Perception seems crazy hard to level... am I missing something?

Looks like, once upon a time, perception rolls were all open ended. That, combined with perception only counting the tests if you pass, makes sense.

But now, you need to pass challenging tests… AND they’re not open ended.

Wouldn’t that, therefore, mean that you can only level perception by way of artha?

I mean, if challenging tests are always greater than the number of dice rolled, with exception of artha, then you can only advance perception by use of artha, combined with a healthy sum of luck. With resources, you could help someone with a challenging test, and get it that way, but you can’t help with perception. And faith rolls are open-ended already.

It seems strange to me that perception is stuck - unique of all the skills, it’s the only one that must use artha to advance.

Am I reading it wrong, hopefully?

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Resources and Faith also advance on successful tests only.

Perception is also the easiest stat to game test obstacles for.

Also also Practice in games with a fair chunk of downtime.

I’d already addressed those - faith is open ended, and resources tests, you can help someone else, gaining the test as a result.

Practice, I’d forgotten about.

So, besides practice, perception is the only thing in the game that requires artha to level? Sounds like I’ve got it right?

You’re not reading things wrong. Perception is hard to level. But, that’s what Artha is for.

Artha helps but isn’t required. The best way to gain difficult and challenging Perception tests is to help someone else.

I missed this before. Perception may be used to help someone testing a stat, but not a skill. This includes Beginner’s Luck tests if helper also lacks the skill.

The “trick” people in my previous game used was to wear Ob-inducing helmets and let someone competent lead the Perception test when it wasn’t Slowest/Loudest.

Beginners Luck was also used a fair bit, especially given the number of skills that come off Perception. Failing that, remember the -wises are all rooted in Perception and I’ve had players looking to open up an appropriate -wise when the obs might end up pretty darned high.

Right. Range & Cover is one of the best places to pick up Perception tests by helping.

“Legolas! What do your elf eyes see?”
“What the Angband, dude? That doesn’t count as helping, you munchkin!”

Okay everybody, what do we know about the mysterious demon bear (everybody helping on a beginers luck “mysterious demon bear-wise” test).
Or “You two, help the hunter search for our missing friend” (two helpers adding to the hunters perception dice to find their well hidden friend) note that as this adds dice to the test it lowers the challenge, but can be used in conjunction with luck.

Beginner’s luck is a lousy way to get Perception tests. If the Ob is high enough to count towards the stat instead of towards opening the skill you’re facing the same problem as any other challenging test.

The secret of help is that it doesn’t give the character testing an opportunity to get a challenging/difficult test. You want to pile on dice until (routine) success is guaranteed. It’s the helpers who treat it as their exponent against the Ob, unmodified, who rack up nice tests for advancement. You want the primary tester to atheist in as much help and as many FoRKs as possible so there’s a success for those helpers.

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