Monster Class Skills: Knowledge (any one)

[the Jester]

Several monsters- the aboleth, for instance- have "Knowlege (any one)" listed as one of their skills. When you advance a monster, any skills listed in its basic stat block are treated as class skills. My question is, if I advance a monster (such as an aboleth) that lists "Knowledge (any one)" as a skill in its stat block, and I want to put some of the skill ranks it's picking up from advancing HD in two different Knowledge skills, does one of them get treated as a cross-class skill?

What if I stop putting ranks in the first Knowledge skill? Would that make a difference?

Interesting question, no?

If you should, by the RAW, treat a second Knowledge skill gained this way as a cross class skill, it makes for an interesting situation. One aboleth might learn about religion much easier than another aboleth. Strange, innit?

 

[blargney the second]

Weird! That is an odd intersection of rules. I don't think it's significantly unbalancing to simply expand that out to Knowledge(Any).

-blarg

 

[Jack Simth]

It's not too far off the NPC expert's "any 10 skills" for class skills. But yes, the way it's worded, a second knoweledge skill needs to be cross class. Of course, as it's pretty much just the DM that advances monsters, and Knoweledge skills aren't usually unbalancing for DM controlled critters, go ahead and expand it to Knoweledge (Any) if you like. You are the DM, right?

 

[shilsen]

My question is, if I advance a monster (such as an aboleth) that lists "Knowledge (any one)" as a skill in its stat block, and I want to put some of the skill ranks it's picking up from advancing HD in two different Knowledge skills, does one of them get treated as a cross-class skill?

Yup.

What if I stop putting ranks in the first Knowledge skill? Would that make a difference?

Nope.

Interesting question, no?

Yup.

If you should, by the RAW, treat a second Knowledge skill gained this way as a cross class skill, it makes for an interesting situation. One aboleth might learn about religion much easier than another aboleth. Strange, innit?

Not really. An aboleth which started with ranks in Knowledge (religion) is apparently one that focused on it early, while one which had ranks in some other area of Knowledge and then takes Knowledge (religion) is picking up the subject late and will never be as good. Moral of the story - little aboleths should think carefully before specializing in a particular subject.