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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Ilbranteloth" data-source="post: 6855862" data-attributes="member: 6778044">To clarify a bit how I use them:A passive check is used when a check is called for, but the character isn't actively attempting something. The Stealth vs Perception is a perfect example. If the PC/NPC doesn't have any specific reason to search for a hidden creature, and they aren't actively doing so, a passive check is used.I take that a bit farther by saying a passive check is usually not as good as an active one. That is, a success indicates you sense something is there, it could be you heard something, saw a shadow, or otherwise just noticed something isn't quite right. An active check can pinpoint it more effectively.The funny thing is, sometimes our instinct is better than when we get in the way. That is, our unconscious is better than our conscious self. So when you make the active check, there's a chance you might roll low. I don't use passive checks for everything, though. They work for things that you could do passively. Perception, Investigation, Stealth, Insight, those sort of things.The other aspect to the passive check is more like the old Take 10 rule. In this case it's a floor that helps me determine how the character does, and whether a further check is necessary. These are more along the lines of the Deception, Intimidation, Persuasion, Survival, along with things like Arcana, History, Religion and the like.So in a situation where they want to try to convince a guard to let them into a keep, I'll use a combination of the PC/NPC passive scores and role-playing if it's obvious they outclass the NPC. If it's close, or the stakes are high, or from a role-playing perspective the players don't give me much to work with, then I'll have them roll to make a check.Failure isn't always failure, though. I use a degree of failure thing, and in something like an interaction, it's a thing where the guard will go through different attitudes (indifferent, hostile, etc.). Basically they are useful to reduce the number of skill checks needed at a particular time so we can focus on the role-playing and story, but still takes the PC/NPC skills into account. I'm not a fan of the "I want to convince the guard to let me into the keep, can I make a Persuasion check?" approach to the game. We go through the encounter, and if the situation warrants, we'll make a die roll, probably with modifiers based on what has occurred during the role-playing so far.For something like climbing a wall or cliff, if their passive skill is sufficient, then I see little reason to make any checks unless something warrants it, like a more difficult part of the climb, or they find themselves under attack. This falls more under the baseline/take 10 plus the basic premise that unless there is an immediate risk and they can take time to complete the task, there isn't much need to make a bunch of skill checks.Ilbranteloth</blockquote>

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