Handling Perception in i20

Incarnate Publications > INCARNATE 2024 > Response to DnD 2024/5.5 > Handling Perception in i20…

In DnD 5x, Perception is a skill. It is modified by Wisdom. In i20™ Incarna, Perception is an attribute (“Ability” in 5e – like Charisma). It AFFECTS skills, it is not a skill in itself. Perception is the capability to observe and process something through the physical senses. The acuity of each sense may be greater or lesser than the base value, spending on biology and physiology in addition to technology or mystical enhancements. It is the physical equivalent of the mental/spiritual sensory aspect of Wisdom.

The proposed changes are:

  • Perception joins Sanity as a “baseline” attribute for PCs – It has a starting value of 11; It can be swapped out with another starting attribute value at the time of Character Inception; It is not modified directly using the Point Buy method or rolled for.
  • It is modified by setting, locale, and race/species, as are the individual senses that offset the base value.
  • Perception typically impacts physical Discernment type skills and the ability to target something for an activity.

Existing Characters with the Perception skill: Certain races will have a bonus to their Perception attribute; Certain Backgrounds will apply a bonus to the Perception attribute; Certain Pathways/Classes will provide a adjustment to the Perception score as a Feature…

Currently Evaluated Conditions for Perception Adjustments
Races* Backgrounds* Pathway/Class* Other Conditions
Goblin
Skraeling
+ Some races get specific senses boosted		 Criminal
Investigator		 Barbarian
Ranger		 1) Attribute Score Increases (ASI) can be used to increase the rating.
2) Apply half or full Proficiency Bonus to both Perception and Sanity as a standard rule.
3) Those characters with the existing skill get an one-time ASI of +2 as compensation, or take the replacement skills defined for their Pathway/Class.

*: The Races, Backgrounds, and Pathways only get their +1 Bonus at the time of Character Inception if they do NOT exchange their score with another attribute.