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<blockquote data-quote="Steven McRownt" data-source="post: 40995" data-attributes="member: 2316">Re-Revisited Table...Knowledge (monster type) Chart: A new use for the knowledge skillBy Steven McRowntAs all the knowledge skill, it is based on Intelligence score. It is a class skill for Wizards/Sorcerers, Clerics and Rangers (for them che choice is limited to the favored enemy types, but they add their skill bonuses to that one too). For each type of monster you have to take ranks on this skill [i.e. Monster(undead), Monster(constructs), Monsters(oozes), ...)This table is intended to give to the characters a chance to fully use their damage bonuses against creatures that normally have 'immunities' (such us no discernable anatomy). As a knowledge skill, the warrior group of classes will have to spend a lot of skill points to gain significant result,while spellcasters will not gain too much on this investment...Basically, each time a character face a monster on which has been acknowledged, he can try to exactly remember how effectively fight versus it (it's as he is remembering the teaching of a Van Richten's guide or the like); take 10 or 20 for that is to DM's discretion (the fighter/cleric of the group can study all the information on someone that could be a disguised willing undead), or he can suffer penalties (a range from -3 to -10 depending on the situation) if he stumble on that disguised willing undead, but he has to start immediately the fight. Particular monsters (unique ones) can have a similar malus range (the above -3 to -10). You should consider the hypothesis, in the case of a pack of zombies, to repeat the check for each of them, otherwise the skill could be unbalanced (I've explained this to my group because in a pack of zombies can be hidden a Mohrg who's controlling them). A quicker way to solve the problem could be throw the dice once (and add or subtract all the modifiers) and check on the table and see the result: the charcater will recognize ALL the monsters (of course, all that belong to the studied ones) he's examining within' his score (a total of 16 will be enough to successfully understand how to exploit the opponents' weaknesses of all the undead -using the example above -thas have from less of 1 to 9 in their Challenge Rating -CR-, but no more)Another malus to the diffculty Class is given to the turn resistance of the undead (as Allip's +2 turn resistance, to reflect their particular immunities to positive energy and materials of the prime plane) (thank's to Chacal for the advice!).The Table:Monster's CR&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; *Difficulty Class*Less of 1&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; *6*1&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; *7*2-3&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; *9*4-5&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; *11*6-7&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; *13*8-9&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; *15*10-11&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; *18*12-13&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; *21*14-15&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; *24*...&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; *...*If you want to continue to scale up the table (for Epic Undead!!!), you have to follow this simple mathematical progression: for each 10 CR the difficulty class rise up on 1 for each step (2 for 1-10 CR monsters, 3 for 10-20 CR, 4 for 21-30 CR, and so on!!!!)To use this skill the character have to watch the undead for at least 3 rounds, and then he can try to recognize it. He can fight in those rounds (after all he's trying to understand their weakness), but this implies another -2 malus to the check (i know that all this malus let this skill very difficult to use, but we're talking to make critical hits and sneak attacks to dead corpse, or gelatinous cubes moving around!). Fail the check means also that you can't retry on the same monster/group of monster.Those are the principal benefits with a successul roll:1. Critical hits, favered enemies damage bonus and sneak attacks have full effects2. The characrteer can know that -for example- have to break the heart with a particular wood type stake to permanently kill a vampire, or destroy the philacetery to put and end (another!) the the (un)life of a lich.3. That fire elementals are immune to fire damage (!) and such resistances of the particular type(s) of monster he/she knows.p.s. The DC is a little bit thougher using CR rather than HD, so i've adjusted it (After a virtual playtesting)!Steven McRownt</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Steven McRownt, post: 40995, member: 2316"] [b]Re-Revisited Table...[/b] Knowledge (monster type) Chart: A new use for the knowledge skill By Steven McRownt As all the knowledge skill, it is based on Intelligence score. It is a class skill for Wizards/Sorcerers, Clerics and Rangers (for them che choice is limited to the favored enemy types, but they add their skill bonuses to that one too). For each type of monster you have to take ranks on this skill [i.e. Monster(undead), Monster(constructs), Monsters(oozes), ...) This table is intended to give to the characters a chance to fully use their damage bonuses against creatures that normally have 'immunities' (such us no discernable anatomy). As a knowledge skill, the warrior group of classes will have to spend a lot of skill points to gain significant result,while spellcasters will not gain too much on this investment... Basically, each time a character face a monster on which has been acknowledged, he can try to exactly remember how effectively fight versus it (it's as he is remembering the teaching of a Van Richten's guide or the like); take 10 or 20 for that is to DM's discretion (the fighter/cleric of the group can study all the information on someone that could be a disguised willing undead), or he can suffer penalties (a range from -3 to -10 depending on the situation) if he stumble on that disguised willing undead, but he has to start immediately the fight. Particular monsters (unique ones) can have a similar malus range (the above -3 to -10). You should consider the hypothesis, in the case of a pack of zombies, to repeat the check for each of them, otherwise the skill could be unbalanced (I've explained this to my group because in a pack of zombies can be hidden a Mohrg who's controlling them). A quicker way to solve the problem could be throw the dice once (and add or subtract all the modifiers) and check on the table and see the result: the charcater will recognize ALL the monsters (of course, all that belong to the studied ones) he's examining within' his score (a total of 16 will be enough to successfully understand how to exploit the opponents' weaknesses of all the undead -using the example above -thas have from less of 1 to 9 in their Challenge Rating -CR-, but no more) Another malus to the diffculty Class is given to the turn resistance of the undead (as Allip's +2 turn resistance, to reflect their particular immunities to positive energy and materials of the prime plane) (thank's to Chacal for the advice!). The Table: Monster's CR *Difficulty Class* Less of 1 *6* 1 *7* 2-3 *9* 4-5 *11* 6-7 *13* 8-9 *15* 10-11 *18* 12-13 *21* 14-15 *24* ... *...* If you want to continue to scale up the table (for Epic Undead!!!), you have to follow this simple mathematical progression: for each 10 CR the difficulty class rise up on 1 for each step (2 for 1-10 CR monsters, 3 for 10-20 CR, 4 for 21-30 CR, and so on!!!!) To use this skill the character have to watch the undead for at least 3 rounds, and then he can try to recognize it. He can fight in those rounds (after all he's trying to understand their weakness), but this implies another -2 malus to the check (i know that all this malus let this skill very difficult to use, but we're talking to make critical hits and sneak attacks to dead corpse, or gelatinous cubes moving around!). Fail the check means also that you can't retry on the same monster/group of monster. Those are the principal benefits with a successul roll: 1. Critical hits, favered enemies damage bonus and sneak attacks have full effects 2. The characrteer can know that -for example- have to break the heart with a particular wood type stake to permanently kill a vampire, or destroy the philacetery to put and end (another!) the the (un)life of a lich. 3. That fire elementals are immune to fire damage (!) and such resistances of the particular type(s) of monster he/she knows. p.s. The DC is a little bit thougher using CR rather than HD, so i've adjusted it (After a virtual playtesting)! Steven McRownt [/QUOTE]

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