D&D 5E How to keep "recall lore" checks from ruining monster mystique?

[iserith]

How do you handle dragons, or any creature with multiple CR versions? If you going against a ancient red (DC 32 lore check, I think) and don't succeed, but you are high enough to get information on a DC 25 lore check for an adult red, wouldn't that still get you some useful information?

For stuff like dragons, I'm generally using the CR of the young dragon of the particular type. And often the PC has advantage (if there's a check) because I tend to treat dragons as "storied," meaning there's a lot of lore out there about them. I mean it is Dungeons & Dragons after all.

I would add that this method of using CR to determine DC is really best if you're not planning on going past tier 2 (maybe early tier 3) for a given campaign. If I'm going to have a campaign that goes to 20th level and thus using a lot of higher CR monsters, then I'm winging the DCs based on rarity of the monster relative to player's reasonably specific description.

It should also be noted that even on a failure, I'm giving some information. It's just not what the player wanted.

 

[GMMichael]

As for "asking the right question," my experience with D&D 5e is that it is unnecessary. Gaining inside knowledge of a monster isn't typically required for defeating it. It's a nice-to-have, not a must-have.

Goal for 6e (or Level Up?) - design an optimal approach for defeating each monster. It might be there in 5e (likely in a book by Keith Ammann), but it's also possible that iserith is right, and it's not must-have information. The local guardsman knows that her sword will eventually kill most creatures in the realm. The local ranger, though, knows which bait, weapon type, time of day, terrain, and traps will make hunting a monster a risk-free (mostly) endeavor.

Would all PCs have access to that information in the Monster Manual? Yes. Should they all be able to recall it will a check? Heck no. Re: OP, I'll cough up information, even fluffed-over stat block info, for a good roll, but it will be related to what the character has experienced and not what the player has experienced. A poor roll probably means that the character is too stressed (under the heat of the monster's breath) to bring up fun-facts.

 

[CleverNickName]

I don't know if it's The Correct Way To Do It(TM) or not, but here's how I do it.

As an action, the character makes an Intelligence (Arcana, Nature, whatever) check. The DC is 10 + Monster's CR (min. 1). If the check passes, I'll tell them the creature name and type, and let them ask me one question about the monster's stat block. If they succeed by 5 or more, I'll let them ask me 3 questions.

These questions can be as broad or as specific as the player wants. Typical questions I get asked are "Does this monster have any immunities/resistances?", "What are its current and maximum hit points?", "Does this monster have a special attack?" , and "is this a Legendary monster?" I use my own judgment to decide what to tell them exactly--I don't want to completely spoil the encounter, but I don't want the character to feel like they wasted their action.

 

[Fauchard1520]

How do you handle dragons, or any creature with multiple CR versions? If you going against a ancient red (DC 32 lore check, I think) and don't succeed, but you are high enough to get information on a DC 25 lore check for an adult red, wouldn't that still get you some useful information?

For my part, I tend to give more "ecology" information than stat block info. Of course, even if paraphrasing the Monster Manual entry can be fun and flavorful, I get the impression that players really want to know "how do we kill this thing?" They're somewhat less interested in mating habits and ecology.