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There should be some way to track what creature types you encounter.
For instance, you come across a Troll, and learn that the troll needs to be killed with fire.
Then you play the next week and you encounter an enemy, the GM asks for a knowledge check to identify the creature, only 1 person has it and doesn't make the requisite roll to identify it. "It's an Unnggghhhh"
Now nobody knows that you need to kill it with fire. This just doesn't seem right and if you play in an actual campaign, your character, even though he doesn't have the knowledge required to identify the creature, would likely remember to use fire on trolls. (of course, that's where the DM throws an alternate troll at you, and fire does nothing). The point is that characters should be able to learn.
If there were somewhere on the chronicle sheets for Monster types encountered as opposed to items that are in the books anyways. Hey thanks for listing that potion of cure light wounds, really needed that ink on my chronicle.
Venture-Captain, Texas—Austin
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I know right now there is a boon in PFS1 that does something similar.
I am on the fence about this because in general I don't like adding more paper work, especially for new players.
On the other hand, it would be nice if there was a way to do something like this.
I can't really get an idea though on a clean way to implement it.
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I know right now there is a boon in PFS1 that does something similar.
I am on the fence about this because in general I don't like adding more paper work, especially for new players.
On the other hand, it would be nice if there was a way to do something like this.
I can't really get an idea though on a clean way to implement it.
Instead of listing 30 items on your chronicle that you can access with the proper book anyways, put a box for monster types.
There is on average 3 encounters per adventure?
Just put a table on the chronicle that has blank spaces, say 6 with a slot for GM initials. Whatever you encounter, list it.
Many times you're fighting the same creature type (humanoid) so you wouldn't need to list those.
Also note, while you're at it, stop making people make knowledge local checks for common humanoids.
GM "You see three figures in front of you, weapons drawn, they look ready for blood"
"What are they?"
GM "Knowledge local please"
"I got a 16"
GM "They're half-orcs"
Really? You're gonna make people check for half-orcs?
Don't list the monsters themselves on the chronicle, just leave spaces for the GM to write it in and sign off on it.
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As a GM I don’t want to have to search a characters chronicles to see if they have encountered creature X before. This process can be simply managed by the player. Simply make an ongoing list of creatures you have encountered and have it ready. When you encounter something that someone else identifies but doesn’t know much about, or if no one knows what it is, you can show the list to the GM. Since there is no game mechanic specificly covers this issue, the GM can decide if you auto identify the creature or maybe get a bonus on your check. Expect table variation
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If they're doing this I wish they'd set in stone how the knowledge check works and how you get pieces of info. In our area we get to ask questions like: what are it's defenses? which will usually net DR, energy resistances/immunities, and the like. I've seen others you have to ask specific questions does it have DR? Yet other groups the DM gets to pick what they give you. I've even had DM's leave info out entirely when asking for specific things because they wanted to. There's even a feat that gives you a bonus if you identify ALL the information associated with a creature.
I would be all for this but I also want hard rules for monster identification. At least for PFS.
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See, part of the problem, as I see it, is the "ask me N questions" game that many GMs play. My preference from either side of the table is to relay to the character thing that they would be interested in.
When GMing, I do start with type and subtypes, as these are the most important pieced of information. I typically don't allow the use of bane unless you've identified the creature, for example (I also don't use it until the critter is identified).
After that, for the CR+5 stuff?
You playing an evoker? I'll probably start with energy resistances and immunities, and likely spell resistance.
Playing a fighter, well you likely know things like DR, special attacks, etc.
I do typically describe these things not in game terms, however. "This demon is very hard to affect with magic, and is very resistant to fire and acid."
(the decriptors are a sliding scale, too. At level 1, fire resist 5 might be hard to hurt withfire, while at level 10 that would be a trivial resistance.)
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To add the above, if you have taken good notes, I might be willing to grant you the ability to use that information.
PC: Hey, I have some notes about fighting a troll a while back. Seems that we used fire to stop it from regenerating!
Me: Sure, you think that would work.
However if your notes are wrong, I will likely agree with you as well.
Player: according to my notes here, iron golems are very vulnerable to fire, as it melts them.
me: Sure, sounds reasonable.
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RPG Superstar 2013 Top 8
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When GMing, I do start with type and subtypes, as these are the most important pieced of information.
You get this for free as part of identifying the creature, it doesn't count as a useful piece of information that you get for identifying the creature and for every 5 by which you beat the DC to identify the creature.
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When GMing, I do start with type and subtypes, as these are the most important pieced of information.You get this for free as part of identifying the creature, it doesn't count as a useful piece of information that you get for identifying the creature and for every 5 by which you beat the DC to identify the creature.
So, you are saying that knowing a ghoul is undead is not useful?
Venture-Lieutenant, Netherlands—Leiden
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When GMing, I do start with type and subtypes, as these are the most important pieced of information.You get this for free as part of identifying the creature, it doesn't count as a useful piece of information that you get for identifying the creature and for every 5 by which you beat the DC to identify the creature.
The rules are pretty vague on this actually.
Knowing "this one has the demon subtype so it has these resistances and those immunities" is absolutely useful information. Then again, if this is the fourth type of demon you encounter in a scenario, that ceases to be news.
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When GMing, I do start with type and subtypes, as these are the most important pieced of information.You get this for free as part of identifying the creature, it doesn't count as a useful piece of information that you get for identifying the creature and for every 5 by which you beat the DC to identify the creature.
The actual text of the Knowledge skill:
A successful check allows you to remember a bit of useful information about that monster. For every 5 points by which your check result exceeds the DC, you recall another piece of useful information.
Nowhere in there does it say you automatically get the creature type. However, for getting the creature type to be useful, it should include all the information that creature type has specific to it. So for Undead, you know it can typically be harmed by positive energy and is immune to mind affecting effects. Demons, you know the standard array of DR (they can have DR Cold Iron, Good, Cold Iron or Good, or Cold Iron and Good), resistances (They have some level of resistance to the following elements...), and immunities (they are immune to poison and...). Just knowing its Undead without also knowing any of the implications of what that means is useless information.