Isn't there a chart for Knowledge Checks?

[DM-Rocco]

I could swear I saw a listing once that explained the information you can get from a Knowledge check.

What I am looking for is information that you can gain from a Knowledge check to find out lore on creatures.

Sure, you know that a red dragon is vulenerable to cold, but your character might not, so he makes a Knowledge check Arcana to find out if he knows that. I know I saw something somewhere that gave you information on what you can gain as far a knowledge when you do such a check.

Also, in our game we came up with a class feature for an assassin and they have to do an autopsy on a creature before they can do death attacks on its race in the future. While you are spending 8 hours digging in the creatures organs, we figured that you should gain some simular information about the creature, if not more, then when you do a knowledge check.

Any suggestions or simular abilities are welcome.

Options anyone?

 

[IcyCool]

A DC 10 + HD of creature will reveal a bit of info about the creature, with one additional piece of info for every 5 that you beat the DC by.

 

[DM-Rocco]

A DC 10 + HD of creature will reveal a bit of info about the creature, with one additional piece of info for every 5 that you beat the DC by.

Hmm, I guess I should have added taht I knew that already, I was wondering if there was a chart or something that gave an order of what kind of info you might gain and such.

Is a simple DC 14 going to reveal to me that a doppleganger's detect thought could be blocked by lead, for example?

Or would something like that be higher on the list?

 

[cmrscorpio]

In Dragon magazine, in their "Ecology of ______" articles they present tables like what you are talking about.

 

[DM-Rocco]

In Dragon magazine, in their "Ecology of ______" articles they present tables like what you are talking about.

Perhaps that is where I saw them, but Icould swear it was in one of the monster manuals/books

 

[javcs]

WotC has started adding a 'Knowledge' sidebar to creature descriptions apparently.
In Tactics and Tips, they've done a couple series on knowledge check DCs and results.

 

[DM-Rocco]

WotC has started adding a 'Knowledge' sidebar to creature descriptions apparently.
In Tactics and Tips, they've done a couple series on knowledge check DCs and results.

Cool, that is exactly what I was looking for as far as Knowledge checks go.

Now, I am looking for suggestions for a house rule where you examine a corpse, fresh and mostly killed by you, and you preform an 8 hour autopsy on it. What kind of information do you think you might gain from that versus a knowledge check?

Here is the Kobold Knowledge information I found in a Dragon Magazine and what I think you might be able to tell from an autopsy:

From Dragon Magazine #332 Ecology of the Kobold

Kobold Knowledge

Knowledge (local)

DC
Result

10
Kobolds are small, weak, cowardly reptilian humanoids who live underground

15
Kobolds attack in overwhelming numbers using ambush tactics. They foster an intense hatred of gnomes and are highly sensitive to bright light.

20
Kobolds protect their lairs and their narrow connecting tunnels with deadly traps. They often employ poisons (favoring Strength-draining toxins) and guardian creatures, particularly when fighting larger enemies.

25
A kobold tribe usually hoards its treasure deep inside a temple dedicated to its god, Kurtulmak. Filled with the deadliest traps imaginable, these temples are usually rigged to collapse.




Information you might gather from an Autopsy:

Its scales give it a +1 natural armor/DR

In spite of being a short/small creature they have a 30 movement

You can tell by how the eyes are set and how they reflect light that they have Dark Vision (although how far might not be able to be determined)

You can tell by how the eyes are set and the eyelids are coated that they have Light Sensitivity

Its size gives clues that it has about a -4 typically to STR while its bodies build gives clues that a +2 on DEX is common for the race.

Typical members of the race seem to have about 1 hit die (as dictated by the base HD of teh creature in the book)



Of course this is a very weak creature, but I think it is a good example. Tougher creatures will have more to offer.

Knowledge checks would offer there own unique tid bits of knowledge while a post mortem Autopsy would give more physical details about the strengths and weakness of the creature in question.

Any other ideas you guys might suggest?

 

[lukelightning]

A DC 10 + HD of creature will reveal a bit of info about the creature, with one additional piece of info for every 5 that you beat the DC by.

Which I find silly. Imps? Sure, I know all about them. Elephants, not so much.

 

[matthewajg]

I would think that some of the information you offer as possibly discovered during an autopsy is unlikely. Character traits like "cowardly" would not be detectable in an autopsy, yet other aspects such as being forest dwellers, or physically weak makes sense. I also don't know how one would be able to determine th base land speed of a creature simply through an autopsy. They may be able to estimate based on skeletal structure and musculature, but being able to determine that they have a movement of precisely 30 seems unlikely.

Lastly, a Heal check would probably be required to perform the autopsy correctly and to assess the corpse. Here is a suggested chart:

Heal Check
DC 11 - Autopsy reveals the creature to be relatively weak but possibly nimble, diminutive reptilian humanoid.

DC 16 - Autopsy reveals the contents of digestive tract giving clues to the creature's habitat (i.e. Temperate forest)

DC 21- Autopsy reveals the creature's scales provide a natural armor bonus of apprximately +1

DC 26 - Autopsy reveals the creature has Darkvision and likely suffers from light sensitivity

 

[Transit]

Check out this thread on the Wizards board.

http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=685278