Knowledge: Dungeonering (sp) When does it apply?

[iwarrior-poet]

I am playing a ranger and I took 5 ranks of Knowledge: Dungeonering, but it know occurs to me, I haven't a clue what a typical skill check would be. Would this skill be used only for tracking critters through dungeons? What other uses could it have? Would you be able to extrapolate various features/dangers of a particular dungeon you were in? (or thinking about going to?) What would be some good examples of various skills check applications and DC's?

 

[Pielorinho]

I am playing a ranger and I took 5 ranks of Knowledge: Dungeonering, but it know occurs to me, I haven't a clue what a typical skill check would be.

The obvious answer would be to gain information about aberrations or oozes -- if you see a freaky creature, ask the DM if a knowledge: dungeoneering check would be appropriate, the DC roughly equal to 10+the monster's HD. (This is "in general," meaning the DM is free to assign different DCs if the monster is, for example, particularly famous or particularly obscure). All this information is under the Knowledge skill description; read up on it, and show it to your DM.

Dungeoneering also covers caverns and spelunking. A DM could allow you a check to notice that the natural cavern floor in a particular area is likely to cave in, or could allow you a check to figure out the best way to ascend a natural chimney. A successful check could even garner you a list of suggested equipment for exploring a cavern (pick, spikes, rope, lantern, etc.)

Daniel

 

[Pielorinho]

Also note that 5 ranks in the knowledge gives you a bonus on survival checks made underground, which means that your ranger will track people better underground. But you probably already knew that, given the character . You might be able to parlay that into other things: "Does this spring look natural? How well-travelled is this trail? This strange circular tunnel -- do I have any idea what sort of creature could have made it?" and so forth.

Daniel

 

[jgsugden]

The skill specifies oozes, aberrations, caverns and spelunking, but that is not the entire field of study. It is called knowledge: dungeoneering.

What we must ask is: what is dungeoneering? It is the act of dungeon delving. So, a character with this skill should be knowledgeable about things you'd find in a dungeon as well as things you'd do to go through a dungeon.

An important thing to note, however, is that this is a knowledge skill, not an active skill like use rope, survival or spellcraft. It gives you 'book learning', not 'practical use' information. Thus, you would know all about what you can do it a dungeon, but you need other skills to know how to do those things. As an example, you know all about what needs to be done to fight an ooze creature, but you may not have the necessary skills or abilities to actually do what needs to be done. Another example, you might know that people delving deep into an underground lair often need to repel down cliffs, but you would not know how to repel unless you had the proper climb skill (or whatever skill the DM uses for this action).

One question that needs to be answered: What is a dungeon? Caves and caverns are specified, but what else might qualify? People typically refer to old subterranean ruins as dungeons. What do these different areas have in common? They are covered areas that are not occupied by a civilized society. That seems to be a pretty good definition.

Things that might be covered:

1.) Historical dungeon delvers (overlaps with knowledge: history).
2.) Famous dungeons (overlaps with knowledge: history).
3.) What devices are useful in a dungeon (but not necessarily how to use them).
4.) The types of traps that people use in a dungeon (but not how to detect them, exactly what will be found, or how to disable them. "The Kravel Priests were known to favor magical traps that created fire. It would not surprise you if there were some magical fire traps in their ruins.")
5.) What types of beats are known to 'settle' in old ruins in a certain area (this won't give you a list of creatures in the dungeon, but could be used to help eliminate possibilities or confirm which of a few possibilities might make more sense - this overlaps survival to an extent).

Using the skill for these areas keeps it useful and interesting without even coming close to making it overpowered. I hope you find my approach useful.

 

[Pielorinho]

That sounds like a great approach to me, jgsugden. Generally I try to allow lots of knowledge checks, because they're fun, they round the world out, and they give knowledge-happy characters something to do with all those skill points.

Daniel