D&D 5E 5e Do How Often Do You Use Skill Checks for ‘Monster Knowledge’

[Emirikol]

This might be a good one for a passive check. I don't use it much because in most cases, once the action is on, there isn't time to worry about sage advice.

There are times though where you have somethign annoying: immune to your weapons types of checks are things that are good to know ahead of time.

 

[Fire Brand]

Some good replies here. Thanks. i can't give XP because I've given too many in 24 hrs

I think if you hear a sound it makes, a stench etc when you can't see it, and you try to figure out what it might be a check seems like a good idea. And kinda fun. RPG-wise if townsfolk describe it. You might already know it or have to make a check to make sure they know what they really saw and perhaps there's conflicting reports as part of the DM's adventure to mix it up. Or you need to go back to the history books and make an INT check to be prepared when you encounter it because you haven't ever seen one in person or can't recall an important lore detail. Things like that.

I flat out never knew what a Tarraesque (sp) was. An most here know it as 'iconic' that wasn't in 4e was it? I like dinosaurs but it's too much of a dinosaur imho. See I don't even know how to spell it. I played 1e, AD&D, 3.5e boxed set, and 4e. Skipped 2e, 3e, 3.5 completely (well I do know who Ashardalon the dragon is because I read a module but never played it). So you can see how it might happen for an exotic creature. But players and their PC's who've encountered it before it'd be interesting how they react. And does that monster have different traits or abilities, or at least updated ones? I guess when you find out the hard way it can be more interesting.

I'm wondering how DM's will handle players who are completely new to D&D. I don't know how much that will happen?

 

[Starfox]

I seem to be in the opposite camp to most of you; I use monster knowledge checks a lot, and as a result, PCs in my games tend to have a lot of knowledge skills. Ask the right questions, and you get a bonus. Calm the frantic witness, and you may actually get a roll instead of just babbling. A lot of fun can be had with analyzing physical remains - is this nine-inch claws, tail spurs, or a giant wearing a nekode faking it?

 

[Fire Brand]

When we first started playing back with the original red box and in 1e, we didn't either. The DM (me or someone else) described kobolds. Later adventures when we met small dog-looking humanoids with tiny horns and red eyes (or whatever) we figured out...kobolds. Was the same with all monsters. Learned through playing (or by asking town locals or sages or whatever).

Yes, when we played 1e and AD&D somehow we just knew what a goblin and orc are. Maybe from LotR.

5e continues the D&D tradition, 1st level adventures begin in a tavern or town where you're given your quest, by the townsfolk, or lord or someone else, and it's usually a caravan, then you get ambushed by goblins or kobold (our 1e/AD&D liked orcs and so do I). But as you level up an experience more exotic monsters for the first time. I think we just looked at pictures in the MM. Some of us were DM's so we already knew what it was and the fun part was fighting it (and trying to stay alive lol and keep the glass canon Wizard alive lol).

So when we literally ran into a Gelatinous Cube the first time, we learned the hard way but fun way via description and how we dealt with it.

 

[Fire Brand]

I seem to be in the opposite camp to most of you; I use monster knowledge checks a lot, and as a result, PCs in my games tend to have a lot of knowledge skills. Ask the right questions, and you get a bonus. Calm the frantic witness, and you may actually get a roll instead of just babbling. A lot of fun can be had with analyzing physical remains - is this nine-inch claws, tail spurs, or a giant wearing a nekode faking it?

Yeah I'm liking what I'm hearing reasons on both sides and situational checks compromise in between.

To your point in 5e maybe you award Inspiration points. Those are tied to Backgrounds and RPG traits. But it could make sense.

That's the cool thing about D&D. House rules can be fun. As long as everyone agrees and it's within reason and makes sense to the story and adventure. I think that's what the game is intended to do, give you a basis then you take it from there. Whereas when you first start out it's better to follow the letter of the rules. I'm preaching to the choir but if any new players check in that info might help. In effect we're all new players because 5e is 'new'. even though it takes a decent mix of previous editions.

 

[sunshadow21]

I personally love the concept at least of knowledge checks for monster. In actual play, the effects vary. As a DM, I generally don't give specific stat block info for any but the most common of creatures, but giving some idea of the types of abilities and defenses a creature has is valid, and helps encourage the players to think tactically rather than just drawing a sword and charging all the time. It also encourages players to take knowledge skills regardless of class, making them more relevant to the game overall and making characters more rounded than they might otherwise be. Learning everything the hard way usually isn't as much fun as people make it out to be, and I see knowledge checks as a way to give out occasional hints that allow players the ability to not fall into a purely reactive mode of play.

 

[the Jester]

I flat out never knew what a Tarraesque (sp) was. An most here know it as 'iconic' that wasn't in 4e was it?

Yep, in the first Monster Manual, under Abomination.

I'm wondering how DM's will handle players who are completely new to D&D. I don't know how much that will happen?

So for example, if a party that has never encountered a kobold stumbles across some, I'd describe them, and if they pcs were somewhere where they were likely to recognize them, I'd tell them that they were kobolds and what, generally, they know about them.

That applies whether it's a newbie group or all veterans or whatever the mix.

 

[Fire Brand]

Yep, in the first Monster Manual, under Abomination..

I see. yeah I looked it up. Ironically a big Dinosaur is hiding in the MM : Just like Oozes, Demons, Devils 'sub classes' etc. It's like Hey where's my main man the classic Gelatinous Cube?! Oh yeah he's an ooze next to the classic Ochre Jelly.

So for example, if a party that has never encountered a kobold stumbles across some, I'd describe them, and if they pcs were somewhere where they were likely to recognize them, I'd tell them that they were kobolds and what, generally, they know about them.

That applies whether it's a newbie group or all veterans or whatever the mix.

Yeah I guess at low levels 'common' monsters should be common knowledge. Whereas rare ones lend themselves to situational skill checks depending on the DM.

Now that I look at "Tarrasque Lore" 4e MM1 pg 13 I guess for any D&D edition I was getting at this (I'll just use him as an example since I can't find the thread for the 5e excerpt but the 5e MM has no such recommended DC checks I don't think)
A character knows the following information with a successful
Arcana check.
DC 25: The tarrasque is a living engine of destruction created
by the primordials to obliterate the works of the gods. It
sleeps within the world’s core, stirring occasionally. When it
wakes, it burrows up to the surface and begins a continentwide
rampage.
DC 30: The tarrasque is inexorably bound to the world,
such that the most one can hope for is to lay the creature to
rest, forcing it to sleep within the world’s core for many years
before it stirs again. However, ancient texts postulate that the
tarrasque could be destroyed permanently were it somehow
coaxed or tricked into leaving the world.

 

[The Black Ranger]

Monster knowledge checks are essential in my games because I do not tell what a monster's weaknesses are. These checks simulate the idea that players could know a tidbit of information, or they may not, or they may not remember it at the moment but could remember it another time. Tons of RP options with knowledge checks.

 

[Fire Brand]

Same here. No "I rolled a 20 so tell me everything about the monster."

LOL "Let me eat a pizza while you photocopy the stat block." Some DC Lore checks in 4e are really high. But that's a good one.