Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - Suggestions & Feedback Failed passive checks should not be shown, and shouldn't be rolls in the first place.

Idk what to say, I've played games in the past where I had to spam some weird investigate/detect action like that every 5 seconds. It becomes tedious very fast.

I'm not sure if you realize this or not, but what you've said right there is exactly what the game is currently doing that you said you don't like? The game is assuming the characters are active searching all the time, but only shows the rolls when they are pertinent. If I'm not mistaken there is actually a setting to turn off viewing those active rolls? I believe I read that somewhere else on the forums. In which case, you've got exactly what you want. Turn off the view for those activated active rolls, your party is actively rolling whenever stimulus is present, and you won't be made aware of any misses, you'll only see the hidden objects/traps if you've made the roll. Am I right in assuming that's what you're asking for?

Edit: Turning off the view for those "active checks" may be a mod I was looking at. Can't currently check game options as I'm not at home. If anybody can check on that and clarify, I'd appreciate it.
2nd Edit: It is a mod: https://www.nexusmods.com/baldursgate3/mods/548
I realize that not everybody likes to mod the game as it can cause some fatal errors, which just validates the opinion of the original post. If you are willing to mod, then obviously that mod is one you should look at adding.

I'd prefer not to see passive rolls because of basically what the OP said. D&D doesn't have a system of partial success/failure it's all or nothing and so there's really no need to show anything except success on passive rolls. Plus every good GM knows you don't ask for a roll unless you can live with failure so if the PC's need to know something or get past something you can't make it roll dependent, you can have rolls to make it easier or harder, more or less, but never mission critical. As far as I can tell there are no "if you miss this Perception roll you get stuck forever" kind of encounters in BG3 so I think they should take those on screen fail rolls out, if you miss something you miss it, c'est la vie.

This perspective is clearly shared by some. Certainly not by all, and I would daresay not by most. I don't intent to play the same computer game dozens of times just to ensure I didn't 'miss' an unknown perception check and find that 13 gold on the pouch hidden under that rock beside the path. I imagine the designers had discussions on this very subject and came to the same conclusion of the silliness of that notion.

I also know the developers consider the perspectives of more purist-minded individuals because there's a definition in the rulesets file for this - to hide failed perception checks. It's currently defaulted to "false". Wouldn't take much for a modder to adjust that and put out a mod - you could always ask in the modding subforum.

BTW, there are a few other definitions as well, such as 'ironman mode' and 'no death saving throws'. I suppose these might be placeholders for the devs to introduce customizable play/difficulty settings in a future patch - for which I am absolutely in favour!

Yeah, it should be an option, but it's not as if this wouldn't also be something that's done at tables.
I assume that it was decided to make it that way so that people don't assume there are constantly random magic effects and explosions going on and then complain about this being a bug.

I think it's fine the current way.

If you must insist, then make an option that can be turned on or off, but I don't want the feature removed.

No. The point is that the game is broadcasting metagame information to the player on failed checks.

Are you the kind of person to investigate every single room for traps?

I mean, that's the very reason why DM/GM screens exist, and why are they demanded product.
DM/GM always should be aware about 'secret checks", and that he should, and when he should make those. And no player can see the result.

Party walk into the room - DM/GM checks what everyone's perception is - and roll perception FOR THEM. If at least one person succeed - DM/GM mention what they are spotted. If no one succeed - DM/GM remain silent about what party missed.

Unlike for investigation, which is actually a player activity, that occurs only when player actually calls to do it. But even then, DM/GM should mention nothing about what players could miss. He should allow investigation check even if there nothing important in the room.... which practically means player will find nothing no matetr how high they roll.

Of course, investigation, unlike perception actually takes time. And if players would try to waste too much time trying to investigate every room for 20 minutes each- DM/GM should punish them for that.

DM doesn't roll for them.
DM just uses the flat passive perception scores they have that don't come from rolls.
Passives aren't supposed to be rolled, the score is just high enough to beat DC or it's not. Rolling is only for actively done things.

Yes, that is absolutely how 5e rules work. However, as I indicated upthread sometimes I will make secret rolls for my players when I know their passive score isn't high enough to locate something, but a character has proven over the course of the campaign to be wary of danger or on the lookout for hidden secrets. Sometimes a player is distracted by other things and doesn't ask to search for danger, even though I believe their character would. In those cases, I'll frequently make a "secret" roll behind the screen. A lot of times if my players notice me rolling something and not saying anything, they'll immediately indicate that they'd like to actively search anyway.

None of that changes the fact that the OP and those who agree with him, SHOULD have a method for not having to see Metagame knowledge if it affects their immersion. There is currently a mod for just that thing. Hopefully at some point in the near future it just becomes something you can adjust in the options, much like Karmic Dice.

Depends on what game, and what edition of it you are using. Although passive perception in 5e tbh is dumb. Basically, game says that if you never gonna try perception roll yourself - you get 10. But if you try to roll for it - you can get result below 10 o_O
It should have been either passive equqal to 1+WIS+Proficiency. And all DCs adjusted for that. Or active roll is D10 instead of D20, and that D10 added on top of your passive of WIS+Prof+10.
Even better option - perception is always passive only. And if you convinced there actually something in the room (maybe you get a vague answer from divination, or got vague information from city informants about treasures hidden somewhere in dungeon, you are just not sure where exactly) - then you call for investigation activity, and roll for investigation check instead.

I'm pretty sure in 5e actual rules it's always passive no matter what as your minimum. Even if you roll say a 1, you still passively have a perception of 13 so 13 is used instead.

Nope, if you call to roll for perception - you roll it, and you take number that rolled, even if that's number bellow 10.