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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Quickleaf" data-source="post: 7858850" data-attributes="member: 20323">The answer is a bit complex. Yes, there is definitely an aspect of "first in", but I'm also actively curating lore checks based on character niches and player interest level.Rewinding back to the moment the Lizardfolk Rogue/Warlock Player asked: (party is encountering a yellow musk creeper for the first time, having just rolled initiative when it surprised them) "What do I know about yellow musk creepers based on my herbalism and Survival proficiencies, and maybe lizardfolk lore?"There's a couple pieces of info that I didn't share, but were definitely on my mind:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The lizardfolk was a native of the environment. The wizard was not.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The lizardfolk player invested in Survival and herbalism, and had previously been asking a lot about flora.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The wizard player invested in Nature (and had expertise in all lore skills), but wasn't especially interested in flora, and had a tendency to try and make pile-on lore checks.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The lizardfolk was in immediate danger and in close proximity to the yellow musk creeper. This was because the tabaxi monk sneaking along with him failed a check.</li> </ul>I interpreted this situation as the lizardfolk already confronting stakes by being surprised by the yellow musk creeper. So I didn't feel the need to attach stakes to the knowledge check.This was clearly more urgently important to the lizardfolk who was in immediate peril.Also, in the heat of the moment when transitioning to combat, I'll sometimes either forget to attach stakes to knowledge checks or simply ignore that principle to keep the pacing moving.There was also an element of wanting to maintain PC niches about lore, in the face of one PC who was built as a know-it-all lore powerhouse. Down the road, this lead to the wizard player using Help on lore checks more often, and some entertaining role-play about how that looked.Because I'm actively trying to discourage pile-on checks – but not lore checks themselves – when dealing with the "first in", when I attach stakes to the "first in" check, they are usually less than the stakes for those wanting to make pile-on checks.The "automatic information" (that I just narrated to the lizardfolk based on his backstory) is something that I don't only give to the "first in." In this instance, it didn't make sense – based on wizard's backstory – for him to know something about yellow musk creepers automatically. However, had it been something pertaining to his archaeologist background and/or arcane study (e.g. a stone golem), I surely would have provided him with "automatic information" as soon as he asked what he knew.</blockquote>

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