Important knowledge checks?

[silverwolfer]

What would you say are the most important knowledge checks you have made during your time playing d&d , and the more inane knowledges, that your Dm forced you to roll for.

[Shining Wrath]

Identifying "What IS that thing?" with arcana / nature / dungeoneering / religion can be important.

Just had an Eberron session where a whole series of history and religion checks on the Draconic Chamber and the Blood of Vol were needed ... and enabled us to converse with the father of Erandis Vol, of whom you may have heard. NOT making those checks would have put a 7th level party up against an ancient Green Dragon with catastrophic results.

[Feralventas]

Knowledge checks weren't often a defining aspect of the game aside from knowing what type of creature it is you're facing, or Know Local to be able to find the things and people you're looking for.

However, you can base a character on Knowledge checks and do quite nicely, providing information on your allies' abilities, enemy's weaknesses and so on; I actually find it a fun play-style to focus on information-gathering abilities and effects, and for Knowledge focuses, Knowledge Devotion works wonders.


The one really important knowledge check that I recall was done as part of a Research check to learn about a demon which was possessing and important ruler. We got the creature's actual nature (Name of the demon, how it was operating) its weaknesses and strengths (allowing us to prepare for the confrontation) and it's Truename, which let the party casters debuff it further.

[Curmudgeon]

... and the more inane knowledges, that your Dm forced you to roll for.
I had a Rogue who was breezing through a dungeon, disabling every trap and opening every lock because the character was thoroughly prepared for these challenges. So suddenly the DM wanted me to make Knowledge (dungeoneering) checks to see if I knew what kinds of traps and what kinds of locks these were, before I was allowed to deal with them. :smallfrown: Pretty inane, right?

Luckily, this was one of my Rogues who had Education and Knowledge Devotion, and had maximized the 6 Knowledge skills related to creature types. As it happens, Knowledge (dungeoneering) is the skill that you need to get a bonus vs. Aberrations and Oozes with Knowledge Devotion, so I was able to breeze through those checks, too. :smallbiggrin:

[Yogibear41]

I had a Rogue who was breezing through a dungeon, disabling every trap and opening every lock because the character was thoroughly prepared for these challenges. So suddenly the DM wanted me to make Knowledge (dungeoneering) checks to see if I knew what kinds of traps and what kinds of locks these were, before I was allowed to deal with them. :smallfrown: Pretty inane, right?

Luckily, this was one of my Rogues who had Education and Knowledge Devotion, and had maximized the 6 Knowledge skills related to creature types. As it happens, Knowledge (dungeoneering) is the skill that you need to get a bonus vs. Aberrations and Oozes with Knowledge Devotion, so I was able to breeze through those checks, too. :smallbiggrin:

My DM gives XP whenever you succeed on checks like that so maybe he was just trying to help you get to the next level faster lol :smallsmile:

[Story]

Having high knowledge checks is also nice because it gives you an excuse to metagame in character.