New Format - Monster Lore DCs

[Mortis]

According to MMIV and Eric Cagle's 'Know Your Enemy' articles the baseline DC for the lore checks is 10 + the creatures HD.

A Peek Behind the Rules Curtain

So how do designers determine the Difficulty Class for Knowledge checks about creatures? The following is excerpted from Monster Manual IV:

The description of the Knowledge skill indicates that in general, the baseline DC of checks to identify monsters and remember one bit of useful information about their special powers or vulnerabilities is equal to 10 + the monster's HD. Every 5 points by which the check result exceeds the DC yields another useful piece of information (PH 78).

As a general rule of thumb, a DC 15 check or higher will reveal all of the base creature's type and subtype traits as defined in the glossary. This often includes information about energy resistance or various immunities. For instance, a DC 15 Knowledge (arcana) check reveals that dragons have high hit points (12-sided HD), all good saves, and have darkvision out to 60 feet and low-light vision. They eat, sleep, and breathe.

Information specific to the creature, such as its type of damage resistance, spell-like abilities, or immunities come with the high DC check results.

However if you refer to this thread. In particular this post and this post WotC seem to use 10 + CR as the base. :\

Regards
Mortis

 

[BOZ]

thanks, Mortis. for articles, we'll just do whatever Paizo does, where it diverges from WotC standard.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Hmmm, 10 + CR makes more sense, really, as there are weak creatures whose higher hit dice would inexplicably make them more obscure than they really ought to be (think of the larger animals, for instance).

But yeah, for submitting to Paizo, do as Paizo does. (Even if it's wrong. )

 

[Shroomy]

To add to the confusion, I was reviewing the "Wandering Monsters" column in Dungeon, and found that two of the three monsters used CR + 10 for the lowest DC, while the other (the living shipwreck) used DC=CR for the lowest DC.

 

[Shade]

To add to the confusion, I was reviewing the "Wandering Monsters" column in Dungeon, and found that two of the three monsters used CR + 10 for the lowest DC, while the other (the living shipwreck) used DC=CR for the lowest DC.

I noticed this, too, and this is the format (CR + 10, that is) we should follow for Paizo submissions until we hear otherwise.

Note that the MMIV doesn't even follow its own rules (the glossary says HD + 10), and many of the entries don't even add up to 10 + CR (or even 10 + HD). Of course, that book is a train wreck anyhow.