Knowledge Skills [Archive] - Wizards Community

Knowledge Skills [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Ectoplasmoid
11-13-04, 05:48 PM Does it make sense to give certain classes/races different knowledge skills as opposed to traditional D&D knowledge?

{For instance, giving Kalashter monks knowledge (psionics) instead of knowledge(religion) or knowledge(arcana), Or CSF paladins knowledge(the planes) insead of Knowledge(nobility&royalty).}
LazarusX
11-13-04, 05:53 PM Monks get Knowledge(Religion) based on their practices and the whole "religion" aspect of training, studying, and commitment needed to really advance as a student of the art.

But adding Knowledge(Psionics) doesn't sound unbalancing, and actually, for Kalashtar...would be feasible; as long as you explain that with his monk training, he was taught where his race originated from, intelectually.
Xaean
11-13-04, 06:18 PM But it makes sense to remove knowledge (arcana). The Kalashtar rely on their innate psionic abilities rather than on magic, so magic would not get that much attention in a monks training.
Edymnion
11-13-04, 06:25 PM Knowledge skills usually end up as being fluff anyway, so feel free to change them around as you see fit.

I mean, in my game, I give away free ranks in things like Profession and Knowledge based on roleplaying. For example, one of the PCs in my game took a blacksmith up on his offer to reduce the price of the sword he commissioned if he would help make it. So, the blacksmith showed him how to prepare raw metal into a state where it could be used for forging, had him work bellows and the like, and when it was done, I gave him a free rank in Blacksmithing for it.

In the mean time, the Rogue was going around just chatting it up with the locals, getting the feel of town, and all around keeping busy while the other PC crafted his sword, and the Wizard rebuilt his spellbook. And he didn't steal anything while he was wandering around. I gave him a free rank in Knowledge (Local) for it.

So yeah, changing which Knowledge skills are class skills, or even adding new class skills is okay in my book.
JBW
11-13-04, 06:52 PM I've taken the step of switching out Knowledge (History) for Knowledge (Nobility and Royalty) on the Cleric class skill list for similar reasons. Further, I've always divorced the Monk from any religious connections in D&D and made them into an arcane-based ascetic. Eberron made this easier to do with the many monastaries in Aundair, and now Complete Arcane gave me the perfect prestige class to merge Monks and Wizards. For my game, it's perfect, but go with what feels best for you're game.

Jay
Xaean
11-14-04, 06:01 AM Knowledge skills usually end up as being fluff anyway, so feel free to change them around as you see fit.

Couldn't disagree more. With the possible execption of spellcraft I haven't seen any other type of skill in use as often.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Ectoplasmoid 11-13-04, 05:48 PM	Does it make sense to give certain classes/races different knowledge skills as opposed to traditional D&D knowledge? {For instance, giving Kalashter monks knowledge (psionics) instead of knowledge(religion) or knowledge(arcana), Or CSF paladins knowledge(the planes) insead of Knowledge(nobility&royalty).}
LazarusX 11-13-04, 05:53 PM	Monks get Knowledge(Religion) based on their practices and the whole "religion" aspect of training, studying, and commitment needed to really advance as a student of the art. But adding Knowledge(Psionics) doesn't sound unbalancing, and actually, for Kalashtar...would be feasible; as long as you explain that with his monk training, he was taught where his race originated from, intelectually.
Xaean 11-13-04, 06:18 PM	But it makes sense to remove knowledge (arcana). The Kalashtar rely on their innate psionic abilities rather than on magic, so magic would not get that much attention in a monks training.
Edymnion 11-13-04, 06:25 PM	Knowledge skills usually end up as being fluff anyway, so feel free to change them around as you see fit. I mean, in my game, I give away free ranks in things like Profession and Knowledge based on roleplaying. For example, one of the PCs in my game took a blacksmith up on his offer to reduce the price of the sword he commissioned if he would help make it. So, the blacksmith showed him how to prepare raw metal into a state where it could be used for forging, had him work bellows and the like, and when it was done, I gave him a free rank in Blacksmithing for it. In the mean time, the Rogue was going around just chatting it up with the locals, getting the feel of town, and all around keeping busy while the other PC crafted his sword, and the Wizard rebuilt his spellbook. And he didn't steal anything while he was wandering around. I gave him a free rank in Knowledge (Local) for it. So yeah, changing which Knowledge skills are class skills, or even adding new class skills is okay in my book.
JBW 11-13-04, 06:52 PM	I've taken the step of switching out Knowledge (History) for Knowledge (Nobility and Royalty) on the Cleric class skill list for similar reasons. Further, I've always divorced the Monk from any religious connections in D&D and made them into an arcane-based ascetic. Eberron made this easier to do with the many monastaries in Aundair, and now Complete Arcane gave me the perfect prestige class to merge Monks and Wizards. For my game, it's perfect, but go with what feels best for you're game. Jay
Xaean 11-14-04, 06:01 AM	Knowledge skills usually end up as being fluff anyway, so feel free to change them around as you see fit. Couldn't disagree more. With the possible execption of spellcraft I haven't seen any other type of skill in use as often.