Help me out - Passive Skill checks

[Wisdom Penalty]

So we have four kobolds (what else?) hiding in the bushes beside the trail. The party is skipping down the trail and about to pass through the ambush site. The party is not actively searching for antagonists.

So...is it an active kobold stealth vs. party's passive perception roll? (By active I mean - roll 1d20 and add modifiers.)

Is it opposed rolls?

Is it a straight comparison of passive Stealth vs. passive Perception?

Is it an active Perception vs a passive Stealth?

Does 4E have a Take 10 or Take 20? If the kobolds have already established hiding positions, are they still "actively" hiding or do they have a set DC now for their Stealth check?

Talk to me. I like the concept of passive checks, and have been using something like that in 3E for some time, but I'm still not sure how it works around the table. And since I'm running KotS tonight, I'd better get my ducks in a row.

A million thank yous,
Wis

 

[Kordeth]

Unless the PCs are actively searching for the kobolds, it's the kobolds' Stealth check versus the PCs' passive Perception checks. Basically, PCs are always assumed to be taking 10 on Perception and Insight checks (and possibly others as the DM warrants); they only roll if they decide to actively engage in using the skill, which usually requires an action.

 

[Lacyon]

So we have four kobolds (what else?) hiding in the bushes beside the trail. The party is skipping down the trail and about to pass through the ambush site. The party is not actively searching for antagonists.

So...is it an active kobold stealth vs. party's passive perception roll? (By active I mean - roll 1d20 and add modifiers.)

Is it opposed rolls?

Is it a straight comparison of passive Stealth vs. passive Perception?

Is it an active Perception vs a passive Stealth?

Does 4E have a Take 10 or Take 20? If the kobolds have already established hiding positions, are they still "actively" hiding or do they have a set DC now for their Stealth check?

Talk to me. I like the concept of passive checks, and have been using something like that in 3E for some time, but I'm still not sure how it works around the table. And since I'm running KotS tonight, I'd better get my ducks in a row.

A million thank yous,
Wis

Disclaimer: I haven't seen KOTS yet.

I would personally only roll dice for one side or the other (usually the ambushers) and use the other side's Passive or Take 10 value.

The math works out pretty close to the same no matter who is rolling, so if the PCs are actively searching, go ahead and let them do the rolling.

 

[Rechan]

Active check: "I watch the treeline." "I take guard duty/point in the dungeon." "I listen to what's on the other side of the door." "I'm going to search this area for traps." "I'm going to look around for any loot."

Active vs. Active are both sides rolling against one another.

Passive applies anytime you'd look at a PC and say "Gimmie a spot/listen/search check" when the above was not said.

Here it's Passive vs. Active rolls.