So you would apply Knowledge (local) after a successful Diplomacy (gathering information) check to see what you've learned about local area? Or would that be just the knowledge check alone?Knowledge (local) represents more than just "What do you know about the area you live in." It also represents your skill at learning about new regions QUICKLY, as well as just general information about local matters regardless of where you're at.
By the same reasoning, Knowledge (nature) applies not just to the natural world you live in, but areas far beyond your homeland. Knowledge (religion) doesn't just apply to your own religion, but to ALL religions. And not only what you know about them, but how fast you can learn and dedcuce and make educated guesses about new stuff as you're introduced to it.
Honestly, that depends on the case or the situation. There's some overlap there. But generally... if the player says: "What do I know about this area?" I'd have him roll Knowledge (local).
But if he says: "What can I find out about this area by asking around?" I'd have him roll Diplomacy.
Thanks for the response. Regarding the bold text above, this is the explanation I was looking for. Knowledge (local)'s entry in the core book seemed far too vague, so I defaulted to Forgotten Realms conventions. This will certainly make my players' skill choices easier.
@Morbios - Usually in that case I've got players making Perception checks to recognize the information overheard, then a Knowledge (local), and finally a relevant (non-region/city/etc) Knowledge check to compare and contrast local legends from what the players' already know to make connections.
@Mosaic - I wish that (Streetwise) was a skill in it's own right. Maybe wisdom-based and non-trained?
|
I think Knowledge (Local) would have been more appropriately named Knowledge (Culture and civilization). There's nothing to suggest one skill for each region; otherwise it would have been mentioned like with craft or perform. The issue is that several of the Knowledge types flow into each other:
# Engineering (buildings, aqueducts, bridges, fortifications)
# Geography (lands, terrain, climate, people)
# History (wars, colonies, migrations, founding of cities)
# Local (legends, personalities, inhabitants, laws, customs, traditions, humanoids)
# Nobility (lineages, heraldry, personalities, royalty)These all interfere and can often be used interchangebly. If you want to know the laws for building a castle in a certain city, would you go by knowledge engineering (buildings), gegraphy (people), local (laws and customs), or nobility (it is a castle and as such the nobility might not want you to)?
Okay, that's an extreme example, but you get the point.
Engineering: I know how to build a castle
Geography: I know where to build the castleHistory: I know about the history of existing castles
Local: I know the local procedures for getting the castle approved
Nobility: I know who would support / oppose the castle's construction
Each knowledge skill has a distinct type of information it provides. There would be little to no cross-over between knowing the political machinations necessary to permit the building of a castle and the actual drawing of the castle's blueprints.
Similarly, I would rule the degree of specialization in knowledge(local) would dictate the specificity of the knowledge available. If you choose a country or region, I would allow a broad knowledge of the entire area, with a higher DC to obtain specific knowledge about a specific location. On the other hand, knowledge of a specific city would grant nearly automatic knowledge of anything that would be commonly known with checks for specifics such as, say, the location of the local thieves guild or the residence of a specific person.
In other words:
knowledge(region) might let you know that there are two rival thieves guilds in a specific city that are at war with each other. With a higher DC, you'll know the names of the guilds and possibly how to eventually contact them
Knowledge(city) would give you a decent shot at the knowing names of specific guild members and where they can be contacted. With a higher DC, you might personally know some the the guild members.
A person traveling to a different country would have little to no knowledge regarding that locality unless specifically purchased, just as I would have no local knowledge of China were I to travel there.
Of course, you can feel free to make rulings around your table as you see fit.