Investigation vs. Perception

Game Masters will often ask players to make PERCEPTION and INVESTIGATION ability checks as they enter a new area. It’s a handy roll to gauge how observant the adventurer is, whether they will miss vital clues or be surprised by a monster. 

Perception is a wisdom-based ability, and you’ll see it notated like WISDOM (Perception). It acts like the player’s radar. Typically, the higher the roll, the better you should describe the room or area. A good Perception roll will let you spot something important in the room.

Investigation is an Intelligence-based ability, and you’ll see it notated like INTELLIGENCE (Investigation). Investigation is your player’s ability to spot clues, find the smallest pieces of the puzzle, and understand how they fit together.