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<blockquote data-quote="Essenti" data-source="post: 6500593" data-attributes="member: 100205">Although it puts the onus on the DM, I prefer to use passive perception to award hints about the presence of something out of place, rather than directly revealing that something. If they are more than 5 above the DC for the check, then I'll give them a stronger hint.If a PC passively perceives a secret door DC, I might tell the PC that there is a slight metallic taste in the air emanating from the south. If they have 5 more than the secret door DC, they notice there is a metallic seam on the southern cave wall, camouflaged to look like rock.Basically the same thing for stealth: If a stealth check is 5+ less than a passive perception, then that PC / Creature is clearly noticed, &quot;You see a humanoid shape moving in the shadows to the south.&quot; Close but doesn't beat the passive perception, then the perceiver notices something amiss, &quot;A few loose rocks skitter in the darkness to the south...&quot; or &quot;You notice the glint of something shiny in the shadowy corridor to the south.&quot;Use passive perception/skills to build tension, not as instant resolution.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Essenti, post: 6500593, member: 100205"] Although it puts the onus on the DM, I prefer to use passive perception to award hints about the presence of something out of place, rather than directly revealing that something. If they are more than 5 above the DC for the check, then I'll give them a stronger hint. If a PC passively perceives a secret door DC, I might tell the PC that there is a slight metallic taste in the air emanating from the south. If they have 5 more than the secret door DC, they notice there is a metallic seam on the southern cave wall, camouflaged to look like rock. Basically the same thing for stealth: If a stealth check is 5+ less than a passive perception, then that PC / Creature is clearly noticed, "You see a humanoid shape moving in the shadows to the south." Close but doesn't beat the passive perception, then the perceiver notices something amiss, "A few loose rocks skitter in the darkness to the south..." or "You notice the glint of something shiny in the shadowy corridor to the south." Use passive perception/skills to build tension, not as instant resolution. [/QUOTE]

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