The Dragon’s Breath #25
04 March 2004
Knowledge is Power!
by Claudio Pozas
Since the revision of the d20 rules, one of the most underused new aspects of the rules is the new application of the Knowledge skills: knowing a creature's abilities. This little detail can not only add a great ammount of believability to the campaign, but also reward characters that "play it smart", instead of just building a damage-dealer.
Here's how this application of Knowledge works: with a successful Knowledge check against a DC of 10 + monster's HD, a character is aware of that race's main charcteristics. For every 5 points that a character beats the DC, the GM gives out another piece of useful information. This use of the Knowledge skills doesn't take an action. The appropriate areas of knowledge (and the monster types they cover) are:
- Arcana (constructs, dragons, magical beasts);
- Dungeoneering (aberrations, oozes);
- Local (humanoids);
- Nature (animals, fey, giants, monstrous humanoids, plants, vermin);
- Religion (undead);
- The Planes (elementals, outsiders).
When the GM is about to run an encounter with a monster that can be visually identified by the right person (a scholarly wizard, for instance), he should take note of the appropriate Knowledge modifier of that character, and prepare useful tidbits of information to pass along. That not only helps the PCs during an encounter, and lets them play it smartly, but it also gives the players a greater appreciation of the encounter. Nothing can kill the fun of a game as fast as having the PCs throw all their resources into fighting a creature that is immune to most of them. That doesn't build a sense of dread as much as it builds a sense of unfair.
Here's an example:
Jeff (the GM) is preparing an encounter with two bodaks for his 8h-level party (which is intended to be tough, since two bodaks have an EL of 10). He writes down that Balgar the cleric has a Knowledge (religion) modifier of +10. He then prepares three pieces of information, since the highest roll Balgar can get is 30, which would beat the Knowledge DC by 11 points (the DC being 10 + a bodak's 9 HD). Looking at a bodak's stats, he writes them in order, from most characteristic to least characteristic:
- Death gaze;
- Extraplanar undead;
- Vulnerable to cold iron and sunlight.
If Balgar had a higher Knowledge modifier, Jeff might prepare additional information, like immunity to electricity, but he settles for the three pieces above. As soon as Balgar gets a good look at the creatures, Jeff secretly rolls a Knowledge (religion) check and relays to Balgar's player what his character knows. That way the PCs won't have to wait until one of them is untimely slain to learn about the Death gaze. When Balgar yells "Don't meet his gaze! It can kill us all!" and starts casting searing light, Jeff smiles behind his screen. His work has not been is vain.
When the creature has advanced, but its ability is common to lower-HD versions, the GM should set the DC at 10 + the lowest HD at which the creature gets that ability. For instance, a blue dragon can breathe a bolt of lightning as a wyrmling, so a Knowledge (arcana) check against DC 16 would allow a wizard to know that. Even a single piece of information can lead the PCs to correctly figure out other abilities, like a blue dragon's immunity to electricity.
The GM can (and should) adjust the DC based on the character's background. An elf most certainly knows that a drow is uncomfortable in bright light, while a troll-hunter should be well aware of a troll's vulnerability to fire and acid. Instead of reflecting this by handing out circumstance bonuses, the GM is better of by adjusting the DC on a case-by-case basis. Also, a character that has the Favored Enemy feature (such as a ranger) should get his Favored Enemy bonus on Knowledge checks made for figuring out a foe's abilities. If Enylla the ranger has a +4 bonus against aberrations and has a +5 modifier on Knowledge (dungeoneering), she has a +9 modifier when rolling to what she knows about aboleths.
This application of the Knowledge skill is most helpful against creature's with very obscure or specific powers (such as a golem's immunity to most magic) or those that, if successful, may result in TPK - the dreaded Total Party Kill - (such as most death attacks). A successful check gives the PCs a fighting chance - or at least a chance to flee ("This foe is beyond any of you. RUN!").
Of course, every now and then a GM should throw a curveball at his players, using disguised creatures and misleading bits of information. If used sparingly, these surprises will build a sense of dread in your players.
And that makes a GM's day!
Next Week: While still making great products, we'll manage to share a few words with you! Trust us!
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