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So we have a good party and when we make knowledge checks we have each person aid the leader. Most of the time. How do you do knowledge checks. We had a problem yesterday where my wizard wasnt there and they failed miserably on their knowledge check and I didnt get a roll cause the party already did it. Its not really the DM's fault that this system sucks but how can we do it better. We just do not like everyone rolling individually. Should they roll individually and if two people beat the DC, what info do we get the same of and what do we get different. Thanks!
It specifically says in the rulebook that you can't take 10 to aid another, so if you have 10 INT (+1 for a Rank), that's still just a 60% chance of aiding. Not automatic at all.
Why wouldn't you get a roll/check? If I'm in a group of people and they all say, "I have no idea what that is," does that mean I don't? I may very well know what it is ...
Should they roll individually and if two people beat the DC, what info do we get the same of and what do we get different.
By all means, if you don't like rolling individually, then don't. However, I feel this is the best method to maximize the party's chances of success unless one member has a much better modifier than the others.
Logistically, there's no reason why two separate successful checks should reveal the same information - different means of education (magic schools, self-teaching, etc) might emphasize different areas of knowledge. You can simulate this by rolling randomly for which monster attributes are given by each successful check.
On a separate but related note: if more than one PC has invested resources into knowledge skills, requiring them to pool effort via aid another negates the benefit of their investment. Consider an example:
Situation 1 - Wizard A sees a gargoyle and rolls Knowledge (nature) at +8, getting a result of 16. His ranger buddy B also rolls an 8 for aid another at +6, succeeding, raising A's total check to 18. The gargoyle is CR 4, DC 14. The pair successfully identify it, and receive one bit of useful information - its ability to Freeze. They are 1 point short from getting an additional bit (DC 19), and might have difficulty damaging it since they fail to identify its DR.
Situation 2 - Wizard A and ranger B roll independently against the gargoyle. With the same rolls, A gets 16 and B gets 14, each identifying the gargoyle and netting one bit of useful information. The DM rolls randomly for each, resulting in the wizard knowing the gargoyle's ability to Freeze and the ranger knowing about its DR 10/magic.
In situation 1, the party is penalized for investment in redundant skills. Situation 2 allows for their investments to each yield fruit. Some could argue that redundant investment shouldn't be rewarded, but I think the system is robust enough that it can - especially given the in-character rationalizations that could be used in two alternatively-schooled individuals.
So we have a good party and when we make knowledge checks we have each person aid the leader. Most of the time. How do you do knowledge checks. We had a problem yesterday where my wizard wasnt there and they failed miserably on their knowledge check and I didnt get a roll cause the party already did it. Its not really the DM's fault that this system sucks but how can we do it better. We just do not like everyone rolling individually. Should they roll individually and if two people beat the DC, what info do we get the same of and what do we get different. Thanks!
Are you Serious? No it Can't! I have never had a GM doing this and i have never done this to a party. I can cincerly say: Denying you a roll is just cheating from the GM part.