Knowledge  Checks

To check to see if your character has some knowledge of a subject:

Roll a d20. Using the higher of your Intelligence or Wisdom, apply however many points that stat is BELOW 10 as a penalty, or however many points that stat is ABOVE 16 as a bonus. If you have a non-weapon proficiency that could reasonably apply, add 1 point for each NWP to the result.

The end result is applied to this table. Note that this cannot be applied to subjects like 'do I know a magic item formula' or 'what is that demon's true name', but more mundane knowledge or general knowledge about legendary or magical subjects. Bards can use this ability in addition to their normal Bard knowledge check, as either or both apply.

1. Absolute ignorance.

2. You don't know what the subject is, though you may have seen vaguely similar things, you have no real help to offer.

3. You have a vague idea of what the subject might be, but you could be wrong, you really can't say.

4. You have a fair idea of what the item is, but don't know any details.

5. You are pretty sure you know what the subject of the check is.

6. You are quite sure you know what the subject of the check is.

7. You definitely know what the subject of the check is, but beyond a name, you really don't know anything. 

8. You know what the subject of the check is, and know a couple of general aspects of it.

9. You what what the subject of the check is, and know a fair amount of general knowledge, but no details.

10. You know what the subject of the check is, and know a few high points, but no detail.

11. Quite familiar with the subject, you know all the high points about it, but not a lot of detail.

12. Quite familair with the subject, you know all the high points, and a few details.

13. You know a fair amount of detail about the subject.

14. You have a strong high school level student's level of knowledge about the subject.

15. You have a level of knowledge like someone who received a college education about it.

16. You have a level of knowledge like someone who received a college education about it, and worked in that field for years.

17. You have a level of knowledge like someone who got a college degree with a major in this subject.

18. You have a level of knowledge like someone who got a college degree with a major in this subject, and minors in related fields.

19. You have a level of knowledge of a college instructor in this subject.

20. Extremely detailed knowledge of this subject, you could talk for hours about minutae relating to it - you know as much as anyone with an advanced degree would.

Note - the below is obsolete, it was a system I came up with and playtesting revealed it was too cumbersome.

Knowledge Checks

A knowledge check roll is a random roll, modified by non-weapon proficiencies, intelligence, class, race, and birth skill, as appropriate. A d20 is rolled and added to the result, to determine the quantity and accuracy of the knowledge the character has. This may be subject to interpretation, and some knowledge checks may be more difficult than others, so they will be adjusted by a number the player won’t be aware of.

1.     Roll a d20.

2.     Intelligence: Add the character’s intelligence to the roll. Any point of intelligence over 18 is doubled.

3.     Class: if the knowledge could somehow be more likely to be known by a particular character class, add a d10 to the check. Multi-class characters do not get multiple bonuses.

4.     Bards automatically get a d10 on any knowledge check.

5.     Race: if the knowledge could somehow be more likely known by a particular character race, add a d10 to the check. Half breeds get a d6 if the check only applies to one of their races.

6.     Non-weapon proficiencies: For the first point of a non-weapon proficiency the character has that could be applicable, roll a d10 and add that to the check. For each additional point of non-weapon proficiency the character has that could be applicable, roll a d6 and add that to the check.

6a. If the character has the Eidetic Memory non-weapon proficiency, add 10 to the check. 

7.     If the character’s birth skill is somehow applicable, roll a d10 and add that to the check.

8.     Religion – if the character’s religious affiliation could somehow be applicable to the knowledge check roll a d10 and add that to the check.

9.     Library – if the character has a library that might have materials that might apply, they will need to spend d6 hours researching. This will add d10 more points to the knowledge check.

      10. If the subject is something common, add a d20 to the check. If the subject is something uncommon, add a d10 to the check. If the subject is something rare, subtract a d10 from the check. If the subject is something very rare, subtract a d20 from the check. [Note - this will mostly apply to trying to identify a monster; the the 'rarity' of the monster to adjust. This will be a DM adjustment.]

Degree of knowledge based on final result

01-10 – character has no knowledge at all about the subject.

11-20 – character has heard about the subject, but has no useful knowledge.

21-30 – character has some information about the subject, but only vague information, all of which may not be correct.

31-40 – character has some information about the subject, but only some very broad general information.

41-50 – character has some information about the subject, with broad general information and also 1-3 specific details.

51-60 – character has good information about the subject, with 1-6 specific details.

61-70 – character has good information about the subject, with 1-12 specific details.

71-80 – character has very good information about the subject, with broad knowledge and a 2-20 specific details.

81-90 – character has an encyclopedic knowledge of the subject, on par with a professor.

91 or higher – character has sage level knowledge of the subject, broad and deep, and can lecture about it.