Knowledge (Local)

[Supplement Four]

I see that, for Barbarians, Knowledge (Local) is supposed to be a cross-class skill.

Does that seem "right" to you?

Shouldn't all characters get Knowledge (Local) as a class skill? Especially barbarians that probably know everything that there is to know about the territory claimed by the clan.

I think Knowledge (Local) should be a class skill for every character type (the "local" part should refer to wherever it is the character has spent most of his life before the game starts).

What are your thoughts on this?





EDIT: What do you think of all Background Skills considered as class skills for that character whether the skill is a class skill for the character's class.

Does that make sense? Every Background Skill would be considered a class skill for that race, no matter what character class was chosen.

 

[Spectator]

Now I don't have the 2nd edition, but I thought they did give every race 2 skill point in knowledge-local? A rational decision, I thought.

 

[Supplement Four]

Now I don't have the 2nd edition, but I thought they did give every race 2 skill point in knowledge-local? A rational decision, I thought.

Yes, they do give 2 ranks in Knowledge (Local), but if you want to improve that, it's a cross class skill.

If you're a Barbarian hunter, I think you'd know a lot about your own territory--that it wouldn't be cross-class.

 

[Supplement Four]

What Knowledge (Local: Cimmeria) using Cimmeria as our example would give PC knowledge in not only Geography, but History, Nobility, Nature, Religion and Rumour connected to that region.

I'm thinking that Knowledge (Local) should refer to a smaller region than all of Cimmeria.

I think of it as Knowledge (Blue Fox Clan Territory). And, given that, it does seem that it should be a class skill, no?

 

[kintire]

Personally, I don't usually bother with Knowledgr (local) at all. Its a skill point tax on people who want believable characters, at any rate in most campaigns I run and play where the game (or much of it) doesn't take place in your home locality. I assume people know things about their local area, with a vague eye on their Int and Wis.

 

[Supplement Four]

Personally, I don't usually bother with Knowledgr (local) at all. Its a skill point tax on people who want believable characters, at any rate in most campaigns I run and play where the game (or much of it) doesn't take place in your home locality.

My game is taking place in Cimmeria (so far--I've built a sandbox. The players could lead me out of here. But, for now, we're in the Blue Fox Territory of north central Cimmeria).

One of my players wants to increase Knowledge (Local) because he expects to roll on it a lot (which he may, if we stay around here a long time). Thus, my question.

 

[VincentDarlage]

The only time he would have to roll on it is for local knowledge that is NOT common knowledge - and Barbarians should not an easier time knowing esoteric knowledge about their region just because they live there. People who seek out obscure knowledge about their local region should have that.

It should be cross-class to show how difficult it would be for a barbarian (who has better things to do with his time) to learn obscure things about his culture, traditions, region and so forth.

Anything that would be common knowledge for the tribe would be known without a roll on Knowledge (local).

 

[Supplement Four]

Anything that would be common knowledge for the tribe would be known without a roll on Knowledge (local).

Really? Everything? That skill covers so much.

For example, maybe there's a story about a clan hunter from ages ago who fought a frost giant to save a clansman. That's something everybody knows. But, make a DC 15 check, and the character knows the real details of what happened--that the clansman wasn't his clansman, but a woman from a rival clan. And that the hero didn't go after the girl, but the two of them ran off into the mountains, actually running away from both clans in Romeo and Juliet fashion. Over the centuries, the tale has been twisted naturally--and because one loyalty is to clan first, family second, and lovers from other clans way down the line, blah, blah, blah, whatever helps your story.

That's how I'd think of using it.

But, I guess I see whay it's a cross-class.

These discussions are always helpful.