Bardic Knowledge and this situation [Archive] - Wizards Community

Bardic Knowledge and this situation [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Paradisio
07-22-05, 12:30 AM Basically, the players are in a huge tournament... with about 1000 participants total, and he wants information on all of them...

I realistically can't do that, what do I do?

I think this is going to magnify the problems I have with the player already.
celtredleg
07-22-05, 12:50 AM So whip up some boring, useless stuff on a few people and then recycle it. Tell him you wont tell him unless he writes it down. Then bore the crap out of him for hours until he clues in.
Cymraegmorgan
07-22-05, 01:13 AM I realistically can't do that, what do I do?

PHB3.5, page 28. Point out to the player the relevant phrase for Bardic Knowledge, "...whether he knows some relevant information about local notable people." Emphasis mine.

If the participants in the tournament are not famous/infamous/locally well-known, then do not worry.

Player: "Who is that guy. I want to do a BKC!"
DM: "You do not recognize him."
Player: "But I rolled a twenty!!"
DM: "A vague memory stirs. Could he be the privet cleaner from Drearyville?"
Player: "Well, what about that guy?"
DM: "You recognize the Duke's son. It is whispered about that he trained as a Wizard before turning to religion. You remember odd rumours about his love of Goblin strippers."
Keep this going until the Player resorts to: " :weep: :mad: :weep: This isn't fair!! You're nerfing my Knowledge checks."

Then try to explain that tournaments are mostly made up of the unknown peons out to make a name for themselves.

I think this is going to magnify the problems I have with the player already. Is he the sort of player who plays a Bard to get more chicks? :D
markvi58
07-22-05, 09:14 AM Have you said that there is a published list of everyone who is entered in the tournament? If not, only let him do checks when he comes upon npc's in the game world. Use a background generator (there are several online) to make up 10-15 backgrounds and keep them handy when he meets an unknown. Give him something interesting depending on how high his roll is if there is an npc that may have some fame.

If you have given his character a published list of every participant, have him make his check. I'm assuming that he would like the knowledge at the next session. Have him make the check outside of gametime. Gage how much info he is likely to know and make a description of his knowledge. Assuming you have particular NPCs that the party is likely to encounter in the tournament, give him a little info about those NPCs and cram it into a bunch of information about various nobodies.
TmDurn7
07-22-05, 09:17 AM Or just tell him most of the people are nobody's, but he notices a few recognizables in the crowd, then go on about them
Maybe later, when/if they go up against people he can make a more in depth check.
Morka
07-22-05, 09:58 AM Use Jamis Buck NPC Generator (http://www.aarg.net/~minam/npc.cgi). In addition to ability stats, classes and alignment, you can have 1 or 2 goals and its recent past. Set a Bardic Knowledge DC between 10 and 25 each time he asks about a character, 25 being for a boring comoner and 10 for a well-known travelling adventurer.
astute1
07-22-05, 09:59 AM I would say that a successful bardic knowledge check gets him some information on some of the top ranking people in the tournament - who is favored to win, who is a crowd favorite, etc. That's probably all he and you care about, anyway. He can then use knowledge (noblity) to get more detailed info on those people individually - perhaps some information that would be useful in a fight: "Sir Ragnard of Oxcrim preferes the heavy flail, he's also one of the Royal Champions and wears their signature Armor of Invulnerability.".

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Paradisio 07-22-05, 12:30 AM	Basically, the players are in a huge tournament... with about 1000 participants total, and he wants information on all of them... I realistically can't do that, what do I do? I think this is going to magnify the problems I have with the player already.
celtredleg 07-22-05, 12:50 AM	So whip up some boring, useless stuff on a few people and then recycle it. Tell him you wont tell him unless he writes it down. Then bore the crap out of him for hours until he clues in.
Cymraegmorgan 07-22-05, 01:13 AM	I realistically can't do that, what do I do? PHB3.5, page 28. Point out to the player the relevant phrase for Bardic Knowledge, "...whether he knows some relevant information about local notable people." Emphasis mine. If the participants in the tournament are not famous/infamous/locally well-known, then do not worry. Player: "Who is that guy. I want to do a BKC!" DM: "You do not recognize him." Player: "But I rolled a twenty!!" DM: "A vague memory stirs. Could he be the privet cleaner from Drearyville?" Player: "Well, what about that guy?" DM: "You recognize the Duke's son. It is whispered about that he trained as a Wizard before turning to religion. You remember odd rumours about his love of Goblin strippers." Keep this going until the Player resorts to: " :weep: :mad: :weep: This isn't fair!! You're nerfing my Knowledge checks." Then try to explain that tournaments are mostly made up of the unknown peons out to make a name for themselves. I think this is going to magnify the problems I have with the player already. Is he the sort of player who plays a Bard to get more chicks? :D
markvi58 07-22-05, 09:14 AM	Have you said that there is a published list of everyone who is entered in the tournament? If not, only let him do checks when he comes upon npc's in the game world. Use a background generator (there are several online) to make up 10-15 backgrounds and keep them handy when he meets an unknown. Give him something interesting depending on how high his roll is if there is an npc that may have some fame. If you have given his character a published list of every participant, have him make his check. I'm assuming that he would like the knowledge at the next session. Have him make the check outside of gametime. Gage how much info he is likely to know and make a description of his knowledge. Assuming you have particular NPCs that the party is likely to encounter in the tournament, give him a little info about those NPCs and cram it into a bunch of information about various nobodies.
TmDurn7 07-22-05, 09:17 AM	Or just tell him most of the people are nobody's, but he notices a few recognizables in the crowd, then go on about them Maybe later, when/if they go up against people he can make a more in depth check.
Morka 07-22-05, 09:58 AM	Use Jamis Buck NPC Generator (http://www.aarg.net/~minam/npc.cgi). In addition to ability stats, classes and alignment, you can have 1 or 2 goals and its recent past. Set a Bardic Knowledge DC between 10 and 25 each time he asks about a character, 25 being for a boring comoner and 10 for a well-known travelling adventurer.
astute1 07-22-05, 09:59 AM	I would say that a successful bardic knowledge check gets him some information on some of the top ranking people in the tournament - who is favored to win, who is a crowd favorite, etc. That's probably all he and you care about, anyway. He can then use knowledge (noblity) to get more detailed info on those people individually - perhaps some information that would be useful in a fight: "Sir Ragnard of Oxcrim preferes the heavy flail, he's also one of the Royal Champions and wears their signature Armor of Invulnerability.".