Consider (determining enemy level)

[Liminal Syzygy]

Hi, I am interested in the house rules people are using for an EverQuest type "consider" spell... i.e. the ability to judge how tough an opponent would be for you or your party to defeat.

Due to the wide variety of monsters, the ability for even common monsters to have additional levels, and due to critical hits making a misreading that isn't really the players fault potentially extremely lethal, it seems to me that such a system would add to the game.

I know that in Oriental Adventures it lists an alternate use for Sense Motive to detect level at DC 15... but there seem to be two complications... 1) It is unclear about whether this is really for general use or just for iajutsu duels, 2) if this skill were used, it seems that it should be like the appraise skill and give a reading that is potentially off. As is if the party got "You aren't sure of the level of that entity..." they know they have failed.

I'm looking for ideas on how to handle this.

 

[Liminal Syzygy]

Hmmm....

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Appraise is about precious items, not terrifying monsters..

I am thinking about a spell, called "profile". It will gives the most important information about a target, like INT, WIS, CHA, Race, Gender and Levels, and perhaps some further informations. But until now, I only have rough ideas. If I have more, I might post it here.

Even if you don`t want the spell, it might be useful for "skill" mechanics behind it. And I believe things like this were already discussed in regard to "knowledge(monster)" skills...

Mustrum Ridcully