Identifying a creature requires a Knowledge check of the proper knowledge type with a DC=10+CR for common creatures, DC 12+CR for unusual creatures, and DC 15+CR for rare or unique creatures. Most monsters are either common or unusual. Rare or unique creatures are few and far between. The DM will decide on the rarity of a creature.
These are meant to be guidelines and the DM can make exceptions when needed. For example a place haunted by vampires might have citizens who know more about vampires than the average person so you can find information on that monster easier.
What Knowledge Skills apply for what monsters.
Arcana constructs except robots), dragons, magical beasts
Dungeoneering aberrations, and oozes
Engineering. robots
Local humanoids, all the player races
Nature animals including dire animals, fey, giants including trolls, monstrous humanoids, plants, and vermin
Planes (the Inner Planes, the Outer Planes, the Astral Plane, the Ethereal Plane, and other outsiders, like edilions).
Religion (gods and goddesses, undead, Note: undead are typically native outsiders with connections to the negative and prime material planes).
The information below, given differs from Unchained Skills.
Codifying the Knowledge Skills: DC 10+CR for common, DC12+CR for unusual, most monsters, DC 15+CR for rare or unique creatures
Basic: if you are untrained this is the best check you can make
· Name
· Description, what it looks like
· Size, how big it is
· Terrain Type it is native to
· Typical Alignment
· Language it speaks
Advanced: DC+2 (that’s DC12+CR for a common creature, DC 14+CR for an unusual and so on)
· DR Yes or No
· What its speeds are, roughly
· Rough AC +/-5
· Weapons it uses and typical damage
· Hit Dice
· If it gets racial bonuses to skills (yes or no)
Exceptional DC +4
· Exact AC
· Exact Speed(s)
· Best Save, which one it is
· What defeats its DR and the amount of its DR
· Special Attacks or Defenses (yes or no)
· What its best Skill is (the name and rating)
· Spell Resistance (yes or no)
Extraordinary: DC +6
· It feats the name of them and you can look them up
· If it has any Immunities, besides DR
· If it has any special notes to CMB or CMD
· Saves (the actual numbers)
· What its aura protects against
· Spell Resistance (numerical value)
· Special Attacks: what they are and what they do
· Special Defense: what they are and what they do
· Skill Ratings (numerical values of all its skills)
· Mythic (yes or no)
· What plane it is native to
Total: CR+8
· Look at the monster entry on www.d20pfsrd.com
· If it has any templates
· A basic check gives you the creature’s name, its description, its size, what type of terrain it is native to, what the typical alignment of it is, what its creature type is, and what languages the creature typically speaks. You can get only a basic check if you are untrained in the knowledge skill for that creature type. If you are trained you can get a basic check or a higher check.
· An advanced check; DC+2 tells you if it has DR (yes or no), its speed(s) (the type of speeds only, not the numerical value), a rough range of its armor class (+/- 5) and what weapons it uses as well as the damage it typically deals out, its Hit Dice, and if it gets any racial bonuses to skills (yes or no and what skills are involved).
· An exceptional check of DC +4 gives you the creature’s exact Armor Class, the numerical value of its speed(s), what its best save is, what defeats its DR, and the value of that DR, if it has special attacks or defenses (yes or no), what its best skill is (the name of the skill) and what that rating is for its skill(s) that it has a racial bonus to (the racial bonus, not the skill bonus), if it has SR (yes or no), if it has a protective aura (yes or not) or any immunities (yes or no).
· An extraordinary check is DC+6 and it gives you what feats it has access to, what its saving throws are (the actual numbers), what its aura protects against and, what SR it has (the numerical value), its spell-like abilities and what they are, what the special defenses and special attacks are as well as the actual skill ratings (the numerical values and the skill names) what plane it is native to, and if it is mythic or not.
· A total knowledge CR+8 check lets you look at the monster manual entry for the slow count of 30, You may look the monster up on d20pfsrd.com. It will also tell you if the DM has applied any templates (the name of those templates, not their effects) to the creature and approximately what mythic tier it is (+/- 2 tiers)..
This Knowledge check is for the typical entry of that monster in the Bestiary. Creatures with extra levels and templates may be different. The only way you will know if a creature has extra levels is if it acts different than the typical creature of it type. For example, a goblin toting a pistol probably has gunslinger levels, while a goblin waving a wand may be a spell caster or someone who has a high use magic device score, you won't know which.
Making a basic check is a free action, an advanced check is a swift action. An exceptional check is a move action, an extraordinary check is a standard action. A total knowledge check is a full-round action.
Remember that knowledge checks cannot be assisted, except if a research book is used then the time to make the check increases to 1 minute per level of check (1 minute for a basic check, two minutes for an advanced check, three minutes for an exceptional check and so on). Pathfinder Chronicles are an example of research books that can be obtained by characters to assist them in their research.