Knowledge

Description

Ability Score Used:	Intelligence
Usable Untrained?	No
Armor Check Penalty Applies?	No

You are educated in a field of study and can answer both simple and complex questions. Like the Perform and Profession skills, Knowledge actually encompasses a number of different specialties. You could have several Knowledge skills, each with its own ranks.

Some of the knowledge skills are linked to a particular bailiwick skill. In these cases, ranks in the bailiwick skill grant an equal number of free ranks in the associated knowledge skill. Note that a character can never have more ranks in a skill than their character level.

You cannot make an untrained Knowledge check with a DC higher than 10. If you have access to a library that covers a specific skill, this limit is removed. The time to make checks using a library, however, increases to 1d4 hours. Particularly complete libraries might even grant a research bonus on Knowledge checks pertaining to topics that they cover.

The table below describes all knowledge skills in Epic Path. Some GM's may elect to invent additional knowledge skills specific to their campaign world. While this is fine and can add some interesting color to a campaign, GM's are advised to limit it to one or two new skills only, since increasing the total number of available skills can create issues with certain classes (particularly bards).

Table: Knowledge Skills

Skill	Assoc. Bailiwick	Lore Checks	Description
Knowledge (Arcana)	Spellcraft	Monsters: Constructs, Dragons, Magical Beasts	The study of ancient mysteries, magic traditions, arcane symbols, constructs, dragons and magical beasts
Knowledge (Deep History)	-		The study of pre-histories of the ancient world and civilizations long past.
Knowledge (Dungeoneering)	-	Monsters: Aberrations, Oozes	The study of spelunking, caves, dungeons, aberrations and oozes.
Knowledge (Engineering)	Warfare	Bogeys: Subaquatic, Subterranean	The study of buildings, aqueducts, bridges, fortifications and sieges.
Knowledge (Geography)	-	Bogeys: Ground, Aerial	The study of lands, terrain, climate, people and astronomy.
Knowledge (History)	-		The study of wars, colonies, migrations, founding of cities and cultural origins.
Knowledge (Local)	Spycraft	Monsters: Humanoids, Proteans	The study of legends, personalities, inhabitants, laws, customs, traditions and humanoids.
Knowledge (Logic)	Reason	Bogeys: Aether	The study of deduction, induction, puzzles, riddles and conundrums.
Knowledge (Nature)	Naturalism	Monsters: Animals, Fey, Giants, Monstrous Humanoids, Plants, Vermin	The study of the natural world, animals, seasons and cycles, weather and the fey.
Knowledge (Nobility)	-	Bogeys: Naval	The study of lineages, heraldry, personalities, royalty and etiquette.
Knowledge (Planes)	-	Monsters: Elementals, Demons, Devils, Outsiders	The study of the Inner and Outer Planes, the Astral and Ethereal Planes, outsiders and planar magic.
Knowledge (Religion)	Divinity	Monsters: Undead	The study of gods and goddesses, ecclesiastic tradition, holy symbols and the undead.

Monster Lore Checks

Characters can use certain knowledge skills to identify monsters and recall details about their special powers or vulnerabilities. Lore checks require a full minute of studying the creature and its habitat, when performed outside of combat. In combat, they are a free action, but that action can only be performed during your turn. In general, the DC of such a check is double the monster's CR. A successful check allows them to remember a little bit of useful information about that monster. GM's should either read, or allow the character to read, the introductory text of the monster's bestiary entry. If a player instead beats a DC of 15 + double the monster's CR, their character knows quite a lot about the monster in question, and GMs should allow that player to look over the monster's bestiary entry in its entirety.

Basic Monster Lore: DC = double the monster's CR

Complete Monster Lore: DC = 15 + double the monster's CR

Warfare can also be used to identify information about a monster's CR, in addition to its offensive, defensive and tactics sections.

Reason may be used to determine the 'programming' of a mindless creature.

Knowledge Skill	Creature Type
Arcana	Constructs, dragons, magical beasts
Dungeoneering	Aberrations, oozes
Local	Humanoids, proteans
Nature	Animals, fey, giants, monstrous humanoids, plants, vermin
Planes	Elementals, Demons, Devils, Outsiders
Religion	Undead

Bogey Lore Checks

If the optional Vehicle Combat rules are being used, player characters can use certain knowledge skills to identify enemy bogeys (NPC-controlled vehicles) and recall details about their special powers or vulnerabilities. As with monster lore checks, the DC of this check is double the bogey's CR. A successful check allows them to remember a little bit of useful information about that bogey. GM's should either read, or allow the character to read, the introductory text of the bogey's fleet entry. If a player instead beats a DC of 15 + double the bogey's CR, their character knows quite a lot about the bogey in question, and GM's should allow that player to look over the bogey's fleet entry in its entirety.

Basic Bogey Lore: DC = double the bogey's CR

Complete Bogey Lore: DC = 15 + double the bogey's CR

Knowledge Skill	Bogey Type
Engineering	Subaquatic, Subterranean
Geography	Ground, Aerial
Logic	Aether
Nobility	Naval