|
So when you encounter a monster you can roll a knowledge and if you get high enough you can ask a number of questions about the monster.
Do we get any free information when we make the skill check, stuff like Name, Alignment, and type?
In PFS is it legal to keep a list of monsters you have encountered and the questions/answers you have received?
How much information can I get from a question? I have asked for “resistances” and been told I can only know one energy type that it is resistant to. I have also played with GMs who will then tell me the resistances but not its immunities because I didn’t ask that.
If I ask about something like its Damage Reduction and it doesn’t have Damage Reduction is that question waisted?
Are any of the below questions not legal?
What energy type is the monster most vulnerable to?
What do we need to overcome its Damage Reduction if any?
Please read the monster entry below the stat block.
I would love it if someone from Paizo would way in. I have encountered a lot of table variation. One table I roll really well and get a wealth of information another table I roll really well and it’s like pulling teeth to get anything useful.
|
If you succeed in the skill check, you identify the creature and get a useful piece of information. For each 5 points by which you exceed the DC, you get an additional piece of information.
GMs may interpret these terms differently. No written rule allows you to ask for the piece of information you want.
In PFS you can freely take notes as a player unless the GM has some particular reason to tell you not to. This doesn't establish that your character knows or can act on the information, even if he encounters the same type of monster again immediately afterwards. I can see it raising serious suspicions if you were to bring such notes into the next scenario. I'd suggest either keeping very clear and detailed records on when and with which character you made the checks (and regardless not relying on a GM allowing you to use them) or not doing this.
I've said that identifying a creature means knowing the name of its kind (unless unique), type and subtypes and that your trained Knowledge skill includes knowing the game definitions of the type and subtypes.
I'd regard alignment as a separate piece of information. All resistances including immunities would be one piece of information, all vulnerabilities would be another, "it has no damage reduction" would be another. No question that receives an answer is wasted.
I would seldom read any part of a monster entry verbatim to a player. In rules terms, that's more specific than a Knowledge check can provide.
Expect table variation.
good question. I have GM'd for PFS and although my answer is by no means official, here is what I'm toying around with..
If a player asks for information, give them a skill check. Assuming they succeed, allow the player to ask 1 yes/no question, plus an additional yes/no question per 5 points the DC is exceeded.
I say yes/no questions as a way of curtailing information given to the players, and also rewarding especially high rolls. Personally, I'd say the questions you posed ask for too much information. But that's my table, I'm not sure there are any official rules on this.
So if a player is allowed 3 questions it might go like this;
does this monster have an elemental resistance or immunity to fire? ; yes
Same question for cold? ; no.
ok great, does it have any spells or spell-like abilities above 3rd level?; no.
I also say if they at least meet the DC, they get to know creature's name, and creature type, but alignment I make them ask, although in the case of Undead or Outsiders I'd remind them that they can generally assume that all Undead, Demons and Devils are evil, Archons and Angels are good, Inevitables are Lawful, etc...
|
|
Awp832, I think that is far too restrictive. It would take four questions just to cover the elemental resistances. It diminishes the usefulness of a character with a strong knowledge skill. I don’t expect one question to net me a glut of information but when my character is knowledge I want my moments to shine just like all everyone else at the table.
Sitting at your table I wouldn’t complain but I would also check to see if you were GMing the table I wanted to play this character at in the future.
I agree that a single yes or no question is too restrictive. I'd recommend breaking the stat block down into pieces of information more like this:
-Energy resistances/immunities/vulnerabilities and DR (what kind of attacks do more or less damage?)
-Other immunities/resistances (what magical attacks are more or less effective?)
-Senses
-Auras and constant abilities
-Alignment and disposition/attitude
-Special attacks
-Spell-like abilities (1 question for at-will and multiple per day SLAs, and another further question for 1/day or rarer SLAs)
-Best and worst saving throw (but not the exact numbers)
I know it seems that way. But really, do you need to ask 4 questions to cover elemental resistances? You probably only need one or two. I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree, personally I don't want my group always knowing every strength and vulnerability of every monster that they come up against.
While we're on the subject, a bit of a side note, how do people handle K. checks against monsters that are obviously the same species, but have individuals with vastly different CRs? Dragons are a good example here. Because I know something about a Wyrmling Red Dragon, do I know the same about a Ancient Red? If I see an Ancient Red, can I make a check against the DC for a Wyrmling? If I see an Ancient Red, check against the regular DC, and fail, do I really not know what it is at all? What if I've just come out of a nest of wyrmling reds, which I identified?
Humanoids are another good one. I might know that a 1st level Drow Commoner has difficulty seeing in bright light, am I paralyzed with uncertainty if I see a Drow that is a 10th level ranger?
|
When I GM PFS, and the PC makes a Knowledge DC of 5 to identify a common creature, I'll give them the creature type and any subtypes (and all relevant information regarding that type or subtypes). If the PC makes a Knowledge DC of 5 + CR, I'll give them the name of the creature, and maybe some historical/anecdotal information about its origins, and allow them to ask 1 question. For every 5 they beat that DC by, I'll give them another question.
Same goes for Knowledge DCs of 10 + CR and 15 + CR.
Examples of common questions I'll allow are:
- What are their spell-like abilities?
- What are their special attacks?
- What is their DR?
- What elements are they resistant to?
- What is their typical alignment?*
- Vulnerabilities?
- Immunities?
*If the creature has an alignment subtype I would have already given out that information.
If someone asks a question that is irrelevant, I'll allow them to ask another, usually. If the creature only has one special attack, one immunity, and DR, and the PC is allowed 4 questions, I'll just read them all the relevant information and move on.
I will never give out numbers, such as hit points, or armor class, but if you ask what their worst saving throw is, I'll give you that. If I'm GMing new players, or players that are unfamiliar with me, I'll even explain this all to them. Most peopke seem to like how I handle Knowledge checks. I even crafted a guidebook that I carry around with me that breaks down every creature type, so I can better give out information.
But, your results will likely vary.