Identifying Alien Races Possibly Spoilers.

[Tribalgeek]

One of my players was asking what knowledge check would be used to identify Alien races, and neither of us can find a solid answer anywhere.

So what knowledge would be used to identify the alien races?

[Misroi]

I've been using the usual answer - K (dungeoneering) for aberrations, K (nature) for animals or plants, etc. However, to reflect their other-worldliness, I've been adding 5 to the DC.

[Acolyte of Mushu]

For aliens that reside in the solar system (such as the lashunta or the cerebric fungus) I'd use the standard skill for their type, maybe coupled with knowledge (geography) or maybe knowledge (arcana). For creatures that come from beyond the solar system, such as kasatha or thogorthel, I'd make them unidentifiable. For creatures from the Dark Tapestry, such as the Dominion of the Black or Mi-Go, I'd use knowledge (arcana). I believe it was actually stated that knowledge (arcana) can be used for the Dominion. Lastly, for aliens that have inhabitated Numeria for some time now, such as kasathan animals, marax, feranth, targotha, etc., I would use the standard skills to indentify.

[Gratz]

So what to use for humanoid races? Knowledge geography for knowing from which star they stem?

[Acolyte of Mushu]

Gratz wrote:

So what to use for humanoid races? Knowledge geography for knowing from which star they stem?

I don't quite understand what you are asking. The only stars we actually know are the Sun and Cynosure, the home of Desna. Since kasatha are not even of Golarion's solar system, they would be unidentifiable. Other alien humanoids, like lashunta, are also relatively unknown, but it's within the realm of reason a PC could know about them with a good knowledge (local, maybe arcana, and very maybe geography).

[Devastation Bob]

Doesn't the player's guide describe through the technology feat that it's just a knowledge geography check? I think it's mentioned in the Stargazer campaign trait.

[captain yesterday]

Has anyone just tried asking them?
"um, excuse me sir/ma'am/it? Are you one of those types of aliens?"
dodges laser beam
yep, guess so

[Viskous]

I run Iron Gods and have yet to find any real aliens other than the

Spoiler:

undead kasatha.

My plan is when they make knowledge checks later on, is to tell them things that they can tell by comparing to similar creatures. Such as the skin on that creature looks to be resistant to slashing weapons.

[Acolyte of Mushu]

Devastation Bob wrote:

Doesn't the player's guide describe through the technology feat that it's just a knowledge geography check? I think it's mentioned in the Stargazer campaign trait.

I think that's just for astronomy. Which is why I think a knowledge (geography) coupled with the appropriate knowledge check for the type would work well.

[Tribalgeek]

Devastation Bob wrote:

Doesn't the player's guide describe through the technology feat that it's just a knowledge geography check? I think it's mentioned in the Stargazer campaign trait.

Not really. The trait says you have a +2 to identify alien species, and a bonus to geography. It doesn't actually say anything about identifing aliens via a knowledge geography check.

[KestlerGunner]

Just handle it X-Com style.

When you're fighting them, no check is allowed unless someone has encountered them before and disseminated that data (usually, no).
After the creature is dead, if the body is still in one piece, allow an autopsy using the heal skill and relevant Knowledge skill to come up with some findings on the ET.

That way the smarter PCs in the group could write up their own logbook of all the alien autopsies they've led - valuable data indeed.