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Message: <blockquote data-quote="AbdulAlhazred" data-source="post: 5413951" data-attributes="member: 82106">OK, there are actually two slightly different (but almost identical) concepts here:1) Passive checks - These are used in cases where a PC/creature's skill factors into something that is being done to/against them, such as when someone tries to hide from you and has to exceed your passive Perception.2) Take 10 - This is where in a non-critical situation a character is allowed to simply state that they rolled a 10 on a skill check. Whether or not a given situation allows this is entirely up to the DM. It is intended so that a character can guarantee success on a fairly mundane task under ideal circumstances (a rogue studying a trap on his workbench can take 10 on his disarm attempt).Knowledge checks don't GENERALLY fall under either of these cases. Take 10 COULD apply, but the general concept with knowledge checks is to determine whether or not in the PCs store of knowledge of a subject they happen to have ever come across information on a given subject (IE whether they actually know a given fact in their area of knowledge or not). IMHO this doesn't generally warrant a take 10, except maybe if the PC is sitting in his library and can look things up. During an adventure I'd always ask for a knowledge check. Even the most erudite scholar could conceivably never hear about some moderately easy to find information just because the subject of History or Arcana is so vast that they never happened to read "Phanstern's Codex of Ancient Wizard Towers" or whatever.In other words a Wizard with Arcana bonus of +11 COULD get a result of 12. He may just come up blank on that specific fact. He could also get a 31 and be wonderfully informed on that specific thing. This system works pretty well in a general sense. It can seem a bit inconsistent if a character makes a lot of checks on closely related things that logically form one sub-area of knowledge. OTOH usually that kind of case is part of a Skill Challenge and several checks count together as part of success.</blockquote>

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