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Message: <blockquote data-quote="CapnZapp" data-source="post: 6807960" data-attributes="member: 12731">Don't use "always on" passive checks. And don't follow some rulebook to tell you when to use passive checks.Use passive checks if and only if you the DM want to utilize one of the two traits of passive checks:1) the way a passive check often equates to auto-success if everyone in the party gets to "check".2) the way a passive check is faster and less intrusive than active rollsIf the party decides to mistrust the bridge and check it, you the DM might decide they should find out it's an illusion with no risk of failure since they did take the trouble of checking it. Perhaps you feel it would be highly anticlimactic to ask for rolls and see them all roll a 1.In this case, use the passive check mechanic because of reason #1. Then simply tell them "the bridge is illusory, what now". You might not even bother checking their individual passive Investigation scores against the illusion DC, partly because you really don't want to have them fail here, partly because experience tells you most 5E parties will contain at least one character with a good passive value that is better than the relatively modest save DCs of the game.If the party encounters a lot of illusions and this bridge isn't special, you might instead decide to speed up the illusion-checking procedure to keep down the number of rolls that really doesn't lead anywhere "okay so this statue is also an illusion, nothing to be gained here, moving on".In this case, use the passive check mechanic because of reason #2. Then tell them "you pass by a lot of towers and bridges and windmills and statues, but most of them turn out to be illusions. After an hour, however, ..." and by this time, they've come across something crucial to the adventure. Now, and this is the lesson boys and girls, this final illusion might very well be one the passive mechanism would also reveal... but this time you decide NOT to use the passive mechanism, and instead ask for rolls. This way, the party Wizard must roll at least average and the rest must roll high, or the illusion stays unrevealed and the party has its challenge!Do note that in each and every case the decision to use or not use passive checks is solely up to the Dungeon Master: the needs of the story and the pacing of the play session. At no time does any rule from the PHB whatsoever come into this at all.This is how I recommend you put the passive check mechanism to good use. Anything else will only lead to confusion and frustration. Like this very thread is a perfect example of, I might add.</blockquote>

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