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<blockquote data-quote="carborundum" data-source="post: 3643640" data-attributes="member: 49284">I should have thought of a Knowledge check - doh! I agree that characters should have a clue as to what their weapons do - though I'd base it on their experience for RP purposes. A wizard, out of school for the first time, out of spells and cornered by an undead lashes out with his staff for the first time ever. It just seems different to a warrior in the same situation.The Burning Hands for a wizard seems trickier and yet I can imagine arguments for throwing in a check there too. If you imagine a fire-resistant undead: If you describe the effects by saying the flesh blackens and burns but it doesn't seem to care - how would the character know if it's actually getting hurt? If you choose to describe the effect by saying that the fire just washes over it and does nothing then you'd be giving a much stronger hint that DR is in play.I couldn't find a rule mentioned in the DMG - I'll have to go check out the Sage. I like the Knowledge check - you could use it on first encountering them (whether or not the player asks - the character would have an automatic chance of knowing) and again when the effect comes into play. Warriors would have a disadvantage here though, although they should tend to notice very quickly - certainly if it was their primary attack that wasn't getting through. Maybe substitute BAB for the skill, or give a bonus based on their level or the damage done?</blockquote>

[QUOTE="carborundum, post: 3643640, member: 49284"] I should have thought of a Knowledge check - doh! I agree that characters should have a clue as to what their weapons do - though I'd base it on their experience for RP purposes. A wizard, out of school for the first time, out of spells and cornered by an undead lashes out with his staff for the first time ever. It just [i]seems[/i] different to a warrior in the same situation. The Burning Hands for a wizard seems trickier and yet I can imagine arguments for throwing in a check there too. If you imagine a fire-resistant undead: If you describe the effects by saying the flesh blackens and burns but it doesn't seem to care - how would the character know if it's actually getting hurt? If you choose to describe the effect by saying that the fire just washes over it and does nothing then you'd be giving a much stronger hint that DR is in play. I couldn't find a rule mentioned in the DMG - I'll have to go check out the Sage. I like the Knowledge check - you could use it on first encountering them (whether or not the player asks - the character would have an automatic chance of knowing) and again when the effect comes into play. Warriors would have a disadvantage here though, although they should tend to notice very quickly - certainly if it was their primary attack that wasn't getting through. Maybe substitute BAB for the skill, or give a bonus based on their level or the damage done? [/QUOTE]

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