How would a Wizard fake being a lower level wizard?

[Vagabond?]

I'm wondering this for a campaign I'm going to join soon- What would a level 8 mythic tier 4 wizard have to do to pretend to be a level 2 wizard, even to higher level scrying spells?

[Wolfsnap]

I don't think that there are Scrying spells that detect level, are there?

AFAIK all the wizard would need to do would be to watch his/her behavior and play the part. I don't think detect magic parses a wizard's power unless they are all buffed up with various spells.

[Bandw2]

get drunk, ALL THE TIME

can;t use detect thought on a guy that can't detect his own thoughts.

[Torbyne]

carry around a spell book with lower level spells, act confused by questions about esoteric and advanced magical studies?

Research a spell to specifically fool anything attempting to read his thoughts or scry on him that forces them to perceive the caster as an apprentice level charlatan?

Edit: Shave his beard and dye his hair to the colour of his youth!

[chaoseffect]

Simply cast lower level spells. Hide your real advanced spell book if you must, or if you have bluff explain that the book is an heirloom and you struggle to make sense of your ancestors more advanced spells. If someone tries to scry you, you have the Will save to beat it.

[TarSpartan]

Vagabond? wrote:

I'm wondering this for a campaign I'm going to join soon- What would a level 8 mythic tier 4 wizard have to do to pretend to be a level 2 wizard, even to higher level scrying spells?

Acting scatterbrained all the time worked for Fizban the Fabulous in the Dragonlance books.

[Gregory Connolly]

Roll bluff.

Seriously, it won't matter most of the time. The only real way to observe someones power in game is to observe them using it. So unless they observe you doing something a 2nd level wizard can't they have no reason to suspect you are anything other than what you appear to be. A knowlegde check will only reveal information about your race (most humanoids seem like easy prey based on knowledge checks, this explains why so many of the monsters underestimate the PC's until it is too late.)

Detect thoughts is a matter of GM fiat anyway, there are no rules for determining what a creature is thinking about that I know of. So unless you want to tip off that you have some way around it it is better to rely on a skill.

I suppose a case could be made for perform (act) or disguise instead of bluff, so speaking with the GM about the mechanics of your deception before play starts will make this much better for everyone involved.

Necromancers and enchanters have mechanical uses for charisma and there are many traits that let you use intelligence for social skills so this can be done with a lot of different wizard builds.

[master_marshmallow]

Use the spell point rules and manifest cast them at whatever level you want to fake.

[Kazaan]

"That wasn't magic, it was just a trick."

[voideternal]

For the opposition, there's Arcane Sight that tells you the highest level spell the wizard is able to cast.

So maybe the Wizard can choose not to prepare the higher level spells.

[JJ Jordan]

I agree with Gregory above, you'll have to let your GM know what you'd like to do and ask how best to accomplish such a character in her game.

I would probably let you make sleight-of-hand or bluff opposed checks against someone else's spellcraft checks. This would be flavored as you faking to cast a lower level spell with your hand gestures.

Seems like this could be a neat, yet niche, little archetype wizard.

[Bandw2]

Kazaan wrote:

"That wasn't magic, it was just a trick."

i recently started watching DBZ again, and i read this in Hercule's voice.

[JJ Jordan]

Bandw2 wrote:

Kazaan wrote:

"That wasn't magic, it was just a trick."

i recently started watching DBZ again, and i read this in Hercule's voice.

"You fool. This isn't even my final form."

[Thanis Kartaleon]

Remember to cast your spells as a 2nd-level caster.

Magic > Casting Spells > Caster Level wrote:

You can cast a spell at a lower caster level than normal, but the caster level you choose must be high enough for you to cast the spell in question, and all level-dependent features must be based on the same caster level.

[LazarX]

Vagabond? wrote:

I'm wondering this for a campaign I'm going to join soon- What would a level 8 mythic tier 4 wizard have to do to pretend to be a level 2 wizard, even to higher level scrying spells?

Turn your question around... What differentiates a low level from a high level wizard in your mind's eye?

Now mind you the biggest issue that characters have as they advance is that they become KNOWN. NPC's can start making Knowledge Local/Nobility/and if applicable Arcana checks on them.

[Arachnofiend]

There is a way to detect a humanoid's power nobody has mentioned yet: an 8th level humanoid would have an alignment aura, while a 2nd level one would not.

[chaoseffect]

Arachnofiend wrote:

There is a way to detect a humanoid's power nobody has mentioned yet: an 8th level humanoid would have an alignment aura, while a 2nd level one would not.

Have a heart filled to the brim with neutrality?

Why are you adventuring? Meh, it's a Tuesday.

[Duiker]

voideternal wrote:

For the opposition, there's Arcane Sight that tells you the highest level spell the wizard is able to cast.

So maybe the Wizard can choose not to prepare the higher level spells.

To split hairs: "If you concentrate on a specific creature within 120 feet of you as a standard action, you can determine whether it has any spellcasting or spell-like abilities, whether these are arcane or divine (spell-like abilities register as arcane), and the strength of the most powerful spell or spell-like ability the creature currently has available for use."

Currently available for use means that he just needs to not prepare higher level slots and arcane sight won't pick those empty slots up.

[LazarX]

Duiker wrote:

voideternal wrote:

For the opposition, there's Arcane Sight that tells you the highest level spell the wizard is able to cast.

So maybe the Wizard can choose not to prepare the higher level spells.

To split hairs: "If you concentrate on a specific creature within 120 feet of you as a standard action, you can determine whether it has any spellcasting or spell-like abilities, whether these are arcane or divine (spell-like abilities register as arcane), and the strength of the most powerful spell or spell-like ability the creature currently has available for use."

Currently available for use means that he just needs to not prepare higher level slots and arcane sight won't pick those empty slots up.

In other words in order to fake being a low level caster, he pretty much has to BECOME one.

Or you could defeat that spell with Non-Detection or if you're really slumming it, Mind Blank.

[voideternal]

LazarX wrote:

Duiker wrote:

voideternal wrote:

For the opposition, there's Arcane Sight that tells you the highest level spell the wizard is able to cast.

So maybe the Wizard can choose not to prepare the higher level spells.

To split hairs: "If you concentrate on a specific creature within 120 feet of you as a standard action, you can determine whether it has any spellcasting or spell-like abilities, whether these are arcane or divine (spell-like abilities register as arcane), and the strength of the most powerful spell or spell-like ability the creature currently has available for use."

Currently available for use means that he just needs to not prepare higher level slots and arcane sight won't pick those empty slots up.

In other words in order to fake being a low level caster, he pretty much has to BECOME one.

Or you could defeat that spell with Non-Detection or if you're really slumming it, Mind Blank.

The problem with Mind Blank is that if the Arcane Sight-er doesn't see you with any spellcasting ability due to Mind Blank, and then you cast a spell, then it becomes suspicious quite fast.

[LazarX]

voideternal wrote:

LazarX wrote:

Duiker wrote:

voideternal wrote:

For the opposition, there's Arcane Sight that tells you the highest level spell the wizard is able to cast.

So maybe the Wizard can choose not to prepare the higher level spells.

To split hairs: "If you concentrate on a specific creature within 120 feet of you as a standard action, you can determine whether it has any spellcasting or spell-like abilities, whether these are arcane or divine (spell-like abilities register as arcane), and the strength of the most powerful spell or spell-like ability the creature currently has available for use."

Currently available for use means that he just needs to not prepare higher level slots and arcane sight won't pick those empty slots up.

In other words in order to fake being a low level caster, he pretty much has to BECOME one.

Or you could defeat that spell with Non-Detection or if you're really slumming it, Mind Blank.

The problem with Mind Blank is that if the Arcane Sight-er doesn't see you with any spellcasting ability due to Mind Blank, and then you cast a spell, then it becomes suspicious quite fast.

Then... maybe don't cast a spell while you're in view then?

[LazarX]

Vagabond? wrote:

I'm wondering this for a campaign I'm going to join soon- What would a level 8 mythic tier 4 wizard have to do to pretend to be a level 2 wizard, even to higher level scrying spells?

Why would you have to? What's the context? Context is important.

[voideternal]

LazarX wrote:

voideternal wrote:

The problem with Mind Blank is that if the Arcane Sight-er doesn't see you with any spellcasting ability due to Mind Blank, and then you cast a spell, then it becomes suspicious quite fast.

Then... maybe don't cast a spell while you're in view then?

That would work, but now, you're a high level wizard faking being a low level wizard, and the diviner is looking at you with Arcane Sight and is wondering why you're calling yourself a low level wizard when you can't (or won't) cast spells.

Sorry if I'm unclear, my point is Mind Blank might be too binary to fake 'low level wizard'.

[Movin]

Stick a L2 wizard in your bag of holding.
Air bubble or other suffocation-be gone spell to avoid the 10 minute time limit.
Render comatose through charisma damage or some other effect that does not read as magical.
Select L2 bag-wizard as target of the Misdirection spell.

Only thing it won't cover is going to be Detect thoughts, which detects your thoughts.

[Dietrich von Sachsen]

Wolfsnap wrote:

I don't think that there are Scrying spells that detect level, are there?

There is a 3rd-party spell called Foe's Measure that allows you to do that (assuming, of course, you allow 3rd-Party).

However, as you'll note, this spell can be fooled by a disguise, so as long as he puts some effort into looking like an apprentice he can probably fool this spell.

Other things to do is use the Magic Aura spell to disguise your more powerful magic items from Detect Magic.

[Bandw2]

chaoseffect wrote:

Arachnofiend wrote:

There is a way to detect a humanoid's power nobody has mentioned yet: an 8th level humanoid would have an alignment aura, while a 2nd level one would not.

Have a heart filled to the brim with neutrality?

Why are you adventuring? Meh, it's a Tuesday.

what makes a man turn neutral? lust for gold? power? or were you just born with a heart full of neutrality?

[Torbyne]

found another corner case! :)

A Slayer or class that gains Slayer Talents can select this:

"Blood Reader (Ex): While able to see a studied target, a slayer with this talent knows exactly how many hit points his opponent has remaining. This only works against living targets."

Cant think of anything that would defeat this one, your level 8 wizard would ping as way too healthy to be such a low level dude. Of course it would also cause lots of accusations of metagaming. just try to not draw attention to yourself.

[Derek Vande Brake]

Did anybody else hear the song, "What If God Was One Of Us" when reading the thread title?

[Bandw2]

Derek Vande Brake wrote:

Did anybody else hear the song, "What If God Was One Of Us" when reading the thread title?

omg, i can't stop laughing.

[The Morphling]

Torbyne wrote:

found another corner case! :)

A Slayer or class that gains Slayer Talents can select this:

"Blood Reader (Ex): While able to see a studied target, a slayer with this talent knows exactly how many hit points his opponent has remaining. This only works against living targets."

Cant think of anything that would defeat this one, your level 8 wizard would ping as way too healthy to be such a low level dude. Of course it would also cause lots of accusations of metagaming. just try to not draw attention to yourself.

That's rare enough to not be particularly worrisome, but that would be a kickass way to get found out. Your slayer sizes up this "novice" wizard and with his trained perception figures out there's no way he can be who he says he is.

[voideternal]

Torbyne wrote:

found another corner case! :)

A Slayer or class that gains Slayer Talents can select this:

"Blood Reader (Ex): While able to see a studied target, a slayer with this talent knows exactly how many hit points his opponent has remaining. This only works against living targets."

Cant think of anything that would defeat this one, your level 8 wizard would ping as way too healthy to be such a low level dude. Of course it would also cause lots of accusations of metagaming. just try to not draw attention to yourself.

I guess the solution is.... for the wizard to stab himself multiple times every day in the morning?

[alexd1976]

Bandw2 wrote:

get drunk, ALL THE TIME

can;t use detect thought on a guy that can't detect his own thoughts.

Flawless logic, I agree with this.

[LazarX]

voideternal wrote:

Torbyne wrote:

found another corner case! :)

A Slayer or class that gains Slayer Talents can select this:

"Blood Reader (Ex): While able to see a studied target, a slayer with this talent knows exactly how many hit points his opponent has remaining. This only works against living targets."

Cant think of anything that would defeat this one, your level 8 wizard would ping as way too healthy to be such a low level dude. Of course it would also cause lots of accusations of metagaming. just try to not draw attention to yourself.

I guess the solution is.... for the wizard to stab himself multiple times every day in the morning?

I've always thought and I generally rule that the slayers ability only works on someone he's in combat with. It's clearly a combat ability, after all. Hit points, like class levels are a gaming construct, characters in the world, don't think that way.

[Ravingdork]

Torbyne wrote:

found another corner case! :)

A Slayer or class that gains Slayer Talents can select this:

"Blood Reader (Ex): While able to see a studied target, a slayer with this talent knows exactly how many hit points his opponent has remaining. This only works against living targets."

Cant think of anything that would defeat this one, your level 8 wizard would ping as way too healthy to be such a low level dude. Of course it would also cause lots of accusations of metagaming. just try to not draw attention to yourself.

You can be a low-level wizard with buckets of hit points you know. Take a 1st-level wizard storm giant for example.

Are we trying to hide his overall power? Or just his true spellcasting ability?

[voideternal]

Ravingdork wrote:

Torbyne wrote:

found another corner case! :)

A Slayer or class that gains Slayer Talents can select this:

"Blood Reader (Ex): While able to see a studied target, a slayer with this talent knows exactly how many hit points his opponent has remaining. This only works against living targets."

Cant think of anything that would defeat this one, your level 8 wizard would ping as way too healthy to be such a low level dude. Of course it would also cause lots of accusations of metagaming. just try to not draw attention to yourself.

You can be a low-level wizard with buckets of hit points you know. Take a 1st-level wizard storm giant for example.

Are we trying to hide his overall power? Or just his true spellcasting ability?

Rogue: Slayer, what does the Blood Reader say about his hit points?

Slayer: IT'S OVER 9000!!!!!
Human Wizard 20 (+Limited Wish Glibness): I'm actually a multiclass Wizard 1 / Barbarian 200.

[alexd1976]

Regarding the Slayer, or really any ability that grants a character knowledge of game information:

I describe hitpoints as Full, Half, Less than Half, heavily wounded etc. NOT ACTUAL NUMBERS.

Level, I describe as lower, similar, higher... Always compared to the person using the ability.

I don't actually hand out game information, as the character wouldn't have this metagame knowledge, but they are entitled to learn a description of this information...

[Torbyne]

LazarX wrote:

voideternal wrote:

Torbyne wrote:

found another corner case! :)

A Slayer or class that gains Slayer Talents can select this:

"Blood Reader (Ex): While able to see a studied target, a slayer with this talent knows exactly how many hit points his opponent has remaining. This only works against living targets."

Cant think of anything that would defeat this one, your level 8 wizard would ping as way too healthy to be such a low level dude. Of course it would also cause lots of accusations of metagaming. just try to not draw attention to yourself.

I guess the solution is.... for the wizard to stab himself multiple times every day in the morning?

I've always thought and I generally rule that the slayers ability only works on someone he's in combat with. It's clearly a combat ability, after all. Hit points, like class levels are a gaming construct, characters in the world, don't think that way.

Except Studied Target provides plenty of non combat skill bonuses. My Slayers (or sacred slayers rather) study everyone they deal with just for the bonuses. Heck, before Studied Target was even a thing it was common enough to RP "taking a moment to size someone up". It falls in with a bluff to me, "this guy is trying to pass off as incompetent but he is clearly just acting. He could probably take down half this bar... better keep an eye on him."

[Gregory Connolly]

I seriously have no idea why so many people think things like class level are out of game only ideas.

My Wizard is keenly aware of what level he is thank you very much. He has a mathematical progression of class abilities and the skills to know what they do. He is keenly aware he has made it to the next level when the two spells he has been working on work correctly and he can memorize more spells.

It breaks my suspension of disbelief completely to be told that my very smart character has no idea how the thing he has been studying his whole life works.

Sorry for going off topic, but this is not a standard assumption as far as I know. If I am wrong and it is stated in the rules somewhere could someone please quote it?

[Torbyne]

alexd1976 wrote:

Regarding the Slayer, or really any ability that grants a character knowledge of game information:

I describe hitpoints as Full, Half, Less than Half, heavily wounded etc. NOT ACTUAL NUMBERS.

Level, I describe as lower, similar, higher... Always compared to the person using the ability.

I don't actually hand out game information, as the character wouldn't have this metagame knowledge, but they are entitled to learn a description of this information...

This isnt the Deathwatch spell, the ability explicitly states they know exactly how many hit points the target has left. All isnt an exact number, neither is half or 8 from full. If that is how you rule it at your table just remember to tip off players who might want the ability before they spend resources on it.

[Bandw2]

Gregory Connolly wrote:

I seriously have no idea why so many people think things like class level are out of game only ideas.

My Wizard is keenly aware of what level he is thank you very much. He has a mathematical progression of class abilities and the skills to know what they do. He is keenly aware he has made it to the next level when the two spells he has been working on work correctly and he can memorize more spells.

It breaks my suspension of disbelief completely to be told that my very smart character has no idea how the thing he has been studying his whole life works.

Sorry for going off topic, but this is not a standard assumption as far as I know. If I am wrong and it is stated in the rules somewhere could someone please quote it?

I... can't tell... whether you're being satirical or not.

[Gregory Connolly]

Bandw2 wrote:

Gregory Connolly wrote:

I seriously have no idea why so many people think things like class level are out of game only ideas.

My Wizard is keenly aware of what level he is thank you very much. He has a mathematical progression of class abilities and the skills to know what they do. He is keenly aware he has made it to the next level when the two spells he has been working on work correctly and he can memorize more spells.

It breaks my suspension of disbelief completely to be told that my very smart character has no idea how the thing he has been studying his whole life works.

Sorry for going off topic, but this is not a standard assumption as far as I know. If I am wrong and it is stated in the rules somewhere could someone please quote it?

I... can't tell... whether you're being satirical or not.

I am not. I can't tell if you are being condescending or not.

[Bandw2]

Gregory Connolly wrote:

Bandw2 wrote:

Gregory Connolly wrote:

I seriously have no idea why so many people think things like class level are out of game only ideas.

My Wizard is keenly aware of what level he is thank you very much. He has a mathematical progression of class abilities and the skills to know what they do. He is keenly aware he has made it to the next level when the two spells he has been working on work correctly and he can memorize more spells.

It breaks my suspension of disbelief completely to be told that my very smart character has no idea how the thing he has been studying his whole life works.

Sorry for going off topic, but this is not a standard assumption as far as I know. If I am wrong and it is stated in the rules somewhere could someone please quote it?

I... can't tell... whether you're being satirical or not.

I am not. I can't tell if you are being condescending or not.

nope just poe's law.

in which case i can combat this logic logically.

"nuh ugh"

edit: i'd like to rephrase. my verisimilitude is broken when the bloodrager refers to himself as a bloodrager, there isn't even probably a technical word for what he is, let alone that he would know it. or another example, "i have 68 health points".

[chaoseffect]

Gregory Connolly wrote:

I seriously have no idea why so many people think things like class level are out of game only ideas.

My Wizard is keenly aware of what level he is thank you very much. He has a mathematical progression of class abilities and the skills to know what they do. He is keenly aware he has made it to the next level when the two spells he has been working on work correctly and he can memorize more spells.

It breaks my suspension of disbelief completely to be told that my very smart character has no idea how the thing he has been studying his whole life works.

Sorry for going off topic, but this is not a standard assumption as far as I know. If I am wrong and it is stated in the rules somewhere could someone please quote it?

Yes, I agree your dude is most like well aware of his own capabilities and knows that his power grows as he continues to adventure, but does he introduce himself as an Xth level Wizard with the Y archetype when he first meets people, perhaps also mentioning in character the list of feats he took? That's what it sounds like you are saying and if so I'm not sure how that wouldn't break immersion at all.

[DM_Blake]

Derek Vande Brake wrote:

Did anybody else hear the song, "What If God Was One Of Us" when reading the thread title?

Or the much more hilarious remake.

[alexd1976]

Torbyne wrote:

alexd1976 wrote:

Regarding the Slayer, or really any ability that grants a character knowledge of game information:

I describe hitpoints as Full, Half, Less than Half, heavily wounded etc. NOT ACTUAL NUMBERS.

Level, I describe as lower, similar, higher... Always compared to the person using the ability.

I don't actually hand out game information, as the character wouldn't have this metagame knowledge, but they are entitled to learn a description of this information...

This isnt the Deathwatch spell, the ability explicitly states they know exactly how many hit points the target has left. All isnt an exact number, neither is half or 8 from full. If that is how you rule it at your table just remember to tip off players who might want the ability before they spend resources on it.

Huh. Stupid ability if you like roleplaying. I understand its utility, but that sounds... dumb. I didn't realize it actually states your character learns a mechanic of the game.

"Jondar the Mighty has determined that the Dragon has an armor class of 38"... just seems odd to me...

Jondar: It has an AC of 38 guys!
Rest of party: What is AC?
Jondar: It's the number you have to hit to lower his hitpoints!
Rest of party: What are hitpoints? Jondar, are you drunk again?
Jondar: Look out, he's breathing, hope you guys have good REF saves!
Rest of party: WTH Jondar, are you eating the magic mushrooms again?

and so on...

My table has always done this, we don't have/use characters that would obtain actual game information like this. Wounds on NPCs are described as 'he looks bloodied, maybe half-dead', not 'you have inflicted 38 hitpoints on him, he looks like he has 38 remaining'.

So yeah, my players are all on board with how I do it, it increases our immersion in the game.

If someone played a class/used an ability that specifically told them actual game numbers, I wouldn't actually alter that, I'm not a jerk.

I just don't DEFAULT to using numbers to describe in-game characters...

[Vagabond?]

LazarX wrote:

Vagabond? wrote:

I'm wondering this for a campaign I'm going to join soon- What would a level 8 mythic tier 4 wizard have to do to pretend to be a level 2 wizard, even to higher level scrying spells?

Why would you have to? What's the context? Context is important.

The Context is that, in a very intrigue oriented campaign, a girl, roughly 19 years of age, has gained an immense amount of knowledge in the field of Wizardry, and was given the might of a fallen god to protect the innocent in Magnimar. However, she knows that if anyone figures out powerful she is, she'll have cultists, Wizards, the authorities, and pretty much every villain in the city to come after her and to take control over her (She isn't exactly the wisest).

Ravingdork wrote:

Are we trying to hide his overall power? Or just his true spellcasting ability?

Her overall power if possible, but push comes to shove, spellcasting should be good enough. My biggest worry is Arcane Sight, since I don't think she can safely prepare spells fast enough for what she wants done.

[Gregory Connolly]

chaoseffect wrote:

Gregory Connolly wrote:

I seriously have no idea why so many people think things like class level are out of game only ideas.

My Wizard is keenly aware of what level he is thank you very much. He has a mathematical progression of class abilities and the skills to know what they do. He is keenly aware he has made it to the next level when the two spells he has been working on work correctly and he can memorize more spells.

It breaks my suspension of disbelief completely to be told that my very smart character has no idea how the thing he has been studying his whole life works.

Sorry for going off topic, but this is not a standard assumption as far as I know. If I am wrong and it is stated in the rules somewhere could someone please quote it?

Yes, I agree your dude is most like well aware of his own capabilities and knows that his power grows as he continues to adventure, but does he introduce himself as an Xth level Wizard with the Y archetype when he first meets people, perhaps also mentioning in character the list of feats he took? That's what it sounds like you are saying and if so I'm not sure how that wouldn't break immersion at all.

I can see how someone could get this impression.

No, none of my characters introduce themselves with a list of feats. That seems silly to me as well. And I agree that for some characters in world knowing what class they are is not happening. I can build a sneaky scout as a rogue, slayer, or barbarian and never sweat the difference.

The magic system is very different for me. Some people hate Vancian casting and wan't to kind of pretend that that isn't the way magic works. I love this magic system of fire and forget, memorizing spells per day, and lots and lots of spells known. For me a large part of the game involves being able to become someone else and inhabit a world that specifically has this magic system.

Spellcraft explicitly lets characters know what spells do and how they work. I would assume that the slayer talent that lets you know someones HP would force tables to define what HP means to them so that the slayer in question could communicate this information in a meaningful way.

Lastly I want to thank everyone for this not turning bad, I constantly work to make the tone of my words better, but it isn't easy on the internet.

[Torbyne]

alexd1976 wrote:

Torbyne wrote:

alexd1976 wrote:

Regarding the Slayer, or really any ability that grants a character knowledge of game information:

I describe hitpoints as Full, Half, Less than Half, heavily wounded etc. NOT ACTUAL NUMBERS.

Level, I describe as lower, similar, higher... Always compared to the person using the ability.

I don't actually hand out game information, as the character wouldn't have this metagame knowledge, but they are entitled to learn a description of this information...

This isnt the Deathwatch spell, the ability explicitly states they know exactly how many hit points the target has left. All isnt an exact number, neither is half or 8 from full. If that is how you rule it at your table just remember to tip off players who might want the ability before they spend resources on it.

Huh. Stupid ability if you like roleplaying. I understand its utility, but that sounds... dumb. I didn't realize it actually states your character learns a mechanic of the game.

"Jondar the Mighty has determined that the Dragon has an armor class of 38"... just seems odd to me...

Jondar: It has an AC of 38 guys!
Rest of party: What is AC?
Jondar: It's the number you have to hit to lower his hitpoints!
Rest of party: What are hitpoints? Jondar, are you drunk again?
Jondar: Look out, he's breathing, hope you guys have good REF saves!
Rest of party: WTH Jondar, are you eating the magic mushrooms again?

and so on...

My table has always done this, we don't have/use characters that would obtain actual game information like this. Wounds on NPCs are described as 'he looks bloodied, maybe half-dead', not 'you have inflicted 38 hitpoints on him, he looks like he has 38 remaining'.

So yeah, my players are all on board with how I do it, it increases our immersion in the game.

If someone played a class/used an ability that specifically told them actual game numbers, I wouldn't actually alter that, I'm not a jerk.

I just don't DEFAULT to using numbers to...

I dunno, to me its an integral part of the game, taking what the player knows and interpreting it through the eyes of the character (if its things the character would know). So if the player of the slayer knows exact HP the character would express it as that person is tougher and more capable than the rest in the room or maybe recognize that the twerp is actually much weaker than they are acting. To combine it further, someone with high physical stats but low level would come across as "looking pretty strong and decently fast but man, that guy just cant take a hit. Probably has a glass jaw." Likewise if i am playing a high BAB and i miss on a 14 i may know the target has a high AC but the in character comment is more of "These buggers are tough to crack, everyone aim carefully and we'll wear 'em down!"

[Bandw2]

I don't use HP as how tough some one necessarily is. when 2 people are fighting, the person with more HP looks like he is winning compared to the other. People don't usually get stabbed when they're a 1 racial HD creature until they finally go unconscious, because realistically they probably wouldn't take more then one hit to go down. same for PCs unless they want to be a beefy tank person and describe them as surviving stabs.

so on 1RHD races it simply comes off as the enemy being experienced or looks like a veteran, compared to others.

[Mechagamera]

I think gear is the biggest problem. Not too many 2nd level wizards with a 8th level Christmas tree. Scrying enemy spellcasters have plenty of time to look over your stuff, and since they probably have their own Christmas tree, I suspect they could ID your stuff pretty well.