D&D 5E What would you do about History and Religion if you shifted settings?

[Herosmith14]

So, I'm planning on shifting settings with my personal group (it will be linked to the overarching story). This got me thinking about the Intelligence skills of all things. Everything the characters know would pretty much be uprooted and thrown out the window. I've come to you to critique my solution to this.

Obviously Nature, Arcana, and Investigation won't be affected, considering the laws of nature, magic, and deduction are pretty much the same throughout the DnD multiverse. My problem is with History and Religion.

Since the characters will know nothing of this new realm, any History or Religion checks they attempt to make concerning things from that realm would be at an overriding DA and a -20 penalty to begin with. The way they would do this is they would spend 8 hours in a library or university "studying" either History or Religion. They could only do this once a day, but the total days need not be continuous. Once the study session had ended, they would roll Investigation and the total would be turned into a percentage. Once a character reaches 100% in a subject, they get to make checks in that area as they normally would.

I was thinking of dropping the mod by 1 every 5%, and dropping the DA at about 70-75%. But what do you guys think?

 

[pogre]

I always start with the question: Does this add to the enjoyment of the game? For me, this would not - way too steep a penalty.

I could change my mind if given the story parameters / reasons for the changed world.

But, mostly, nerfing skills is unfun.

 

[iserith]

Players don't make checks anyway - not without the DM's say so. So if they try to recall lore about a thing you don't think they have any reason to know, then you can just tell them they fail, no roll.

Gathering information can be done via the use of the Researching downtime activity or something based on that.

 

[Ovinomancer]

Players don't make checks anyway - not without the DM's say so. So if they try to recall lore about a thing you don't think they have any reason to know, then you can just tell them they fail, no roll.

Gathering information can be done via the use of the Researching downtime activity or something based on that.

Which is an excellent mechanics answer but doesn't address the DM devaluing player build choices arbitrarily. If, as a player I invest limited build resources in a proficiency under certain expectations of play at the time and then the DM changes those expectations in a permanent way to devalue them completely... yeah, problem.

As to the OP, that sounds like a decent way to handle it but I'd make sure the opportunity to do so came up quickly and not at an opportunity cost. Maybe the players can be taken in by a noble with an extensive library for a few months while they acclimate to the new world after their first shocking adventures. Maybe even then handwave the checks?

 

[Sadras]

I did something similar with Languages - character's were burning spell slots for the Tongues spell. It was by far the most important spell for several sessions - until one of them was fortunate enough to obtain a Ring of Tongues (which required attunement). Some months later another one had gained full proficiency in the world's common tongue.

As for your knowledge skills checks - if I were you I would offer the answers necessary to move the story along through the in-game fiction, such guides, henchmen, as well as through services obtained from the local clergy, sages and/or libraries.
You may also allow those proficient in the Religion skill to recognise or draw parallels between their own world religions and the new world's beliefs.
During short and long rests as well as downtime provide instances where they may learn and slowly gain proficiency in the History and Religion of the world, whether it be through general conversation, books or through prayer or even divine dreams.

Your system works, but you may also allow or disallow checks based on what the character may or may not know/learnt in your opinion as DM.

 

[Shiroiken]

Part of it will depend on the time frame. If the party has downtime and/or time to spend in cities becoming better acquainted, then someone who has proficiency usually indicates someone who has an interest in such thing. You can assume they have disadvantage on both checks that use those skills, but have picked up some information. After a period of time (your call), you can remove the penalty, stating that they've fully acclimated to the new setting. If the characters are on an epic quest, with no downtime, then those skills have been effectively nerfed, unless you cheat.

Logically, languages are different between the worlds. Even racial languages would have to change over time, so they'd be different on multiple worlds. Commons even worse, because for most worlds, it's an amalgamation of several languages to encourage trade. You could handwave this, or incorporate it into the issue of other skills. Simply have the magic that transports the characters to the new world instill in them the information they will need, including languages, history, etc. That can't consciously call up the information (just like most PCs can't, since the player usually doesn't know), but they spontaneously recall information they never realized they knew (assuming they pass the check).

 

[Valmarius]

If it was a new campaign I would be upfront about the lack of use for those two skills, so it could be taken into account for character creation.

As part of an ongoing campaign, spending some time in a new and strange land sounds great. PCs who are trained in History or Religion SHOULD feel slightly out of their element.
That said, I'd let them use their existing knowledge of those subjects to more easily perform any research. Advantage on the Investigation check perhaps.

 

[Tony Vargas]

So, I'm planning on shifting settings with my personal group (it will be linked to the overarching story). This got me thinking about the Intelligence skills of all things. Everything the characters know would pretty much be uprooted and thrown out the window.

One possibility is to give them a penalty that slowly goes away as they learn about the new world...

The way they would do this is they would spend 8 hours in a library or university "studying" either History or Religion. They could only do this once a day, but the total days need not be continuous. Once the study session had ended, they would roll Investigation and the total would be turned into a percentage. Once a character reaches 100% in a subject, they get to make checks in that area as they normally would.

Sure...
... you could use study as a Downtime option, kinda like learning a new Tool Proficiency or Language?

 

[ccs]

Well, the 1st obstacle is language.
Are the languages in your game universal? Is FR common the same as GH common? Eberon common? etc. Or whatever worlds your using?

After that, libraries, sages, churches/clergy, universities, bards, common people, various spells, etc.

I would not give the PCs their proficiency bonus on these checks, not even after they worked off that negative modifier, unless there were extraordinary circumstances. Ex; spending a feat to become proficient in history/religion (I'd allow them to duplicate skills they already had in this case. Afterall, History: FR setting =/= History: Krynn....)

 

[Sunseeker]

Well...first off, players don't make checks unless called upon to do so, though I suppose they could ask to make a check, but the DM still has to approve it.

Second off, just because players have the "History" or "Religion" skill doesn't mean they have knowledge of every religion or every event in history ever. More than likely they know their religion and their culture's history and perhaps the 2nd-most known religion in the area and the nearby kingdom's history. Or they are a generalist, knowing a little bit about a lot of religions and histories.

Whichever the case is, what both the specialist and the generalist have is knowledge of how religion works and a knowledge of how history tends to work. If they encounter New Religion, there's a learning curve but they'll catch on fairly quickly if its a highly stratified, highly dogmatic religion or if it's a more open, grass-roots religion. Any checks they make are going to be more investigative and intuitive. If they encounter a highly stratified religion, they can make religion bluffs to "talk to a supervisor" essentially. They'll learn the details of the religion down the road, but they can use their knowledge of how a religion works to put the pieces together.

The same is true of history. If they encounter New Kingdom and there's Another New Kingdom nearby, they can likely intuit from local relations the history of these two kingdoms, are they at war a lot? Who won the last war? Did anyone notice New Kingdom is rules by humans and Another New Kingdom is ruled by Elves and it just so happens the New Kingdom's Queen is an elf while it's King is a human?

You players may not be able to name-drop right away but if they're knowledgeable in history or religion, they'll catch on to how history has been shaped or religion has been formed fairly quickly.

Basically, you, the DM, will have to call for different religion checks. Instead of testing their skills on specific information, you'll need to test their skills on understanding how something functions. It's critical thinking vs scripted answers.