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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Rod Staffwand" data-source="post: 7102113" data-attributes="member: 6776279">Once again, having passive perception as the floor of a perception check only makes sense when your passive perception has already failed to spot a hidden foe or feature and you are trying again with a check to attempt to achieve a higher roll.When a creature attempts to hide from you they make a stealth check against your passive perception, and not "your passive perception or the results of your perception check, whichever is greater".And passive perception doesn't save any time or effort if the DM has to compare trap DCs to PP and then call for an active perception check. I know the Phandelver goblin trail trap is written as such, but that was literally the first content written for 5E and I don't think subsequent traps feature the same resolution method.Passive perception is passive for the player (the player does not need to roll a die to determine their result) but it represents active effort on the part of the character, the same as an 'active' roll. It represents an 'average' result that can be used quickly and perhaps secretly by the DM. Using both methods simultaneously is redundant.Using both simultaneously is doubling up on resolution methods for the same activity and choosing the best result. Rolled checks give you a high, average or low result. Passive checks give you average results. Using both methods together give you only high or average results, greatly empowering perception for no discernible benefit.I only use passive perception as a DC for stealth checks. I don't use them as DCs to spot room features as I can't be bothered to attached DCs to everything. Features are:*Obvious = Obvious obviously. Immediately described on entering.*Obscured = Obvious something is there with details requiring a closer look. A shape at the bottom of a pond that turns out to be a chest. A passageway in the dark recesses of a chamber. More details with a round or two of effort.*Concealed = Hidden in, behind or underneath something. Require investigation and effort to find. A key in a drawer, a door behind drapes, coin pouch beneath a mattress. Found with a specific action ("I move the drapes") or 1 minute of a general, unspecified search. 10 minutes will find and investigate every non-feature thing in a room.*Secret = Something that has been purposely hidden. Requires time, investigation and effort. A key hidden in a crack between two bricks. A secret door. Generally requires 10 minutes and a skill check to find. Some might be found through clues by attentive players.Generally, I generally ask what the PCs want to search and how much time they want to spend. They can interact and search features as desired. If they are pressed for time, I allow skill checks to find things quicker. This is pretty much how I've been doing it for 25 years. I find it the most natural approach and I don't tend to change it no matter the system or edition.</blockquote>

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