Knowledge Skill question

[von Tortrix]

Hello,

Is it up to the DM to announce when Knowledge Checks can be made? or should this be left up to the Player? or a little of both?

I'll rearticulate if my question is confusing.

Thanks!

[sabelo2000]

When I'm playing, I make knowledge checks like crazy. Or at least, I express my intent to the DM, sometimes he shoots it down. Of course, you don't want to annoy everyone at the table by making a Knowledge check about every door you come to, but playing smart doesn't hurt.

As a DM, I will *sometimes* prompt Knowledge checks from the players, especially when the situation very clearly calls for it ("Let's go find out what we know about the Forest of Leafyness" "Okay, make a Knowledge check") but for the most part I leave it alone. I'd be happy to facilitate any player who tries to make a check, but for some reason nobody ever does. What people seem to forget is that "Knowledge (dungeoneering) or (nature)" can get pretty close to "Knowledge (out of character) or Knowledge (sourcebook)" if played right.

[Dictum Mortuum]

I think it's a little bit of both; the DM can't remember every knowledge skill of every player, so it's ok (at least with me) when someone asks me if he can find more info with his knowledge[x] about a specific subject.

For stuff important to the campaign I usually call players to roll knowledge checks and describe what they know according to their knowledge type (e.g. if they come across a divine artifact the player with knowledge[religion] will know specific information about the associated deity, while the one with knowledge[arcana] will have a greater understanding about what the thing actually does).