Watching trained animals in their handlers almost make me feel like the animal companions in 5e should either add a bonus to passive perception or add advantage to perception checks because the awareness of these animals and of their surroundings
— Gabe Hicks (@GabeJamesGames) January 15, 2022
The animal’s bonus is different. Companions perception checks don’t increase as the PC does generally.
Having to use the help action is pulling away from the idea that the creature is trained to be aware.This is treating them as an expansion of the person. One of my favorite uses of Beast Master’s companion is the killer passive Perception your buddy can have right off the bat, since it adds the Ranger’s PB to its proficient skills.
A wolf companion starts at passive Perception 20 for hearing and smell. Damn hard to sneak up on.
— Dan Dillon (@Dan_Dillon_1) January 15, 2022
You have to apply the PB per the text of Ranger’s Companion, then remember that advantage on a skill gives you +5 to passive scores of that skill. It’s… a thing.
— Dan Dillon (@Dan_Dillon_1) January 15, 2022
Oh .. I have literally never known that advantage on a skill gave me a +5 to passive scores. So advantage on that plus observant is then a + 10? Correctamundo
— Dan Dillon (@Dan_Dillon_1) January 15, 2022
Wait, I thought advantage was roll twice and take the higher result? You don’t roll passive checks, so advantage/disadvantage becomes +/-5 to the score. PH pg. 175, “Passive Checks.”
— Dan Dillon (@Dan_Dillon_1) January 15, 2022