Perception
Wisdom-based skill for noticing environmental details via sight, sound, or other senses. Passive Perception = 10 + modifier.
Perception covers noticing things in your environment through sight, hearing, smell, or other senses. It is governed by Wisdom.
When to roll: The DM calls for a Perception check when a character might notice something — or uses passive Perception as the baseline.
Passive Perception: 10 + Perception modifier. Used when not actively searching; represents general awareness. Hidden creatures must beat passive Perception or an active check.
Common uses:
- Spotting a hidden creature or object
- Hearing sounds beyond a closed door
- Noticing a pickpocket or ambush
- Detecting movement in fog or darkness
The most-used skill: Perception is typically the most-rolled skill in the game. A high Perception modifier (and therefore a high Wisdom) is extremely valuable for all characters.
This work includes material from the System Reference Document 5.2.1 ("SRD 5.2.1") by Wizards of the Coast LLC, available at https://www.dndbeyond.com/srd. The SRD 5.2.1 is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, available at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode.