How do you use knowledge skills?

[Voadam]

How do you use knowledge skills in your game?

Knowledge represents a study of some body of lore, possibly an academic or even scientific discipline.

. . .

Check

Answering a question within your field of study has a DC of 10 (for really easy questions), 15 (for basic questions), or 20 to 30 (for really tough questions).

In many cases, you can use this skill to identify monsters and their special powers or vulnerabilities. In general, the DC of such a check equals 10 + the monster’s HD. A successful check allows you to remember a bit of useful information about that monster.

For every 5 points by which your check result exceeds the DC, you recall another piece of useful information.

Action

Usually none. In most cases, making a Knowledge check doesn’t take an action—you simply know the answer or you don’t.

Try Again
No. The check represents what you know, and thinking about a topic a second time doesn’t let you know something that you never learned in the first place.

. . .

Untrained
An untrained Knowledge check is simply an Intelligence check. Without actual training, you know only common knowledge (DC 10 or lower).

How do you actually implement this skill in your games?

Is the skill a bonus that aids the player's gaps in knowledge on the subjects?

Is the existence of the skill a limit for characters that don't invest in it?

Do you have a problem with a player playing a knowledgeable character with no knowledge skill points (such as a tiefling fighter who knows the politics of hell and the DR type vulnerabilities among the hierarchy of devils)?

I generally eyeball a character's concept and history, in-game experiences and general investment of skill points/mechanical end number to see if I impart to the player information I think his character would know that he doesn't. The mechanics at the end are the least important part for me. I often don't even roll and just go with my gut on whether the information seems appropriate for the character or not. Determining DCs and then rolling just adds in randomness after I have to make a primary judgment on appropriateness of the information anyway.

For instance I had a pc playing a dwarven cleric of a knowledge god in my game. He had a metal domain and was the son of a dwarven silversmith with a lot of smithing skill himself. In the game he came across some ancient metal weapons and I didn't even look at his knowledge skills, I gave him some cool info on arsenic bronze and the dangerous smithing techniques it required that added to the atmosphere of the game and was inline with his character.

I also find monster info is a tough call on what is appropriate "useful information".

 

[Wik]

IN a recent game I was in, PCs each got two skill points a level to spend on knowledge skills, profession skills, and craft skills (as well as a few other, "useless" skills). This was done to let you improve your character's personality, without losing out on more "important" skills.

***

In our current game, I've been using them a lot. Knowledge (Local) has a really broad application in a city game, and the changeling in our group looks like he'll be relying on it.

 

[tensen]

I use Knowledge skills more as a judge of what information I should fill in for the players than as something to roll often. A nudge to the storyline.

In the Crown Campaign setting we actually introduce additional knowledge skills and give more skill points specifically for them, because I believe that heavily in making the knowledge points key to my campaigns.

 

[DM_Jeff]

Knowledge skills are vital in my games (1 Eberron and 1 Forgotten Realms). When the PCs meet monsters, they are big fans of taking a moment to check to see if there's any lore about the creature that could help in a fight (they really like this, and I like them putting ranks in these).

The only thing I don't appreciate is the PC that think he's braniac and tries to eek knowledge out of every conceivable DM phrase to try and gleen addition info.

DM: "You approach a door..."
PC: "Knowledge: Archecture & Engineering?!"
DM: rolls eyes

Luckily, that is VERY rare, only one abuser so far and he's slowly getting the hint.

-DM Jeff

 

[blargney the second]

For monster info, I let the player who rolls a successful knowledge check decide one type of info to learn: attacks, defenses, or something else. It works pretty well.

 

[WayneLigon]

Is the skill a bonus that aids the player's gaps in knowledge on the subjects?

In some ways, yes, but I assume the PC's have some general common knowledge about their world. They know what an orc is, they know that a troll is dangerous, they know a little about magic, etc.

Is the existence of the skill a limit for characters that don't invest in it?

Somewhat, unless I think that might be covered under general knowledge. You grow up around dwarves, you know something about dwarves, a few handfulls of words in dwarven, etc.

Do you have a problem with a player playing a knowledgeable character with no knowledge skill points (such as a tiefling fighter who knows the politics of hell and the DR type vulnerabilities among the hierarchy of devils)?

That specific, yeah, unless there is a very compelling RP reason why that might be considered general knowledge for them.

 

[TerraDave]

Hm, I have the player make a check, if it is good I tell him something his charecter knows and he didn't.

Players knowing more then the charecter comes up a little here and there...not too big a deal unless one charecter moves into anothers turf too much (and this is really a manifestation of bossiness or do-all-ism more then anything else).

Player thinking they should just have some charecter knowledge (ie from me) that they may not also comes up...and thats the beauty of the system, if they don't know the skill, or don't make the check, they don't know.

 

[Ed_Laprade]

I definitely disagree with the 'no rerolls' rule. Knowing something and remembering that information at that given moment aren't neccessarily the same thing. But then, I think using a D20 for skill rolls puts too much randomness into the process.

 

[notjer]

Knowledge skills are very important in our games. More important than Listen and Spot because we don't get ambushed by a lot of encounters or get robbed. We use it when we encounter enemies - knowledge about the enemies is always an advantage, when our characters debates about something in the D&D world, we use it as a part of humor (Hmm the ocean is so vast and scary, I'm pretty sure that half of the ships sink because of... well I don't know, the waves just seem so freaking evil!), (Oh look guys, there is a spider my hand, do you think this one with a red hourglass on its back is poisonous?), we use it to show characters background etc., knowledge skills is definetly very important too us. Oh, and our DM tells us a lot of stuff which we actually don't need to know, but that makes it just more realistic (and better imo).

 

[Kahuna Burger]

I definitely disagree with the 'no rerolls' rule. Knowing something and remembering that information at that given moment aren't neccessarily the same thing. But then, I think using a D20 for skill rolls puts too much randomness into the process.

I agree on both points. On the no rerolls, I always find myself remembering the SG1 ep where Daniel is kidnapped by an alien who wants to know about the fate of his long missing wife, an anti system lord fighter on ancient earth. With the aid of some brain stimulating tech, Daniel made many knowledge checks trying to pry loose that decade old memory from one of a hundred ancient texts...

In the more mundane realm, who hasn't suddenly stopped and said "Oh, THAT's who that actor/writer/singer was!" from a conversation the day before when you couldn't put your finger on it. "You either know it or you don't", my left d12!

(And I agree on a d20 being too much luck variation for some situations, but that's another thread, IMO)