the outcome and/or take any meaningful consequence for failure out of the equation. With at least one of those two criteria gone, a DM following the rules will thus declare the effort as an automatic success and there is no ability check. (Again, assuming the task isn't impossible.) This is better than relying on dice, if the goal of the player is to succeed more often than not.Passive Insight is by definition when the player has described a task to determine the true intentions of a creature by gleaning clues from body language, speech habits, and changes in mannerisms - performed repeatedly - when there is an uncertain outcome and a meaningful consequence for failure. As a result, it may come up only in very specific circumstances such as an extended social interaction challenge. Some DMs may use it to set the DC for an NPC's or monster's Charisma (Deception) check, but I do not believe that is a good use of the mechanic. I would prefer to simply have the NPC or monster speak and an incredulous player declare the appropriate task to discern lies or otherwise try to uncover the NPC's ideal, bond, flaw, or agenda, at which point I may or may not call for a Wisdom (Insight check) or grant automatic success or failure as with any other ability check.</blockquote>

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