D&D 5E Monster infomation in combat - free action ?

[Anthean72]

Hi all !

When the heroes enter a combat and want to know information about the enemies (keywords, strengths, weaknesses etc) do they have to do the skill-roll as an action or is this a free action ?


My group thinks it should be a free action as you can ask your knowledge while you act. I think with four people in the group at least one always rolls high enough to get serious information. And of course it will happen at the start of every battle because it doesnt cost the PCs anything.


I am planning (if its for free) to do either a group check or a passive check (like perception or insight, just with the appropriate skill), but I still think giving away information for free that can seriously change the outcome of the battle is quite cheap. Especially in Out of the Abyss, where you have many monsters with special features.


So - how do other DMs handle this ?

And based on which stats (fe challenge rating, commonness) would you fix the rate for the skill-check to give away keywords(probably the easiest info to get), strengths and weaknesses ?

 

[mellored]

I let it be free.

 

[The Crimson Binome]

It's entirely up to the DM, since there's nothing in the book about allowing a skill check to determine such traits in the first place.

Personally, my group just came out of a Pathfinder campaign, so I adapted the system we used there - it's one check, with a relevant skill, as a free action at the start of your first turn. If it's common knowledge, then no roll is required. If it's anything even remotely obscure, then I only let someone check if they are actually proficient in the skill. If the cleric doesn't know what that undead thing is, then the rogue and fighter certainly do not.

 

[Shiroiken]

I normally allow it as a bonus action.

 

[MrHotter]

Once combat has started it would be harder to think back to what you may have read in a book when you were at Hogwarts.

If it seems they are abusing the knowledge checks then I'd tell them they will need to use an action to use an ability (by the rules) unless there is some time between when they see the monster and when they start fighting.

The players do tend to want a lot of free ability rolls and I'm sure that most of usually give them. The fights would go a lot differently if the players had to use their action to perform an acrobatic maneuver and then not get to attack, or if they had to use their action to find the goblin that just hid and not get to attack before the goblin attacks, moves, then and hides again as a bonus action.

 

[Prism]

So - how do other DMs handle this ?

I don't provide monster information based on a roll. I give out information based on the history of the character. Admittedly that works better for a character played from 1st level where you have experienced the full history of the character. If a player has an interesting back story written that might suggest additional knowledge I take that into account.

We used to allow knowledge rolls in 3e and 4e but we found it annoying that a group would always have someone roll high and therefore combat began by listing all of the monsters abilities and powers which was very anticlimactic. Glad to see the back of it.

However if I was still to do it I would make it a free action since you either know it or you don't - requires little action

 

[Cap'n Kobold]

If there is a roll involved, I would make it an action right at the beginning of a fight or a bonus action a couple of rounds in. (Representing the fact that they have to actually observe their opponent in order to identify it before trying to dredge up what they know about that particular creature.)

If its something that is distinctive and identifiable enough that no roll is required, then information about it may well be common knowledge and thus not require a roll.

 

[Rhenny]

If the player asks, I let the PC take a free check. Interestingly, since we've been playing mostly level 1-6 over the past 1/2 year (sporadic playing due to hectic schedules) the players rarely ever even ask. They used to ask more often when we were playing higher level campaigns. For common foes, I'll pretty much give out lots of free information so as to not bog the game down.

 

[fjw70]

I allow monster checks for free but I don't give specific stat. I just give general information but for monsters that are native to the region (or the PCs home region) then it has to be a really special roll if the knowledge is available at all.

 

[Sunseeker]

Characters can "know" simple things just by their player asking. While exploring a volcano someone could ask "Hey, what kind of dragon lives here?" And the answer would be "Typically red ones." Specific information requires a roll, and usually because I like to make people get in the habit of knowing when to make an important choice, it always comes at the cost of a bonus action. Anything that would require less effort than that to learn/remember is usually something I will tell players without a check.