Identifying a common plant or animal is different from identifying abilities or weaknesses.
Which makes sense. They have to teach Boy Scouts not to climb trees to get away from bears.
Identifying a common plant or animal is different from identifying abilities or weaknesses. It's a DC 10 check to see a bear and know that it's a bear. It's DC 9 to know a single fact about what a bear can do (ie. its natural weapons, its potential HP, etc), presuming bears are common foes for you. This might vary based on the profession and background of the character. For a woodsman, Bears are likely a common threat to deal with and a 5+CR check. But for a city-dweller, it'd be a normal 10+CR check. If you grew up and lived in a village near a forest, Bears might be considered a common threat. If you lived in a desert, not so much. Oddly, in the case of the Bear in this case, if you had only 8-9 Int and a bear is considered a common foe for you, you might see a bear and know what it can do (DC 9), but not what it's called (DC 10). It's just a big snarly animal that can attack with its claws and bites.I'm pretty sure that's not how it works.
The Common/normal/rare base DCs apply to identifying and knowing abilities.
A Black Bear is CR 3.
For your woodsman, that's DC 8 to identify and "remember a bit of useful information" about it.
For the city-dweller, it's a DC 13 for both.
We also have to remember that photographs and videos of black bears aren't plastered all over the Golarion Internet, so that seems pretty reasonable.
For example, twenty-thirty years ago, there was a big problem with people mistaking Newfoundland hounds for bears. That's much less of an issue these days, but it does still happen occasionally. That seems like a decent representation of a shift from DC 13 to DC 10 (for videos and photos making them "common").
Side question:
Does failing a knowledge check ever get you incorrect information (either misidentifying the creature or remembering myths or legends)?
GM: It's a DC 13: what you get?
Player: I got a 5.
GM: So you remember that the best way to tell a brown bear from a grizzly bear is to climb a tree. A brown bear will climb the tree and eat you. A grizzly bear will just push the tree over and eat you...
(Yes, that was just an excuse to tell my favorite bear joke. Ah, Girl Scouts--fond memories.)
Identifying a common plant or animal is different from identifying abilities or weaknesses. It's a DC 10 check to see a bear and know that it's a bear. It's DC 9 to know a single fact about what a bear can do (ie. its natural weapons, its potential HP, etc), presuming bears are common foes for you. This might vary based on the profession and background of the character. For a woodsman, Bears are likely a common threat to deal with and a 5+CR check. But for a city-dweller, it'd be a normal 10+CR check. If you grew up and lived in a village near a forest, Bears might be considered a common threat. If you lived in a desert, not so much. Oddly, in the case of the Bear in this case, if you had only 8-9 Int and a bear is considered a common foe for you, you might see a bear and know what it can do (DC 9), but not what it's called (DC 10). It's just a big snarly animal that can attack with its claws and bites.I'm pretty sure that's not how it works.
The Common/normal/rare base DCs apply to identifying and knowing abilities.
A Black Bear is CR 3.
For your woodsman, that's DC 8 to identify and "remember a bit of useful information" about it.
For the city-dweller, it's a DC 13 for both.We also have to remember that photographs and videos of black bears aren't plastered all over the Golarion Internet, so that seems pretty reasonable.
For example, twenty-thirty years ago, there was a big problem with people mistaking Newfoundland hounds for bears. That's much less of an issue these days, but it does still happen occasionally. That seems like a decent representation of a shift from DC 13 to DC 10 (for videos and photos making them "common").
Side question:
Does failing a knowledge check ever get you incorrect information (either misidentifying the creature or remembering myths or legends)?
GM: It's a DC 13: what you get?
Player: I got a 5.
GM: So you remember that the best way to tell a brown bear from a grizzly bear is to climb a tree. A...
To your side question: No.
Only those skills which specifically mention a penalty for failure by a certain degree have that penalty. Appraise, Climb, Disable Device, Diplomacy, Fly (with wings), Swim, and Use Magic Device.
Most GM's will not have players from different cities using different DC's for knowledge nature.
The base is like 5+CR for about an 8 to identify the bear.
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Most GM's will not have players from different cities using different DC's for knowledge nature.
The base is like 5+CR for about an 8 to identify the bear.
Generally, I'd argue that someone from, say, Osirion, who'd never been elsewhere would indeed need a 13 to identify a bear, since there aren't any in his entire country...
And I GM a lot.
That said, I likely wouldn't make it quite as specific as per city. :)
Most GM's will not have players from different cities using different DC's for knowledge nature.
The base is like 5+CR for about an 8 to identify the bear.
Generally, I'd argue that someone from, say, Osirion, who'd never been elsewhere would indeed need a 13 to identify a bear, since there aren't any in his entire country...
And I GM a lot.
That said, I likely wouldn't make it quite as specific as per city. :)
I am not saying it would not make sense. I am saying most GM's don't do it.
I think location should have an affect on what weapons you are proficient in and other things, but unless you make a document it is a lot to keep track of.
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Most GM's will not have players from different cities using different DC's for knowledge nature.
The base is like 5+CR for about an 8 to identify the bear.
Generally, I'd argue that someone from, say, Osirion, who'd never been elsewhere would indeed need a 13 to identify a bear, since there aren't any in his entire country...
And I GM a lot.
That said, I likely wouldn't make it quite as specific as per city. :)
This is where that +2/-2 Circumstance Bonus/Penalty come in handy.
Most GMs don't have you roll all bleed dice and then take the highest value; instead, they just have you roll the largest bleed dice. That doesn't mean it's the way it's supposed to be done. In the case of bleed, if you have a 1d4 bleed and two 1d6 bleeds, you roll 1d4 and two 1d6 but only apply the highest value as damage since bleed doesn't stack. It's certainly possible to roll a 1 and 2 on the d6's and get a 4 on the d4; in that case, you'd deal 4 damage with your bleed. Likewise, you need to apply the DC independently for each character depending on whether or not the monster in question would be considered "common" or "normal" to them. "Most GMs don't do it that way" isn't a valid excuse.Most GM's will not have players from different cities using different DC's for knowledge nature.
The base is like 5+CR for about an 8 to identify the bear.
Generally, I'd argue that someone from, say, Osirion, who'd never been elsewhere would indeed need a 13 to identify a bear, since there aren't any in his entire country...
And I GM a lot.
That said, I likely wouldn't make it quite as specific as per city. :)
I am not saying it would not make sense. I am saying most GM's don't do it.
I think location should have an affect on what weapons you are proficient in and other things, but unless you make a document it is a lot to keep track of.
That is not a good example because the way to handle bleed is an actual rule. Circumstance bonuses on knowledge check is GM prerogative thing. When it comes to common game play and non-rules "most" is very valid.
Also, I have never had GM's not make players roll all the applicable dice for bleed.
I seem to recall that was the consensus like 3 years ago when this came up before, huh.Consensus represents the majority viewpoint. It doesn't prevent a vocal minority from continuing to advocate an opposing view.
On that note I kinda wish this FAQ had addressed the other "take 10" class feature that some posters are passionate about - whether the Skill Mastery Advance Rogue Talent allows you to take 10 on UMD checks. Would be nice to reduce the list of contentious skill questions to "how long does a perception check take."
The Rogue talent Skill Mastery states:
Benefit: The rogue becomes so confident in the use of certain skills that she can use them reliably even under adverse conditions. Upon gaining this ability, she selects a number of skills equal to 3 + her Intelligence modifier. When making a skill check with one of these skills, she may take 10 even if stress and distractions would normally prevent her from doing so.
UMD states:
Restrictions
You cannot take 10 with this skill.
This and similar abilities do not work for UMD because of the skill itself. The ability allows you to ignore the distraction of combat, not UMD's prohibition against take 10. Almost the same, yet not quite.