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<blockquote data-quote="haakon1" data-source="post: 5980226" data-attributes="member: 25619"><p>I run 3.5e, and I don't think it's an either/or choice of role playing versus skill checks.</p><p></p><p>I ask the players to do both -- tell me what you're doing/saying, and if it's a situation where you need/are trying to get a non-standard reaction, give me a skill check.</p><p></p><p>If a Fighter wanted to know about the nobility, he would not be able to roll for knowledge on it without a cross-class skill point in Knowledge: Nobility.</p><p></p><p>But he could easily ask an NPC: "Who is the ruler of this town?" And assuming the NPC knows, the answer isn't a secret, and the NPC has no reason to withhold the info, he's likely to tell him.</p><p></p><p>Or he could ask the Monk (who has an Int 18 and feats making him a scholar in our group), who could just do a Knowledge: Nobility skill check roll to see if he remembers. DC for who is the (official) ruler of the town you're in would be about DC5 on Knowledge: Nobility, Knowledge: Local, or Gather Information.</p><p></p><p>I set the DC quite differently based on the complexity of what they are trying to find out. Someone with Knowledge: Nobility trying to <em>remember </em> (what the PC knows that the player doesn't) the national ruler's name and title is ~ DC5.</p><p></p><p>That the ruler is also the head of the Knights of the Watch is DC10 (common knowledge). </p><p></p><p>That the ruler is off at the front during the war, and his daughter is acting as Steward from Thornward Castle, deciding on domestic issues, is DC15. People who know about this sort of thing, they know, but not everyone is up on this level of detail.</p><p></p><p>That the ruler's heir is NOT his daughter, but his nephew, the first born legitimate male of the family, is maybe DC20.</p><p></p><p>That the ruler's legitimate brother died in a tournament accident and its unclear why he wasn't Raised, and that his illegitimate brother is a general, that's DC35 stuff.</p><p></p><p>Doing research in books would help, but effectively wouldn't work without the skill.</p><p></p><p>Talking to NPC's could work for the easy stuff, but the NPC would have to know the info to share it, and have a reason to want to share it.</p><p></p><p>Seems fair and balanced to me. And I'm having a lot of fun working out the nobility of my campaign world right now, with some outsourcing to the guy who plays the monk and is also interested in this kind of thing. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite2" alt=";)" title="Wink ;)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=";)" /></p><p></p><p>For your PC idea, of an ex commander who's a Fighter and has lots of social connections and knowledge, I'd say "take a level of Aristocrat".</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="haakon1, post: 5980226, member: 25619"] I run 3.5e, and I don't think it's an either/or choice of role playing versus skill checks. I ask the players to do both -- tell me what you're doing/saying, and if it's a situation where you need/are trying to get a non-standard reaction, give me a skill check. If a Fighter wanted to know about the nobility, he would not be able to roll for knowledge on it without a cross-class skill point in Knowledge: Nobility. But he could easily ask an NPC: "Who is the ruler of this town?" And assuming the NPC knows, the answer isn't a secret, and the NPC has no reason to withhold the info, he's likely to tell him. Or he could ask the Monk (who has an Int 18 and feats making him a scholar in our group), who could just do a Knowledge: Nobility skill check roll to see if he remembers. DC for who is the (official) ruler of the town you're in would be about DC5 on Knowledge: Nobility, Knowledge: Local, or Gather Information. I set the DC quite differently based on the complexity of what they are trying to find out. Someone with Knowledge: Nobility trying to [I]remember [/I] (what the PC knows that the player doesn't) the national ruler's name and title is ~ DC5. That the ruler is also the head of the Knights of the Watch is DC10 (common knowledge). That the ruler is off at the front during the war, and his daughter is acting as Steward from Thornward Castle, deciding on domestic issues, is DC15. People who know about this sort of thing, they know, but not everyone is up on this level of detail. That the ruler's heir is NOT his daughter, but his nephew, the first born legitimate male of the family, is maybe DC20. That the ruler's legitimate brother died in a tournament accident and its unclear why he wasn't Raised, and that his illegitimate brother is a general, that's DC35 stuff. Doing research in books would help, but effectively wouldn't work without the skill. Talking to NPC's could work for the easy stuff, but the NPC would have to know the info to share it, and have a reason to want to share it. Seems fair and balanced to me. And I'm having a lot of fun working out the nobility of my campaign world right now, with some outsourcing to the guy who plays the monk and is also interested in this kind of thing. ;) For your PC idea, of an ex commander who's a Fighter and has lots of social connections and knowledge, I'd say "take a level of Aristocrat". [/QUOTE]
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