How do you use knowledge skills?

[Nifft]

A bit of clarification on my points...

When I say that something is needed, that's what I mean. I mean the game, simply put, must stop without it. If there's a way around something, then it's not needed. If the story/game can continue without it, it's not needed.

IMHO your observation is spot-on for computer games, but not quite as relevant for table-top games. Why? Because there's always a way around it, whatever it is.

For my games, I don't even bother thinking of solutions very often -- my players don't tend to take the hints that I give in the way I intend, so I don't give that kind of hint any more. Stuff that's vital to a session gets railroaded -- and those things do happen every now and again, but not often.

(And when I say "vital to a session", what I mean is "the set-up to a cool fight". My players don't seem to resent that kind of railroading. )

Cheers, -- N

 

[QuinnHarlech]

Actually, I don't have MM4, but the quoted page/section in MM5 explicitly states it's supposed to supersede the old rules. I'm currently away from my books, so I can't give the exact quote right now.

Interesting. MM4 actually references the PH rule and says that's how things work. They introduce the new rule that a DC 15 check can get you the type and subtype traits of the critter. So it's easy to learn the resistances of a devil, even if it is a 42 HD monstrosity. I'm glad to hear that they actually changed the rules in MM5 and not just the DCs. Of course, it would be nice if PH errata actually appeared in the errata section and not just in MM5.

To the topic in question, I generally let people define new knowledges. Thus they can have Kemons. That would let them know about demonic politics, demonic resistances, a little bit about devils and angles, but nothing about elementals or how the ethereal plane works. These specialized knowledge skills also have much lower DCs for relevant information than the general ones. This lets a fighter put a few points into a background skill and actually have it be useful instead of seeing 2 ranks in Klanes as being totally useless for representing having lived 200 years in the Abyss.