Knowledge skills with monsters [Archive] - Wizards Community

Knowledge skills with monsters [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Sirlarca
06-18-07, 12:31 PM Hi,

I have an important (for me) question about the use of the knowledge skills with respect to monsters.

I'm mastering the Cauldron campaign (with a group of "old" players) and one of my character (a mage) took most of the knowledge skills related to monsters (with about +12 for each skill). Now, he makes a test for each monster encountered (with a result often above 20) and ask me what he knows about the monster.

I never found a convincing system which would allow me to know which kind of information I should give and with which difficulty so if any of you has a good system, I would be grateful to hear about it (I read about the DC 10+CR system but I find it quite illogical).

Thanks in advance.
Apupunchau
06-18-07, 12:58 PM Didn't some of the later monsters manuals have what players know with a knowledge check. If not look at some of the prestige classes that get a what players know with applicable knowledge check and devise a system for yourself. My DM had this problem a lot with me I had a bunch of the knowledges and I barely got under 25 between my rolls and check score. Anytime it was over 25 he'd just hand me the books and say "you know it all".
Kouk
06-18-07, 04:07 PM Well, the DC is not 10 + CR, it is 10 + the lowest level version of that same creature's HD.

The DC for a default Goblin is 11 (10 + 1HD). Basically that just lets you recognize it is a goblin. Every 5 points above 11 (16,21,26 etc.) gives you "useful information" as the DM decides.

Usually I start with physical attributes on the next highest check (16 with this goblin), or commonly known special abilities like darkvision, or common diseases.

On the check after that (21) you can start to learn about what special abilities it has, like specific DR (normal skeletons or zombies have lower DC for knowledge about their DR) or special abilities like an obscure disease it might bestow, or specific spell-like abilities.

The DC is based on the lowest-HD version of the normal ("base") creature. If the Goblin was level 8, the DC for knowing about goblins would still start at 11, even though that goblin has 8 HD.

With the few things like Dragons, you might want to treat each age category as a separate monster however, for purposes of the Knowledge DCs required.

Not all monsters have that much to be said about them though, so if you feel the result is high enough you could just let them read the entry.

I believe starting with the MM4 there are included entries for the sorts of things different DC Knowledge checks would tell you about particular monsters in each monster's entry.
runestar
06-18-07, 10:21 PM Know your enemy (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/tt/20060905a)

This might give you a base guideline to follow. Check out the other articles from 2 to 16 as well.:)

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Sirlarca 06-18-07, 12:31 PM	Hi, I have an important (for me) question about the use of the knowledge skills with respect to monsters. I'm mastering the Cauldron campaign (with a group of "old" players) and one of my character (a mage) took most of the knowledge skills related to monsters (with about +12 for each skill). Now, he makes a test for each monster encountered (with a result often above 20) and ask me what he knows about the monster. I never found a convincing system which would allow me to know which kind of information I should give and with which difficulty so if any of you has a good system, I would be grateful to hear about it (I read about the DC 10+CR system but I find it quite illogical). Thanks in advance.
Apupunchau 06-18-07, 12:58 PM	Didn't some of the later monsters manuals have what players know with a knowledge check. If not look at some of the prestige classes that get a what players know with applicable knowledge check and devise a system for yourself. My DM had this problem a lot with me I had a bunch of the knowledges and I barely got under 25 between my rolls and check score. Anytime it was over 25 he'd just hand me the books and say "you know it all".
Kouk 06-18-07, 04:07 PM	Well, the DC is not 10 + CR, it is 10 + the lowest level version of that same creature's HD. The DC for a default Goblin is 11 (10 + 1HD). Basically that just lets you recognize it is a goblin. Every 5 points above 11 (16,21,26 etc.) gives you "useful information" as the DM decides. Usually I start with physical attributes on the next highest check (16 with this goblin), or commonly known special abilities like darkvision, or common diseases. On the check after that (21) you can start to learn about what special abilities it has, like specific DR (normal skeletons or zombies have lower DC for knowledge about their DR) or special abilities like an obscure disease it might bestow, or specific spell-like abilities. The DC is based on the lowest-HD version of the normal ("base") creature. If the Goblin was level 8, the DC for knowing about goblins would still start at 11, even though that goblin has 8 HD. With the few things like Dragons, you might want to treat each age category as a separate monster however, for purposes of the Knowledge DCs required. Not all monsters have that much to be said about them though, so if you feel the result is high enough you could just let them read the entry. I believe starting with the MM4 there are included entries for the sorts of things different DC Knowledge checks would tell you about particular monsters in each monster's entry.
runestar 06-18-07, 10:21 PM	Know your enemy (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/tt/20060905a) This might give you a base guideline to follow. Check out the other articles from 2 to 16 as well.:)