Knowledge:Local... What is meant by Local?

[seans23]

Hmm... I'm not sure I'd go that far. What wouldn't Knowledge Local cover, then?

It wouldn't cover the peculiarities of the planes, or "outsiders, elementals, magic related to the planes"...

 

[Pickaxe]

I'd go with option #3.

I think of Gather Information as what you learn by walking around Rome, whereas Knowledge (local) is what you learned by reading The Traveler's Guide to Rome. The success of your Knowledge (local) check basically indicates whether your Knowledge studies brought you in contact with any sources that could tell you about the place in question. And maybe you're just as likely to have run across the Guide to Rome as the Guide to Tokyo or the Guide to Chicago, so distance from your home does not necessarily have to be a factor.

--Axe

 

[Allegro]

I recommend against splitting knowledge local. The same arguments can be made for any of the knowledge skill. For example the very first time a druid from the tropics sees a polar bear a knowledge nature roll is used. Shouldn’t knowledge nature also be split up between regions? Or perhaps a knowledge history be split up between regions because studying the Rome doesn’t make you an expert on world war II. If a player sinks allot of skill points into knowledge local just think of them as travel agent. My travel agent can recommend a hotel or museum in Rome even though she personally has never traveled to Rome. She has talked to many travelers who have been in Rome and has gleaned knowledge from talking with them.

 

[evilbob]

I see a lot of DM's (and the writers of the forgotten realms setting) who like to gimp knowledge (local).

Confining it to a specific area basically makes the skill nearly worthless, especially as the characters level up and begin traveling more.

Just compare it to the other knowledge skills...

I agree. No need to punish players by making Knowledge (Local) more like crafting or profession or perform.