Expanded d20 creature identification

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The expanded d20 creature identification system is a way for characters in any d20 fantasy game (such as Dungeons & Dragons) to get more out of their knowledge skills when encountering new creatures.

Contents 1 Rules 2 Modifiers 3 Examples 4 Concerns

Rules

The SRD has this to say about using knowledge skills to identify creatures:

In many cases, you can use [the knowledge skills] to identify monsters and their special powers or vulnerabilities. In general, the DC of such a check equals 10 + the monster’s HD. A successful check allows you to remember a bit of useful information about that monster. For every 5 points by which your check result exceeds the DC, you recall another piece of useful information.

This rule is modified as follows:

• The creature's apparent type is the type of the base creature, as modified by any templates which have obvious, external features that the character making the roll can percieve.
• Look up the apparent type's appropriate knowledge skill:

Knowledge skill	Creature type
Arcana	constructs, dragons, magical beasts
Dungeoneering	aberrations, oozes
Local	humanoids
Nature	animals, fey, giants, monstrous humanoids, plants, vermin
Religion	undead
The planes	outsiders, elementals

• The DC for the roll is equal to 10 plus the base creature's hit dice (ignore advancement or class levels), plus the hit dice of any template which modified the apparent type. If such a template increases the hit dice "size" (e.g. raising the hit dice from d8 to d12), then add 2 to the DC.
  • If the check is made exactly, the character knows what the creature is called (such as "orc"). Include information about templates which modified the apparent type in the name (such as "skeletal orc").
  • If the check is made by less than 5, then the creature's type and a general sense of its threat level are known (but keep in mind that this is the threat the creature poses in general, not to the character making the check).
  • If the check is made by 5 or more, the creature's primary attack form is known (e.g. "claw and bite").
  • If the check is made by 10 or more, all of the creature's attack forms are known (including special attacks).
  • When the check is made by 10 or more, the character also knows of any templates which have some external features, and should be made aware of attacks which result from these templates.
  • If the check is made by 15 or more, all of the creature's special qualities are known, in addition to a sense of what its feats do if those feats are innate to the race.
  • If the check is made by 20 or more, then the character could "write the book" on the creature. This can be simulated by telling the player everything about the creature's capabilities, attributes, etc. As an alternative (and always at the DM's discression), the player may review the creature's statistics directly from a reference source such as the Monster Manual. This latter choice is an "out" for DMs who don't have enough time to write up or recite prose for such encyclopedic knowledge.
• Bardic Knowledge can be used for such a knowledge check with the following changes:
  • There is a -2 penalty on the roll
  • The information is revealed in a much more second-hand fashion (through story and/or song), and a low result might indicate false information
  • Information specific to a particular creature (not just its race) may be revealed if the creature itself is noteworthy (up to the DM) and the roll succeeds by 5 or more.
  • Success by 20 or more yields a description of the creature's combat tactics and weaknesses, but not its statistics.

Modifiers

The following modifiers may apply to the roll:

Situation	Modifier
Encountered similar creatures (a related race, not just the same "type")	+2
Favored enemy	+2
Possession of an intelligent bane weapon of the appropriate type	aid roll for weapon (DC10, gives +2)
Class or prestige class is specifically aimed at supporting or opposing the race in question	+10
Creature is using disguise	Must win a spot check first, then identify at -2
Creature is magically obscured	-4
Cover	-2 per 20% cover
At a distance (fine - diminutive)	-5 per 60'
At a distance (small-large)	-2 per 60'
At a distance (huge+)	-1 per 60'

Examples

For example, for an orc (knowledge skill "local" for humanoid creature types), the DCs would look like this:

DC	Information
11	This creature is an orc
12	Orcs are fairly common, and not terribly dangerous unless they are found in groups. They tend to be hostile.
16	They attack with weapons, typically.
21	Some orcs have class levels. This can lead to spell use (divine spell use is not uncommon).
26	Orcs can see in the dark, and have a sensitivity to light as a result.
31	See the SRD entry for Orc

And here is an example of an orc with the half-dragon template (using knowledge skill "arcane" for creatures of the dragon type):

DC	Information
13	This creature is a half-red-dragon, half-orc.
14	Red dragon spawn are rare, but not unheard of. They can exist in any region where red dragons are found. They are typically the result of a mating between a shape-shifted dragon and some other creature. Half-dragon orcs are dangerous, but not nearly so dangerous as their dragon parents.
18	They will often attack with their claw and bite natural weapons.
23	Orc half-dragons can have class levels and use weapons. They may have spell use as a result of class levels (divine spell use is not uncommon). They also possess a fire-based breath weapon.
28	Orcs can see in the dark, and have a sensitivity to light as a result. They are immune to sleep, paralysis and fire-based damage, but lack the red dragon parent's sensitivity to cold.
33	See the SRD entry for Orc and the Half Dragon template.

Here is an example for a young dragon, just to show how creatures that advance in abilities with HD are handled. The knowledge skill used is arcana for the dragon creature type. Note that the DC of 17 is based on the HD of the least advanced version (wyrmling), but some of the DCs are based on the HD at later stages of advancement where the dragon gained an ability.

DC	Information
17 (based on Wyrmling HD)	This creature is a red dragon
18 (based on Wyrmling HD)	Red dragons are rare, and a terrible threat to anyone that crosses their path. They tend to prefer warm environments, and are quite territorial.
22 (based on Wyrmling HD)	They will often attack with their claw and bite natural weapons.
27 (based on Wyrmling HD)	They also possess a fire-based breath weapon which can wreak terrible damage.
29	This dragon appears to be a young adult.
32 (based on Wyrmling HD)	All red dragons have an immunity to fire-based damage and a vulnerability to cold-based damage.
38 (based on Young HD)	At "young" stage, red dragons begin to develop the ability to cast spells much like a sorcerer
39	This dragon is old enough that it can probably cast 2nd level arcane spells, and the mere sight of it can be terrifying to those caught unprepared.
41 (based on Juvenile HD)	Dragons of this age and slightly younger are also capable of locating objects of interest intrinsically.
44	Young adult red dragons also gain the ability to resist damage from non-magical weapons as well as from spell damage.
49	See the SRD entry for Red Dragon

Concerns

Some people have voiced the concern that this is far more powerful than the default system. While that might be true, it is also fairly balanced (which implies how far out of balance the old system was).

For example, consider the level 10 ranger who has max ranks (13) in Knowledge (nature). Consider that this character happens to have an 18 Int, and Skill focus (Knowledge (local)). This character is well optimized for taking advantage of this system in ways that most characters will not be.

However, when this character runs into an Ettin for the first time (a mere CR6), they will be rolling against a DC20. With their +20, the roll is a mere formality for basic information (you cannot fail).

However, you have a 25% chance of not knowing anything about the creature's attack forms, a 50% chance of not knowing all of its attack forms, a 75% chance of not knowing all of its special qualities, and only a 5% chance of knowing the creature so well that you could write a book about it.

For such a highly optimized ranger looking at a creature 4 CR ranks below his own, these are fairly reasonable expectations. Now consider that a ranger only has 3 such class skills in which he can achive max ranks. A rogue has only 1 (and sadly, the rogue is one of the classes best suited to skill use).

For these reasons, this ability is considered balanced with the other uses to which skills can be put (avoiding AoO, gaining surprise in combat, etc.)