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Message: <blockquote data-quote="iserith" data-source="post: 6807203" data-attributes="member: 97077">Basic Rules, page 59 states that, "A passive check is a special kind of ability check that doesn’t involve any die rolls. Such a check can represent the average result for a task done repeatedly, such as searching for secret doors over and over again...""Passive" refers to there being no dice rolls in the check; it does not mean that the character isn't actively engaged in a task. Therefore, if you are not actively investigating in an ongoing fashion - perhaps to the exclusion of other activities such as keeping watch for hidden threats, navigating, foraging, tracking, or map-making - then your passive Investigation does not apply should you happen across an illusion. You simply fail to discern it. It is not a form of "always-on radar."If, on the other hand, you have stated that you are actively investigating for illusions or similar effects while exploring the dungeon - perhaps because you expect gnomish trickery or the like (due to DM telegraphing) - then the DM can use your passive Investigation score to determine an outcome, should he or she believe that your chance of noticing any illusions is uncertain.</blockquote>