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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Urbannen" data-source="post: 448608" data-attributes="member: 7643">Actually, it's debatable what exactly Knowledge (arcana) is for.  Unless a skill has a listed effect and target DC, its use (and usefulness) depends entirely on the DM.  The knowledge skills are definitely "soft" skills since the PHB doesn't give characters any definite benefits for taking them.  (As a side note, I would really like to see a supplement that gives DCs for what  Knowledge skills actually do.  That would be cool.  Also any region source book should give a list of DCs for uses of the knowledge skills in that area.  Example: Knowledge (Anywhere local) DC 23: The count likes to wear ladies' underwear.) Magic of Faerûn does has some concrete uses for Knowledge (arcana).  However, I know that Knowledge (arcana) should NOT be used to identify the effects of spells.  I think there is some very difficult Knowledge (arcana) check you can use to identify certain magic items' properties, but that's about it.        As a side note, I had a DM that used a spell from the PHB that completely mystified our party.  It was "Prying Eyes", a 4th or 5th level spell, I think.  Even those of us who had "memorized the PHB" thought he had gotten the spell from a supplement.</blockquote>