Perception has to do with your physical senses and how alert you are at all times
The following modifiers apply to any perception check
| Condition | DC Modifier |
|---|---|
| Unfavorable Conditions | Disadvantage |
| Favorable Conditions | Advantage |
| Perceiver is asleep | +1 |
| Target is invisible | +1, and Disadvantage |
| Far distance to the target | Increases difficulty level per GM discretion |
Listen can be used to check if a player hears a certain sound they are listening for, such as discussion on which they are eavesdropping. It can also be used to see if they are paying attention to what they are listening to, such as whether or not they hear the sound of a swarm of bees approaching. It is also against a creature using stealth in the players presence
| Sound | DC |
|---|---|
| Hear the sound of fighting | Easy |
| Hear the details of a conversation | Easy |
| Hear the sound of a creature walking | Easy |
| Hear the details of a whispered conversation | Moderate |
| Hear the sound of a key being turned in a lock | Hard |
| Hear a bow being drawn | Hard |
| Hear a owl gliding | Near Impossible |
| Hear a creature using Stealth | Opposed by Stealth |
| Hear a creature attempting to bind air or water quietly | Opposed by Stealth, Disadvantage |
| Hear a creature attempting to bind fire or earth quietly | Opposed by Stealth, Advantage |
The following modifiers apply to listening:
| Condition | DC Modifier |
|---|---|
| Through a closed door | Disadvantage |
| Through a wall | +1 |
Action: Reactive Listen checks are not part of an action. Actively listening is a swift action
Try Again: Yes, but only if the volume or nature of the sound changes
This deals with your ability to notice details or a creature using stealth in your vicinity. It measures your general awareness but also your visual acuity
| Task | Perception Difficulty |
|---|---|
| Notice a visible creature in plain sight | Easy |
| Notice an obvious detail | Easy |
| Notice that something has changed | Moderate |
| Notice a subtle or hidden detail | Hard |
| Notice a creature attempting to hide from you | Opposed by Stealth |
Your visual acuity is your ability to see details at a distance. The measurement 20/20 signifies normal vision, that you are able to see details at 20 feet that a normal human can see at 20 feet. 40/20 would mean that at a distance of 40 feet, you can see the same detail that a normal person sees at 20 feet
Each rank in Perception strengthens your visual acuity by 1 foot (Maximum 20). For example, a player starting with normal vision, who gains 10 ranks in Perception would have 30/20 vision. Players are assumed to start with 20/20 vision unless otherwise noted in their character description
Action: Reactive Spot checks are not part of an action
Try Again: Yes, if the target object has changed, moved, or conditions have improved since the last check
You can also detect smells, identify substances by taste, and feel movements in the ground
| Task | Perception DC |
|---|---|
| Detect the smell of smoke | Easy |
| Determine if food is spoiled | Easy |
| Identify the ingredients of food by taste | Moderate |
| Distinguish between two similar herbs by feel, smell, or taste | Hard |
| Sense a burrowing creature underneath you | Hard |
| Notice a pickpocket | Opposed by Sleight of Hand |
If your character is permanently unable to see or to hear, they gain advantage on all perception checks made with their unaffected senses, after only a day or two of disability