knowledge Checks Broken?

[Moon-Lancer]

I was wondering if someone could explain to me knowledge checks. On page 180, on the table that says Level of Knowledge, It says Paragon tier +10 and Epic tier +15.

Does this mean the dc for all checks go up by +10? if thats the case is it not more likely that one will have a harder time making knowledge checks and in general mean they have lost, not gained knowledge when compared to only havening a +5 to the knowledge due to half level?

I would think it would be +5 and +10, not +10 and +15.

 

[Lizard]

I was wondering if someone could explain to me knowledge checks. On page 180, on the table that says Level of Knowledge, It says Paragon tier +10 and Epic tier +15.

Does this mean the dc for all checks go up by +10? if thats the case is it not more likely that one will have a harder time making knowledge checks and in general mean they have lost, not gained knowledge when compared to only have a +5 due to half level

This refers to monsters. An Epic-level monster is obviously a rare beastie, and you need a very high level of knowledge to have a chance to know anything about it other than "Ohmygoditsgoingtokillme!"

The check refers to the SUBJECT of the knowledge, not the level of the PC. It's still the same DC to know something about a Heroic tier monster no matter what level you are.

 

[keterys]

Isn't there a different section for 'I know lots about herbalism type knowledge' and 'I know lots about monsters', and the monster section is +5/+10? I can't look at my book right now, but I thought it +5/+10.

 

[Moon-Lancer]

This refers to monsters. An Epic-level monster is obviously a rare beastie, and you need a very high level of knowledge to have a chance to know anything about it other than "Ohmygoditsgoingtokillme!"

The check refers to the SUBJECT of the knowledge, not the level of the PC. It's still the same DC to know something about a Heroic tier monster no matter what level you are.

well monsters are right bellow what I'm talking about. Monsters are +5 and then +10. General knowledges seems to be a bit harder. What bugs me is it does not explain exactly what the +10 +15 means, unless its in the dmg and i missed it.

 

[Rith the Wanderer]

Yeah keterys is right, but I think the point still stands. To know about some magical secret that is epicly (?) secret you need to have a higher level of mastery. If its not related to something epic or something paragon I think you can drop the +10 or +15 even if your characters are of that level. But if thats the case why are they even dirtying their hands thinking about it?

Also note that the +5 from the half level is going to be helped out by stat-ups (still not catching up with it but it gets close).

 

[Lizard]

well monsters are right bellow what I'm talking about. Monsters are +5 and then +10. General knowledges seems to be a bit harder. What bugs me is it does not explain exactly what the +10 +15 means, unless its in the dmg and i missed it.

The important thing is, the +10/+5 is the DC modifier when the *subject* of the check is Epic/Paragon, NOT a general modifier applied when the CHARACTER is Epic/Paragon. Knowing stuff doesn't become harder as you level up, but the more powerful something is, the harder it ALWAYS is to know about it.

Assume someone with Int 15, Trained in Arcana. At first level, he has a +7 check in Arcana.

To know Common facts about something in the Heroic tier (lets say 'rituals used by hedge wizards'), the DC is 15. You can make it on an 8 or better.

To know common facts about something in the Paragon tier, the DC is 25. You will make it only on an 18 or better.

There's no way to know something that's in the Epic tier. It's too obscure.

When you hit 11th level, those DCs don't change -- but your skill is now much greater.

 

[keterys]

Hadn't noticed that - that's kinda interesting. Makes sense, though. And I guess the 8 stat points you get as you level up help close the gap on the 5 difference. The world just goes from 'pretty well known' to 'mysterious and strange' as it jumps tiers.

 

[GoLu]

Also keep in mind that if the DC is within 10 points of your skill, you pretty much automatically know everything about it, what with taking 10 and passive skill checks. Maybe you get flustered and forget important details while an owlbear is trying to chew your face off, but the information in question is automatically not a mystery to you.