Knowledge
An Intelligence check comes into play when you need to draw on logic, education, memory, or deductive reasoning. The Arcana, History, Nature, and Religion skills reflect the knowledge your character knows in the following categories:
- Arcana: lore about spells, magic items, eldritch symbols, magical traditions, the planes of existence, and the inhabitants of those planes. Use this skill for elemental creatures, creatures of pure magic, arcane creations, and creatures of other planes.
- History: lore about historical events, legendary people, ancient kingdoms, past disputes, recent wars, and lost civilizations. Use this skill for creatures that play prominent roles throughout history. For example: goblins, kobolds, and most other humanoid races play significant roles in history.
- Nature: lore about terrain, plants and animals, the weather, and natural cycles. Use this skill for creatures tied directly to nature. Most often, this means animals (wolves, bats, etc.) but it could also be tied to druidic creations, or guardians of nature.
- Religion: lore about deities, rites and prayers, religious hierarchies, holy symbols, and the practices of secret cults. Use this skill for creatures of religious creation, servants of deities, undead, and other holy or unholy beings.
Roll a skill check to see if your character knows any random lore about the subject:
| Result | Effect |
|---|---|
| 1–5 | You know nothing, Jon Snow. |
| 6–10 | You know one piece of useful lore. |
| 11–20 | You know two pieces of useful lore. |
| 21+ | You know three pieces of useful lore. |
You will also earn Knowledge Points in the four Intelligence skills through research or adventuring. If you want to know more information than random lore about a particular subject, you can spend the appropriate Knowledge Points as determined by the DM. The points may be spent to learn information or lore on various subjects. However, not all knowledge may be purchased, as some must be sought in a specific location.
Research
Research on a topic requires at least one tenday of work and at least 100gp spent on materials, bribes, gifts, and other expenses. After a tenday of research, make an Investigation skill check with a +1 bonus per 100gp spent beyond the initial 100gp, to a maximum of +6. Consecutive tendays of research double the research costs from the prior tenday. In addition, researching in specialized libraries, or with sages considered an expert in your target knowledge area, gives advantage on this check. Results of this check, combined with the size of the library or city in which you are looking, determines the number of points earned in that area:
| Investigation Check | Small | Medium | Large | Grand | Legendary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2-7 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| 8-13 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 6 |
| 14-19 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 8 |
| 20-25 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 10 |
| 26+ | 3 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 12 |
The Knowledge Points may be spent to ‘purchase’ knowledge or information on a particular subject. It may also be possible to purchase random portions of information on a particular topic, lowering the total purchase cost of the topic as a whole. Multiple characters may pool their Knowledge Points to collectively purchase the information.