Spot, Search, Listen...

[Scribble]

Right or wrong, in my games, Spot is used for a character inate ability to notice soemthing. Wether it's something visual, or even a sound.

Search is used when you're actively looking for something, and listen when you're actively trying to hear something...

What does everyone else do? Something similar?


edit: Actually thinking about this, this would be better in the D&D rules or houserules forum... would a mod be so kind as to move it for me? Sorry for the trouble. :\

 

[Crothian]

I do things similiar except spot and listen are more passive were search is active. AS DM I can require spot and listen rolls from everyone, or a player can say they are using them. With search, it only happens when the player says they are using it

 

[Tonguez]

couple of weeks ago their was a discussion about this very issue - ie replacing spot/listen with a 'perception' skill maybe search too

 

[Mercule]

I do things similiar except spot and listen are more passive were search is active. AS DM I can require spot and listen rolls from everyone, or a player can say they are using them. With search, it only happens when the player says they are using it

Pretty much exactly the same, here. Spot and Listen represent being open (or opening oneself up) to sights and sounds in the environment. Search is more something that requires study or thought.

As a tangent, my wife is playing an elven swashbuckler with an 8 Wis and a 16 Int, as well as no points spent in Spot, but a few in Search. Being an elf, she's allowed to automatically search for secret doors just by passing by them. So, I had to figure out how to explain the fact that she was able to randomly notice secret doors, while consistantly being the last to notice foes, etc. What I finally came up with was that her character is constantly studying things around her, using her intellect to understand her surroundings. The side effect of this is that she is so focused on the details of things that she rarely catches large things going on around her. Very much a "can't see the forest for the trees" mentality.

 

[Berandor]

I have search as in the book, and Spot/Listen have been melded into Perception which spans all six senses . Likewise, I combined Move Silently/Hide into Sneak.

I'm very happy now.

 

[Particle_Man]

6 senses? Um...Sight, Sound, Smell, Taste, Touch, and what?

 

[Plane Sailing]

Moved as per request.

FWIW I allow Listen for passive alerts to trouble, Spot for active alerts for trouble and Search is a hands-on investigation. You've got to touch stuff in a search (i.e. possible to set off traps etc)

Cheers
Plane Sailing
(mod)

 

[Orichin]

Generally I run spot and listen as passive or active skills, the only distinction between spot and search is the range they cover. Spot allows one to notice big things from far away, search detects smaller or obscured things at a closer range. Basically, if you're looking no farther than, say 5-10 feet from you, it's a search check in my book. Spot takes over for anything farther away than that, or for any passive checks, but won't give any detailed information like exactly how many beakers are full of purple liquid as opposed to red, or the title of the book across the room.

 

[Bagpuss]

6 senses? Um...Sight, Sound, Smell, Taste, Touch, and what?

and Mega-game.

Wow, natural 20 on your spot roll.

Okay you know the altar going to be trapped because the DM is running a Gygax adventure.

 

[Bagpuss]

You've got to touch stuff in a search (i.e. possible to set off traps etc)

Although actually the rules state you generally only need to be within 10ft of the area you search, and so won't set of any traps or even be able to touch anything at that distance, unless have really long arms.