Perception (Shadowrun 6th Edition)
Skills
Definition
Perception is the survival skill. It spots the ambush before it closes, the camera nobody mentioned, the tail two cars back, and the detail in a room that says somebody was here first. It is the skill most often rolled without being announced, because the GM tests it whenever there is something to notice. Runners who skip it do not fail loudly, they keep walking into things that were visible the whole time.
How it works
**Linked Attribute**: Intuition **Dice Pool**: Intuition plus Perception, counting each 5 or 6 as a hit. **Opposed Rolls**: Against a hiding character it is contested by their Stealth pool rather than a fixed number. **Thresholds**: 1 hit for something obvious, 3 for a detail deliberately downplayed, 5 for a professional job of concealment.
Tips
**Best for**: Every single character, regardless of archetype or budget. **Character concepts**: A former investigator, a paranoid ex-corporate, a sniper who reads a street before entering it. **Synergies**: Stealth is what it opposes, Astral covers the half of the world it cannot reach, and vision chrome adds to the pool.
Frequently asked questions
How many ranks should I buy?
Three is a solid floor for any runner. Scouts, snipers, and anyone on overwatch should sit higher.
Does cyberware replace Perception ranks?
No. Chrome improves what you can detect, but the roll still uses Intuition plus the skill, so ranks stay necessary.