This doesn't necessarily imply that the character is stupid they just aren't noticing an important "something". If they eventually notice it, but not right away, that's Delayed Reaction. Can often result in Right Behind Me (although that might be closer to failing a Listen check) or I'm Standing Right Here.
Ooh, Shiny!, as there usually isn't that excuse. This trope differs from Weirdness Censor (where they don't see it because it's so bizarre), Selective Obliviousness (where they don't want to see it) and Bystander Syndrome (where they ignore it because they don't care).
In this case, the player is aware of the character not knowing something. In D&D games, the players will know that they failed a spot check (though GMs are encouraged to roll spot checks secretly when necessary), thus they are aware of not being aware of something, only not knowing what that something is. Considering the number of Spot Checks a typical game involves, there always are instances of missing out on something because of One Bad Roll, which naturally frustrated people about Spot Checks for literally decades. A single failed Spot Check can put the whole party at a disadvantage, and if you're not lucky you can miss something vital, even while looking for it. Indeed, the Spot skill, which determines whether someone notices events around them in time to react, is often very dependent on luck, even if it's something any idiot should be able to see.īecause things like searching for hidden objects/doors/clues, "noticing what's going on out of the ordinary" or good old ambushes are all very common events in most RPG games, Spot Checks tend to be among, if not THE most common dice rolls being done. The skills in question include several that require substantial luck, like Appraise, Use Magic Device, Hide, or the various Perform skills, but also such mundane tasks as Listen and Spot. A character's success on various tasks is determined by a dice roll combined in some way with base statistics (such as strength or intelligence) and some skill. The name comes from a typical mechanic from RPG games, dating back from the arch-RPG Dungeons & Dragons. When a character fails to notice something important or obvious, something they would want to know, even when looking.