Perception is, by far, the most used skill in Dungeons & Dragons 5E<\/em>. The need for adventurers to see and identify threats in battle is far too important. However, the DM has the ability to let you look for things without actively doing so. Because of that, it\u2019s important that you can calculate your own passive Perception in 5E.<\/em> Increasing your own ability to see targets without rolling will prevent ambushes and might let you see traps early.<\/p>
While the active check allows you to locate hidden objects or see enemies, the Passive Perception <\/strong>check is designed to be something other creatures roll against. For instance, if an enemy is trying to hide from the party, their Dexterity (Stealth) check is rolled against the Passive Perception DC of any party member who can potentially see their hiding place. <\/p>
The same thing goes for players who are trying to hide from enemies. Passive Perception is how good a creature is at noticing something when it is not trying hard to look\u2014such as using your peripheral vision.<\/p>
