Maximizing Perception

[Driver 325 yards]

So, I was wonder how to maximize perception by 6th level. Part of this question is how to maximize the total bonus, however, part is how to maximize the usefulness of perception (i.e. what class or build benefits the most from perception).

I figure as a base: 6(skill points) + 6(skill focus) +4(alertness) +5(wisdom mod)+ 3(class skill) = 24. So, how much higher than 24 can we go?

Also, perception is obviously good for traps and scouting, but are there other ways to utilize it?

[TLO3]

+2 racial, +5 competence from Lenses of Detection (3500g)

[Artanthos]

+2 Keen Senses

+1 Trait

Synthesist can get +8 racial

[TLO3]

What trait gives perception? I'm not doubting, I just don't recall seeing on having looked before and have trouble wading through the SRD traits for specific bonuses.

[theshoveller]

I think there's an Osirion faction trait. Tomb Raider?

[Midnighter]

At 6th level skill focus will give you a +3 bonus and Alertness is only +2.

[Nate Z]

There is also the "Seeker"trait from Ultimate Campaign.

[Alton Nimblewit]

All classes benefit the most from Percception. However, if you're looking to min/max, I would suggest a Wisdom based class that doesn't suffer from MAD. A druid with a focus on spells is the first that comes to mind.

[Artanthos]

theshoveller wrote:

I think there's an Osirion faction trait. Tomb Raider?

Tomb Raider (Osirion)

Eyes of the City (Abadar)
Militant Merchant (Dwarf)

[Artanthos]

Alton Nimblewit wrote:

All classes benefit the most from Percception. However, if you're looking to min/max, I would suggest a Wisdom based class that doesn't suffer from MAD. A druid with a focus on spells is the first that comes to mind.

A half elven arcane/empyreal sorcerer following Abadar would have a very high perception.

+4 wis (assuming 18)
+1 trait
+3 class
+2 racial
+3 skill focus
+1 skill point
+2 alertness

= +16 at first level.

[7heprofessor]

Elf Ranger 20

Favored Enemy: +10
Favored Terrain: +8
Ranks: +20
Class Skill: +3
Skill Focus: +6
Alertness: +2
Wisdom: +2 (or more if casty-focused)
Aid Another: +2
Eyes and Ears of the City Trait: +1 Trait
Lens of Detection: +5 Competence
Keen Senses: +2 Racial
Masterwork Tool: +2 Circumstance
Crystal Mask of Insightful Detection: +9 Insight

+75 against your favored enemy in your favored terrain.

A maxed-out item of Moment of Prescience can increase the Insight bonus from +9 to +25 1/day.

Now, reduce to sixth level accordingly.

[Hogeyhead]

Well you seem to be a druid, and you are probably not a Samsaran, (which is too bad they are practically the best race for any of the prepared casters), however if you were you could get access to a ranger spell called acute senses it is a lvl 2 spell and it gives a +10 enchancement bonus on perception checks, then +20 at 8th level, then +30 at 16th level minute level. There are more ranger spells however and we are not done.

Perceive clues gives a +5 competence bonus to perception (and sense motive) for 10 minutes level lvl2 ranger witch alchemist inquisitor This stacks with acute senses as they are different bonuses

Less useful but still definetly worth a mention is Hunters eye ranger 2 inquisitor 3, minute level it gives a +20 competence bonus on perception to locate creatures and you can see invisible creatures and some other goodies. Stacks with acute senses, but not perceive clues. Also only usable for one use of perception, and cannot be used for the others such as searching or trap finding

If you are a samsaran as a druid you can choose to add a few divine spells to your druid list and you could ask for these, you could always ask your gm if you could remake your character if you really want to be an uber perception expert.

The trait that adds to perception is seeker, and it also makes it a class skill it was introduced in ultimate campaign not the apg that's why you arent familiar with it

Hope this helps

[Hogeyhead]

Also the feather subdomain gives you a bonus to percetion equal to half your level.

[DeathQuaker]

An archeologist bard will also get a flat bonus to Perception equal to half his level.

[Driver 325 yards]

All definitely interesting on the topic of how to get your perception as high as possible.

I have been thinking outside of the box on the usefulness of perception.

First, perception (I know survival as well for tracking) is used with scent. Specifically, one of the things scent says is "Creatures with the scent ability can identify familiar odors just as humans do familiar sights."

This got me to thinking how a PC with scent could walk into an empty room and recognize the type of creatures that were there. Or, walk into a room and recognize the types of creatures that were hidden. This would likely require the person to combine a Knowledge check with the scent ability. It's questionable whether you would even need a perception check if they were still in the room. Regardless, with perception out the roof, it would not matter.

Second, even without scent, the Perception Skill Description let's you use your sense of smell and taste as a part of perception checks. Examples that it gives are [b]"Identify the powers of a potion through taste: 15 + the potion's caster level" and "Determine if food is spoiled" and "Detect the smell of smoke"

This got me to thinking could poisons, fungi, molds, etc... be identified through smell as well. Maybe you would need other skills to accompany the perception.

There have got to be other unique uses for scent.

I am inspired by the show Alpha. There is a girl on the show that uses hyper perception to detect diseases in others, track, easedrop, and some other unique things that I can't quite recall now.