Maginomicon
2013-10-25, 01:08 AM
Let's face it. Sometimes... players can be really... really... stupid.
When I look at their character's ability scores and skills, in-character they wouldn't automatically be that stupid or ignorant. A player will sometimes do things like see a pit that seems to be sparkling at the bottom and have their character jump right in to get the "jewels" without checking the pit for traps or even check how deep it is. Their character would -- in-character -- automatically question it (essentially a DC 3 wisdom or dungeoneering check), but the player might not. That is player stupidity. When a player does something really stupid, it hurts everyone. It hurts that player because their character might instantly die or otherwise "lose". It hurts the other characters because they might instantly be a man down in a tough situation. Finally, it hurts you as GM because their stupidity might derail or even ruin your entire campaign because that PC might be important (perhaps even really important) to the story. We've all seen it happen time and time again. Sometimes it works out for the better in the end... but often, it doesn't.
Now, if you're a "killer GM" and revel in it successfully and everyone's having fun, that's one thing, but personally I try to ascribe to the philosophy of "The game is 10% about the GM, 90% about the players." I'm not going to hand them an automatic victory, but I want them to succeed and have fun in-general. Thus, to alleviate player stupidity and ignorance when their character wouldn't be that stupid or ignorant, I've implemented "passive" ability checks, skills, and saves similar in nature to 4e's passive perception and insight.
The goals here are:
To allow me as GM to first and foremost justifiably "give away" free plot-relevant/useful information that their character would know,
To help players see the benefits of having a higher value in various ability scores with the intention of helping them learn to roleplay their character's scores,
To have justification for balking when a player wants to have their character do something that -- based on ability scores and skill modifiers -- the character simply wouldn't "do" (because of prior knowledge and intuition) without at least thinking it through first, and
To provide a clear mechanical distinction between a PC "actively" trying to do something and "passively", unknowingly, or automatically applying trivial effort.
Only the GM keeps track of these passive values, and references them when they don't want to ask a player to roll some kind of check (as that would be suspicious and could break game flow by haphazardly cluing-in the player to what they should be doing). A passive check value is equal to 5 (the "easy" DC rating) + the character's relevant modifiers for that kind of check. Passive checks should only come into play whenever something would automatically trigger that the character wouldn’t or couldn’t know to "actively" attempt to beat its DC. They should never come into play when the player actively tries to do something or directly asks the GM a question. (Use the normal rules for checks when the player actively attempts something). Even in-combat, the creature has to take prerogative to use an active check (with the exception of saving throws, see below).
Abilities
Passive Strength = Muscular impressions (compare passives)
Strength measures your character’s muscle and physical power.
Creatures can on-sight tell whether another creature is significantly stronger or weaker than themselves from basic evidence. How much stronger or weaker is often unclear, but as long as it’s significant in one direction or the other, you can at least make a ballpark estimate. If a creature can clearly observe another creature’s physique to a significant extent, he automatically makes a Passive Strength opposed check against the other creature. If the other creature’s Passive Strength is at least 3 higher than his own, he automatically gets an impression that the creature is "very strong" (or some other suitable expression). Likewise, if the other creature is at least 3 lower, he automatically gets an impression that the creature is "weak". The GM can express this as blatantly as noticing pure rippling muscle to as subtle as a toned body, depending on how significant the difference is in passive strength. What matters is how much qualitative emphasis the GM provides. The player should never receive a numeric value of the difference.
Passive Dexterity = Gracefulness impressions (compare passives)
Dexterity measures hand-eye coordination, agility, reflexes, and balance.
Creatures can on-sight tell whether another creature is significantly more or less graceful than themselves from basic evidence. How much is often unclear, but as long as it’s significant in one direction or the other, you can at least make a ballpark estimate. If a creature can clearly observe another creature’s physique to a significant extent, he automatically makes a Passive Dexterity opposed check against the other creature. If the other creature’s Passive Dexterity is at least 3 higher than his own, he automatically gets an impression that the creature is "very agile" (or some other suitable expression). Likewise, if the other creature is at least 3 lower, he automatically gets an impression that the creature is "clumsy". The GM can express this as blatantly as noticing its lithe and streamlined body to as subtle as seeing it has soft hands. What matters is how much qualitative emphasis the GM provides. The player should never receive a numeric value of the difference.
Passive Constitution = Hardiness impressions (compare passives)
Constitution represents your character’s health and stamina.
Creatures can on-sight tell whether another creature is significantly more or less hearty than themselves from basic evidence. How much is often unclear, but as long as it’s significant in one direction or the other, you can at least make a ballpark estimate. If a creature can clearly observe another creature’s physique to a significant extent, he automatically makes a Passive Constitution opposed check against the other creature. If the other creature’s Passive Constitution is at least 3 higher than his own, he automatically gets an impression that the creature is "virile and sturdy" (or some other suitable expression). Likewise, if the other creature is at least 3 lower, he automatically gets an impression that the creature is "sickly". The GM can express this as blatantly as noticing a tough exterior to as subtle as getting an impression that he'd last longer in a drinking contest. What matters is how much qualitative emphasis the GM provides. The player should never receive a numeric value of the difference.
Passive Intelligence = Automatic Puzzle Hints
Intelligence determines how well your character learns and reasons.
By the GM remembering the rough difficulty ratings of the different DC values, Passive Intelligence allows the GM to automatically give the player hints about a puzzle or puzzling scenario that will at least get the player on the right track towards a solution. For example, upon seeing a suspicious shallow hole in a wall, a Passive Intelligence that beats DC 5 (the "easy" difficulty rating) could mean the character determines that it’s meant to have a pole or quarterstaff inserted into it. These checks usually involve Passive Spot and Passive Listen checks as a means to automatically locate clues.
Passive Wisdom = Common Sense / Campaign Memory
Wisdom describes a character’s willpower, common sense, perception, and intuition.
Players often forget really basic things about the campaign that their character would not forget, such as NPC names, their party’s most significant capabilities, who had the MacGuffin at the moment and what the MacGuffin can do, or even basic common sense about the world around them and what anyone would have learned from growing up in the campaign world. Passive Wisdom checks allow the GM to have mechanical justification for reminding players about things their characters would automatically remember as a matter of living their lives up to this point. The DC set for these checks indicates how easy or hard it would be to remember that detail.
Passive Charisma = Personality Impressions (compare passives)
Charisma measures a character’s force of personality, persuasiveness, personal magnetism, ability to lead, and physical attractiveness.
You can on-sight tell how much force of personality another creature has from basic evidence. How much is often unclear, but as long as it’s significant in one direction or the other, you can at least make a ballpark estimate. When a creature enters your line of sight, you automatically make a Passive Charisma opposed check against the other creature. If the other creature’s Passive Charisma is at least 3 higher than yours, you immediately notice the creature as if it had "a great presence" (or some other suitable expression). Likewise, if the other creature is at least 3 lower, he automatically gets an impression that the creature is "pathetic". The GM can express this as blatantly as describing everyone in the room suddenly turning to face it or as subtly as describing the creature as having a jolly demeanor and warm smile. What matters is how much qualitative emphasis the GM provides. The player should never receive a numeric value of the difference.
Senses
Passive Senses start at 10 instead of 5 to denote the reasonable exception of assuming that the PCs are always taking 10 on those skills.
Passive Spot = Seeing things automatically
To actively look for something is a normal "active" spot check. To determine whether a character spots it without even trying, it’s a Passive Spot check.
Passive Listen = Hearing things automatically
To actively listen out for something is a normal "active" listen check. To determine whether a character hears it without even trying, it’s a Passive Listen check.
Passive Sense Motive = Determining lies automatically
To actively try to discern a lie (such as through interrogation) is a normal "active" sense motive check. To determine a lie without even trying (such as in normal every-day conversation), it’s a Passive Sense Motive check.
Education
Passive Knowledge (field-specific) = Recognizing on-sight something either anyone would know or something you'd automatically know.
Actively taking a second to try to remember something within a specific field of interest is a normal "active" knowledge check within that field. To remember something from it just popping into your head, it’s a Passive Knowledge check within that field. You still have to have ranks in a knowledge skill to passively remember things within that field above a DC 10.
Passive Spellcraft = Identifying magical effects automatically
Often, you can identify a magical effect on-sight without having to actively try to dig into your memory to intuit or recall its name. The ability to do so is represented by your Passive Spellcraft check. This is basically a way for you to not have to actively roll to identify really recognizable magical effects. You still have to have ranks in spellcraft to make Passive Spellcraft checks.
Passive Psicraft = Identifying psionic effects automatically
Often, you can identify a psionic effect on-sight without having to actively try to dig into your memory to intuit or recall its name. The ability to do so is represented by your Passive Psicraft check. This is basically a way for you to not have to actively roll to identify really recognizable psionic effects. You still have to have ranks in psicraft to make Passive Psicraft checks.
Saves
When you're fighting for your life, every saving throw is active. Before your first turn in combat though, your adrenaline isn't pumping yet, so you use passive saving throws. Even out of combat, if you can't be aware that an attack might conceivably happen, you can't defend yourself as actively as when you know it's coming. Basically, a wrecking ball trap that blindsides you would use a passive save, but if you're aware of the trap and are actively trying to dodge it, you use an active save.
Passive Fortitude = Initial saving throw against poison and disease
When you initially save against a poison or disease (or ravage or affliction, see BoED page 34), you couldn't possibly know what’s happening, so you can’t "steel yourself" against the attack. Thus, saving throws you make against poison and disease are a Passive Fortitude save (and you receive no notification of a successful save) until you fail such a fortitude save. Once you know that there’s something to save against (by failing a save), every save after that is an active fortitude save. Your autonomic immune system controls your Passive Fortitude save, not your subconscious, so you only use Passive Fortitude versus poison and disease (all other fortitude save effects are obvious, so they use active fortitude saves).
Passive Reflex = Dodging something they couldn't see coming
If you can’t possibly perceive something coming at you that would require a reflex save, you must use a Passive Reflex save. Once you’re aware that there’s something to dodge, you make normal "active" reflex saves as normal. Instances of Passive Reflex saves are relatively rare because usually effects that would require a reflex save at least make some kind of noise or alert some other sense. Of course, if you’re deaf and/or blind, these might happen a lot more often.
Passive Will = Automatically bypassing willpower attacks
There are minor things that would annoy, distract, or drain you of your ability to stay focused and centered. Additionally, some attacks on a person’s will can’t be detected until it’s too late (such as being dominated by surprise). In these cases, the person makes a Passive Will save. Once you’re aware of an attack on your willpower, you can "steel yourself" against future attacks and make normal will saves.
What I Want To Know:
PEACH about the system as a whole
How to better use this existing premise to accomplish its stated goals
Other mechanical methodologies a GM can use to justify giving away free information
Suggestions to improve upon the language or better describe the circumstances which would call for a passive check/save
Suggestions for expansions (additional uses) of a passive check/save
What I Don't Want To Hear:
Stuff about how much 4e and anything like it "sucks"
Whining about the premise of passive checks in D&D 3.5
Stuff about killer GMs being a positive thing
Whining about the premise of splitting up save opportunities based on whether you can "steel yourself" against it
Whining about how situational or relatively useless some of the passive ability checks can be compared to the others
When I look at their character's ability scores and skills, in-character they wouldn't automatically be that stupid or ignorant. A player will sometimes do things like see a pit that seems to be sparkling at the bottom and have their character jump right in to get the "jewels" without checking the pit for traps or even check how deep it is. Their character would -- in-character -- automatically question it (essentially a DC 3 wisdom or dungeoneering check), but the player might not. That is player stupidity. When a player does something really stupid, it hurts everyone. It hurts that player because their character might instantly die or otherwise "lose". It hurts the other characters because they might instantly be a man down in a tough situation. Finally, it hurts you as GM because their stupidity might derail or even ruin your entire campaign because that PC might be important (perhaps even really important) to the story. We've all seen it happen time and time again. Sometimes it works out for the better in the end... but often, it doesn't.
Now, if you're a "killer GM" and revel in it successfully and everyone's having fun, that's one thing, but personally I try to ascribe to the philosophy of "The game is 10% about the GM, 90% about the players." I'm not going to hand them an automatic victory, but I want them to succeed and have fun in-general. Thus, to alleviate player stupidity and ignorance when their character wouldn't be that stupid or ignorant, I've implemented "passive" ability checks, skills, and saves similar in nature to 4e's passive perception and insight.
The goals here are:
To allow me as GM to first and foremost justifiably "give away" free plot-relevant/useful information that their character would know,
To help players see the benefits of having a higher value in various ability scores with the intention of helping them learn to roleplay their character's scores,
To have justification for balking when a player wants to have their character do something that -- based on ability scores and skill modifiers -- the character simply wouldn't "do" (because of prior knowledge and intuition) without at least thinking it through first, and
To provide a clear mechanical distinction between a PC "actively" trying to do something and "passively", unknowingly, or automatically applying trivial effort.
Only the GM keeps track of these passive values, and references them when they don't want to ask a player to roll some kind of check (as that would be suspicious and could break game flow by haphazardly cluing-in the player to what they should be doing). A passive check value is equal to 5 (the "easy" DC rating) + the character's relevant modifiers for that kind of check. Passive checks should only come into play whenever something would automatically trigger that the character wouldn’t or couldn’t know to "actively" attempt to beat its DC. They should never come into play when the player actively tries to do something or directly asks the GM a question. (Use the normal rules for checks when the player actively attempts something). Even in-combat, the creature has to take prerogative to use an active check (with the exception of saving throws, see below).
Abilities
Passive Strength = Muscular impressions (compare passives)
Strength measures your character’s muscle and physical power.
Creatures can on-sight tell whether another creature is significantly stronger or weaker than themselves from basic evidence. How much stronger or weaker is often unclear, but as long as it’s significant in one direction or the other, you can at least make a ballpark estimate. If a creature can clearly observe another creature’s physique to a significant extent, he automatically makes a Passive Strength opposed check against the other creature. If the other creature’s Passive Strength is at least 3 higher than his own, he automatically gets an impression that the creature is "very strong" (or some other suitable expression). Likewise, if the other creature is at least 3 lower, he automatically gets an impression that the creature is "weak". The GM can express this as blatantly as noticing pure rippling muscle to as subtle as a toned body, depending on how significant the difference is in passive strength. What matters is how much qualitative emphasis the GM provides. The player should never receive a numeric value of the difference.
Passive Dexterity = Gracefulness impressions (compare passives)
Dexterity measures hand-eye coordination, agility, reflexes, and balance.
Creatures can on-sight tell whether another creature is significantly more or less graceful than themselves from basic evidence. How much is often unclear, but as long as it’s significant in one direction or the other, you can at least make a ballpark estimate. If a creature can clearly observe another creature’s physique to a significant extent, he automatically makes a Passive Dexterity opposed check against the other creature. If the other creature’s Passive Dexterity is at least 3 higher than his own, he automatically gets an impression that the creature is "very agile" (or some other suitable expression). Likewise, if the other creature is at least 3 lower, he automatically gets an impression that the creature is "clumsy". The GM can express this as blatantly as noticing its lithe and streamlined body to as subtle as seeing it has soft hands. What matters is how much qualitative emphasis the GM provides. The player should never receive a numeric value of the difference.
Passive Constitution = Hardiness impressions (compare passives)
Constitution represents your character’s health and stamina.
Creatures can on-sight tell whether another creature is significantly more or less hearty than themselves from basic evidence. How much is often unclear, but as long as it’s significant in one direction or the other, you can at least make a ballpark estimate. If a creature can clearly observe another creature’s physique to a significant extent, he automatically makes a Passive Constitution opposed check against the other creature. If the other creature’s Passive Constitution is at least 3 higher than his own, he automatically gets an impression that the creature is "virile and sturdy" (or some other suitable expression). Likewise, if the other creature is at least 3 lower, he automatically gets an impression that the creature is "sickly". The GM can express this as blatantly as noticing a tough exterior to as subtle as getting an impression that he'd last longer in a drinking contest. What matters is how much qualitative emphasis the GM provides. The player should never receive a numeric value of the difference.
Passive Intelligence = Automatic Puzzle Hints
Intelligence determines how well your character learns and reasons.
By the GM remembering the rough difficulty ratings of the different DC values, Passive Intelligence allows the GM to automatically give the player hints about a puzzle or puzzling scenario that will at least get the player on the right track towards a solution. For example, upon seeing a suspicious shallow hole in a wall, a Passive Intelligence that beats DC 5 (the "easy" difficulty rating) could mean the character determines that it’s meant to have a pole or quarterstaff inserted into it. These checks usually involve Passive Spot and Passive Listen checks as a means to automatically locate clues.
Passive Wisdom = Common Sense / Campaign Memory
Wisdom describes a character’s willpower, common sense, perception, and intuition.
Players often forget really basic things about the campaign that their character would not forget, such as NPC names, their party’s most significant capabilities, who had the MacGuffin at the moment and what the MacGuffin can do, or even basic common sense about the world around them and what anyone would have learned from growing up in the campaign world. Passive Wisdom checks allow the GM to have mechanical justification for reminding players about things their characters would automatically remember as a matter of living their lives up to this point. The DC set for these checks indicates how easy or hard it would be to remember that detail.
Passive Charisma = Personality Impressions (compare passives)
Charisma measures a character’s force of personality, persuasiveness, personal magnetism, ability to lead, and physical attractiveness.
You can on-sight tell how much force of personality another creature has from basic evidence. How much is often unclear, but as long as it’s significant in one direction or the other, you can at least make a ballpark estimate. When a creature enters your line of sight, you automatically make a Passive Charisma opposed check against the other creature. If the other creature’s Passive Charisma is at least 3 higher than yours, you immediately notice the creature as if it had "a great presence" (or some other suitable expression). Likewise, if the other creature is at least 3 lower, he automatically gets an impression that the creature is "pathetic". The GM can express this as blatantly as describing everyone in the room suddenly turning to face it or as subtly as describing the creature as having a jolly demeanor and warm smile. What matters is how much qualitative emphasis the GM provides. The player should never receive a numeric value of the difference.
Senses
Passive Senses start at 10 instead of 5 to denote the reasonable exception of assuming that the PCs are always taking 10 on those skills.
Passive Spot = Seeing things automatically
To actively look for something is a normal "active" spot check. To determine whether a character spots it without even trying, it’s a Passive Spot check.
Passive Listen = Hearing things automatically
To actively listen out for something is a normal "active" listen check. To determine whether a character hears it without even trying, it’s a Passive Listen check.
Passive Sense Motive = Determining lies automatically
To actively try to discern a lie (such as through interrogation) is a normal "active" sense motive check. To determine a lie without even trying (such as in normal every-day conversation), it’s a Passive Sense Motive check.
Education
Passive Knowledge (field-specific) = Recognizing on-sight something either anyone would know or something you'd automatically know.
Actively taking a second to try to remember something within a specific field of interest is a normal "active" knowledge check within that field. To remember something from it just popping into your head, it’s a Passive Knowledge check within that field. You still have to have ranks in a knowledge skill to passively remember things within that field above a DC 10.
Passive Spellcraft = Identifying magical effects automatically
Often, you can identify a magical effect on-sight without having to actively try to dig into your memory to intuit or recall its name. The ability to do so is represented by your Passive Spellcraft check. This is basically a way for you to not have to actively roll to identify really recognizable magical effects. You still have to have ranks in spellcraft to make Passive Spellcraft checks.
Passive Psicraft = Identifying psionic effects automatically
Often, you can identify a psionic effect on-sight without having to actively try to dig into your memory to intuit or recall its name. The ability to do so is represented by your Passive Psicraft check. This is basically a way for you to not have to actively roll to identify really recognizable psionic effects. You still have to have ranks in psicraft to make Passive Psicraft checks.
Saves
When you're fighting for your life, every saving throw is active. Before your first turn in combat though, your adrenaline isn't pumping yet, so you use passive saving throws. Even out of combat, if you can't be aware that an attack might conceivably happen, you can't defend yourself as actively as when you know it's coming. Basically, a wrecking ball trap that blindsides you would use a passive save, but if you're aware of the trap and are actively trying to dodge it, you use an active save.
Passive Fortitude = Initial saving throw against poison and disease
When you initially save against a poison or disease (or ravage or affliction, see BoED page 34), you couldn't possibly know what’s happening, so you can’t "steel yourself" against the attack. Thus, saving throws you make against poison and disease are a Passive Fortitude save (and you receive no notification of a successful save) until you fail such a fortitude save. Once you know that there’s something to save against (by failing a save), every save after that is an active fortitude save. Your autonomic immune system controls your Passive Fortitude save, not your subconscious, so you only use Passive Fortitude versus poison and disease (all other fortitude save effects are obvious, so they use active fortitude saves).
Passive Reflex = Dodging something they couldn't see coming
If you can’t possibly perceive something coming at you that would require a reflex save, you must use a Passive Reflex save. Once you’re aware that there’s something to dodge, you make normal "active" reflex saves as normal. Instances of Passive Reflex saves are relatively rare because usually effects that would require a reflex save at least make some kind of noise or alert some other sense. Of course, if you’re deaf and/or blind, these might happen a lot more often.
Passive Will = Automatically bypassing willpower attacks
There are minor things that would annoy, distract, or drain you of your ability to stay focused and centered. Additionally, some attacks on a person’s will can’t be detected until it’s too late (such as being dominated by surprise). In these cases, the person makes a Passive Will save. Once you’re aware of an attack on your willpower, you can "steel yourself" against future attacks and make normal will saves.
What I Want To Know:
PEACH about the system as a whole
How to better use this existing premise to accomplish its stated goals
Other mechanical methodologies a GM can use to justify giving away free information
Suggestions to improve upon the language or better describe the circumstances which would call for a passive check/save
Suggestions for expansions (additional uses) of a passive check/save
What I Don't Want To Hear:
Stuff about how much 4e and anything like it "sucks"
Whining about the premise of passive checks in D&D 3.5
Stuff about killer GMs being a positive thing
Whining about the premise of splitting up save opportunities based on whether you can "steel yourself" against it
Whining about how situational or relatively useless some of the passive ability checks can be compared to the others