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Rules Index | GM Screen | Player's Guide

Perception

Source Player Core pg. 404
Perception measures your ability to be aware of your environment. Every creature has Perception, which works with and is limited by a creature's senses. (Details on senses and detecting things are on page 434). Whenever you need to attempt a check based on your awareness, you'll attempt a Perception check. Your Perception uses your Wisdom modifier, so you'll use the following formula when attempting a Perception check.

Perception check result = d20 roll + Wisdom modifier + proficiency bonus + other bonuses + penalties

Nearly all creatures are at least trained in Perception, so you will almost always add a proficiency bonus to your Perception modifier. You might add a circumstance bonus for advantageous situations or environments and typically get status bonuses from spells or other magical effects. Items can also grant you a bonus to Perception, typically in a certain situation. For instance, a fine spyglass grants a +1 item bonus to Perception when attempting to see something a long distance away. Circumstance penalties to Perception occur when an environment or situation (such as fog) hampers your senses, while status penalties typically come from conditions, spells, and magic effects that foil the senses. You'll rarely encounter item penalties or untyped penalties for Perception.

Many abilities are compared to your Perception DC to determine whether they succeed. As with any DC based on a modifier, your Perception DC is 10 + your total Perception modifier.

Item Bonuses for Perception - Common Items

Item Bonuses for Common items

Ability/Skill	Item	Bonus	Level	Category	Consumable?	Note
Perception	Magnifying Glass	+1	3	Adventuring Gear	No	Perception checks to notice minute details of documents, fabric, and the like
Perception	Magnifying Scope	+1	3	Scopes	No	Visual Perception checks to Seek creatures through the scope
Perception	Spyglass (Fine)	+1	4	Adventuring Gear	No	Perception checks to notice details at a distance
Perception	Eye Slash (Greater)	+1	4	Tattoos	No	Visual Perception checks
Perception	Goggles of Night	+1	5	Other Worn Items	No	Perception checks involving sight
Perception	Darkvision Scope	+1	5	Scopes	No	Perception checks involving sight in areas of dim light visible through the scope (as well as in areas of darkness, if the scope has been activated).
Perception	Mirror Goggles (Lesser)	+1	5	Other Worn Items	No	Visual Perception checks
Perception	Obsidian Goggles	+1	5	Worn Items	No	Perception checks involving sight
Perception	Eye of the Unseen	+1	8	Prostheses	No	Visual Perception checks
Perception	Clarity Goggles (Lesser)	+1	8	Other Worn Items	No	Visual Perception checks
Perception	Codex of Unimpeded Sight (Greater)	+1	12	Grimoires	No	Perception checks to Seek
Perception	Eagle-Eye Elixir (Lesser)	+1	1	Alchemical Elixirs	Yes	Perception checks that is greater when attempting to find secret doors and traps.
Perception	Serene Mutagen (Lesser)	+1	1	Alchemical Elixirs	Yes	—
Perception	Drakeheart Mutagen (Lesser)	+1	1	Alchemical Elixirs	Yes	—
Diplomacy	Diplomat's Charcuterie	+1	3	Alchemical Food	Yes	Diplomacy checks to Make an Impression
Perception	Eye of the Unseen	+2	8	Prostheses	No	Visual Perception checks
Perception	Eyes of the Eagle	+2	9	Other Worn Items	No	Perception checks that involve sight
Perception	Magnifying Scope (Greater)	+2	9	Scopes	No	Visual Perception checks to Seek creatures through the scope
Perception	Eye Slash (Major)	+2	9	Tattoos	No	Visual Perception checks
Perception	Jann's Prism	+2	9	Held Items	No	visual Perception checks
Perception	Sun Sight	+2	10	Tattoos	No	Visual Perception checks
Perception	Goggles of Night (Greater)	+2	11	Other Worn Items	No	Perception checks involving sight
Perception	Mirror Goggles (Moderate)	+2	11	Other Worn Items	No	Visual Perception checks
Perception	Obsidian Goggles (Greater)	+2	11	Worn Items	No	Perception checks involving sight
Perception	Spectacles of Inquiry	+2	12	Other Worn Items	No	—
Perception	Scope of Truth	+2	13	Scopes	No	Perception checks made to Seek in areas you can see through the scope
Perception	Clarity Goggles (Moderate)	+2	13	Other Worn Items	No	Visual Perception checks
Perception	Darkvision Scope (Greater)	+2	15	Scopes	No	Perception checks involving sight in areas of dim light visible through the scope (as well as in areas of darkness, if the scope has been activated).
Perception	Amulet of the Third Eye	+2	17	Other Worn Items	No	—
Perception	Serene Mutagen (Moderate)	+2	3	Alchemical Elixirs	Yes	—
Perception	Drakeheart Mutagen (Moderate)	+2	3	Alchemical Elixirs	Yes	—
Perception	Zerk	+2	4	Drugs	Yes	Perception rolls for initiative
Perception	Eagle-Eye Elixir (Moderate)	+2	5	Alchemical Elixirs	Yes	Perception checks that is greater when attempting to find secret doors and traps.
Perception	Magnifying Scope (Major)	+3	17	Scopes	No	Visual Perception checks to Seek creatures through the scope
Perception	Eye Slash (True)	+3	17	Tattoos	No	Visual Perception checks
Perception	Goggles of Night (Major)	+3	18	Other Worn Items	No	Perception checks involving sight
Perception	Mirror Goggles (Greater)	+3	18	Other Worn Items	No	Visual Perception checks
Perception	Obsidian Goggles (Major)	+3	18	Worn Items	No	Perception checks involving sight
Perception	Third Eye	+3	19	Other Worn Items	No	—
Perception	Clarity Goggles (Greater)	+3	19	Other Worn Items	No	Visual Perception checks
Perception	Eagle-Eye Elixir (Greater)	+3	10	Alchemical Elixirs	Yes	Perception checks that is greater when attempting to find secret doors and traps.
Perception	Serene Mutagen (Greater)	+3	11	Alchemical Elixirs	Yes	—
Perception	Drakeheart Mutagen (Greater)	+3	11	Alchemical Elixirs	Yes	—
Perception	Eagle-Eye Elixir (Major)	+3	16	Alchemical Elixirs	Yes	Perception checks that is greater when attempting to find secret doors and traps.
Perception	Serene Mutagen (Major)	+4	17	Alchemical Elixirs	Yes	—
Perception	Drakeheart Mutagen (Major)	+4	17	Alchemical Elixirs	Yes	—

Item Bonuses for Uncommon/Rare/Unique items

Ability/Skill	Item	Bonus	Level	Category	Consumable?	Note
Perception	Vestige Lenses	+1	3	Alchemical Other	No	Perception checks to Seek any alchemical vapors
Perception	Skinsaw Mask	+1	3	Other Worn Items	No	Perception checks to Seek frightened creatures
Perception	Stalk Goggles (Greater)	+1	3	Other Worn Items	No	Perception checks involving sight
Perception	Skinsaw Mask	+1	3	Other Worn Items	No	Seek frightened creatures
Perception	Sleuth's Pipe	+1	3	Relic Seeds	No	Perception checks to Sense Motive
Perception	Seer's Flute	+1	4	Coda	No	while playing the flute
Perception	Ring of the Tiger	+1	5	Other Worn Items	No	Perception checks made in outdoor wilderness areas
Perception	Stag's Helm	+1	6	Other Worn Items	No	—
Perception	Umbral Wings	+1	8	Other Worn Items	No	Checks to Seek
Perception	Seer's Flute (Greater)	+1	8	Coda	No	while playing the flute
Perception	Diviner's Nose Chain	+1	9	Other Worn Items	No	Seek or Sense Motive
Perception	Drazmorg's Staff of All-Sight	+1	10	Staves	No	Visual Perception checks
Perception	Skeptic's Elixir (Lesser)	+1	1	Alchemical Elixirs	Yes	Perception checks and Perception DCs to notice falsehoods, whether they're spoken lies or written deceit
Perception	Grim Ring	+2	5	Other Worn Items	No	Secret Perception checks against undead in the area that are hiding or disguised
Perception	Spiritsight Ring	+2	6	Other Worn Items	No	Seek to find hidden or undetected incorporeal creatures within 30 feet of you
Perception	Stalk Goggles (Major)	+2	8	Other Worn Items	No	Perception checks involving sight
Perception	Starless Scope	+2	9	Held Items	No	Perception checks made to observe the skies
Perception	Aeon Stone (Cymophane Cabochon)	+2	9	Other Worn Items	No	—
Perception	Ring of the Tiger (Greater)	+2	10	Other Worn Items	No	Perception checks made in outdoor wilderness areas
Perception	Spectral Opera Glasses	+2	11	Held Items	No	—
Perception	Bring Me Near	+2	12	Held Items	No	Visual Perception checks
Performance	Seer's Flute (Major)	+2	12	Coda	No	while playing the flute
Perception	Exploration Lens (Searching)	+2	14	Held Items	No	Perception checks to spot hidden doors and concealed hazards while Searching
Perception	The Big Sky	+2	20	The Deck of Destiny	No	Perception checks made while flying outside during the day (+3 at 17th level)
Perception	The Trumpet	+2	20	The Deck of Destiny	No	initiative checks made with hearing-based Perception checks
Perception	The Owl	+2	20	The Deck of Destiny	No	Perception checks made to Sense Motive (+3 at 17th level).
Perception	The Inquisitor	+2	20	The Deck of Destiny	No	Perception checks to Sense Motive against creatures higher level than you (+3 at 17th level).
Perception	The Unicorn	+2	20	The Deck of Destiny	No	Perception checks to Seek (+3 at 17th level).
Perception	The Winged Serpent	+2	20	The Deck of Destiny	No	sight-based Perception checks for initiative (+3 at 17th level).
Perception	Skeptic's Elixir (Moderate)	+2	6	Alchemical Elixirs	Yes	Perception checks and Perception DCs to notice falsehoods, whether they're spoken lies or written deceit
Perception	Dragonfly Potion	+2	12	Potions	Yes	Visual Perception checks
Perception	Robe of Eyes	+3	17	Other Worn Items	No	—
Perception	Void Mirror	+3	20	Artifacts	No	Perception checks made while using the mirror
Perception	Skeptic's Elixir (Greater)	+3	11	Alchemical Elixirs	Yes	Perception checks and Perception DCs to notice falsehoods, whether they're spoken lies or written deceit

Perception for Initiative

Source Player Core pg. 405
Often, you’ll roll a Perception check to determine your order in initiative. When you do this, instead of comparing the result against a DC, the GM will put the results for everyone in the encounter in order. The creature with the highest result acts first, the creature with the second-highest result goes second, and so on. Sometimes you may be called on to roll a skill check for initiative instead, but you’ll compare results just as if you had rolled Perception. The full rules for initiative are found in the rules for encounter mode on page 435.

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Rules Index | GM Screen | Player's Guide

Perception

Item Bonuses for Common items

Item Bonuses for Uncommon/Rare/Unique items

Perception for Initiative