Knowledge (D&D skill)

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Unofficial rules compendium

This skill can be used to identify magic items.

New Fields of Knowledge

  • Warfare (warriors, military culture, tactics, and supply)

New Uses

Know About Monsters

These are somewhat more specific rules for what you know about different kinds of monsters. The table shows which field of knowledge holds primary information about each creature type and which fields hold lesser or secondary knowledge. This is always subject to DM approval. A dragon who has terrorized a region for centuries will be well-known to students of history, perhaps even more so than to students of the arcane.

All creature types have Bardic Knowledge as a secondary field.

Creature Type Primary field Secondary fields
Aberration Dungeoneering Arcana, Planes
Animal Nature Local, Geography
Construct Arcana Architecture, History, Warfare
Dragon Arcana Dungeoneering, Nobility, Warfare
Elemental Planes Arcana, Dungeoneering
Fey Nature Arcana, Nobility
Giant Nature Dungeoneering, Local, History, Warfare
Humanoid Local History, Warfare
Magical Beast Arcana Nature, Planes
Monstrous Humanoid Nature Local, History, Warfare
Ooze Dungeoneering Geography, Nature
Outsider Planes Arcana, Religion
Plant Nature Dungeoneering, Geography
Undead (Deathless) Religion Arcana, Dungeoneering, Local, Planes
Vermin Nature Dungeoneering, Warfare

The following table gives guidelines on what information you can recall with different rolls in primary and secondary fields. In general, you get a Knowledge check at each of these occasions;

  • When you first hear of the creature
  • When finding spoor or remains of a victim
  • When you first see it (as a free action)
  • Upon spending a full-round action observing it
  • For each day you do research on it


Primary field Secondary fields
Information Gained
Example:
Identifying a Vampire Spawn
10 10 Type It is an undead
15 15 Subtype, general name, strengths and weaknesses It is a vampire, vile undead that drain blood and dominate with its gaze
10+CR 10 + 2x CR Specific name, details on behavior, background, organization and habitat It is a vampire spawn, the lesser progeny of a true vampire. They hunt singly or in small packs and can be found anywhere.
15+CR 15+ 2x CR Specific attacks and defenses It is resistant to cold and electricity and all but silver weapons. It drains life energy by touch and constitution with its bite.
20+CR 20+ 2x CR Specific special qualities It has some turn resistance and can turn gaseous to escape. It has a bonus on many social and subterfuge skills.
30+CR 30+ 2x CR Detailed abilities Just show them the monster writeup.

Skill modifiers
-10 Only sketchy description or rumors
-5 Good eyewitness accounts
+10 Creatures of this type is common in area
+10 You have met this exact type of creature before