Knowledge

This skill encompasses several categories, each of them treated as a separate skill. These categories are identified and defined below.

The number of Knowledge categories is kept purposely finite. When trying to determine what Knowledge skill a particular question or field of expertise falls under, use a broad interpretation of the existing categories. Do not arbitrarily make up new categories. The GM has the ultimate say on the uses of each Knowledge check but if the check isn't to specific but rather very general then a simply Intelligence check may be used instead.

Check

A character makes a Knowledge check to see if the character knows something or can understand something about the situation they are experiencing or object they are observing. This is mostly used to Identify, Appraising, Understand or Remember something. Although there are multiple different checks that in some way involve one or more of those things. It is useful for the Player to become of aware of some minor detail that they should have already known or if given enough time could learn on there own.

Knowledge is not meant to be used in place of Perception. A Character cannot be prompted to remember something regarding something that don't even see. Or to attempt to Understand something they are not even aware of.

Knowledge is not meant to be used in place of Study. In fact depending on what is being studied a Knowledge check can be used to assist. The Player can help or assist another playing preforming a Study check if they have the correct Knowledge skill to complement whatever is being studied. In fact a Player can actually help/assist themselves if nobody else will and they also have the correct Knowledge skill. The assistance works the same as any other assist. However Knowledge cannot be used alone too learn from behavior, analyze a clue, collect and learn from evidence, and preforming research and science.

Answering a Question

The DC for answering a question within the character’s field of study is 10 for easy questions, 15 for basic questions and so on. The GM has the finial say on the DC of each Knowledge check.

Appraising

Appraising the value of an object is one sort of task that can be performed using Knowledge. The DC depends on how common or obscure the object is. On a success, the character accurately identifies the object’s value. If the character fails, he or she randomly thinks the value is higher or lower and how wrong they are can change based on how badly they missed the DC.

The GM may make the Knowledge roll for the character, so he or she doesn’t know whether the appraisal is accurate or not.

Predict Outcome

A player may also use Knowledge to try to predict the outcome of some action that evolves and understanding in one of the Knowledge categories. For example if they think of firing a missile at a bunch of debris in space to clear it they can roll a 'Science' knowledge before preforming the action to see if doing the action should result in the desired effect. Or when talking to some native people of some civilization a 'Culture' Knowledge check can be used to understand that what they are about to suggest is actually horribly insulting.

The Knowledge categories, and the topics each one encompasses, are as follows.

The Knowledges

Arcane Lore

The study and/or believe in things like occults, 'magic', the supernatural, astrology, numerology, and similar topics. This can border on Relgious/Theology practices but only things that skip along on the fringes of what society might deem acceptable or just completely off the rockers bonkers.

The higher the Rank in this the more likely your Character may get one or more of the following Difficulties: Bad Luck, Curiosity, Dark Secret, Illiterate, Obsessed, Paranoid, Phobia, Socially Awkward, or Insanity.

Art

Fine arts and graphic arts, including art history and artistic techniques. Antiques, modern art, photography, and performance art forms such as music and dance, among others.

Culture

Includes information about a civilizations Art, History and Society from upper class to lower class, urban and rural life. And also popular music and personalities, genre films and books, urban legends, comics, science fiction, and gaming, among others. This can also include street smarts and how to survive in an urban setting.

Civics

Law, legislation, litigation, and legal rights and obligations. Political and governmental institutions and processes. Also how the society conducts business and bureaucratic procedures and how to navigate them.

Current Events

Recent happenings in the news, sports, politics, entertainment, and foreign affairs.

History

Events, personalities, and cultures of the past. Archaeology, Anthropology, and Antiquities.

Science

This includes, astronomy, chemistry, mathematics, physics, engineering.

Philosophy

Liberal arts, ethics, philosophical concepts, and the study of religious faith, practice, and experience. This also includes behavioral sciences like psychology, sociology, and criminology.

Try Again

No. The check represents what a character knows, and thinking about a topic a second time doesn’t let the character know something he or she never knew in the first place. A Knowledge check can be a reaction, but otherwise requires a full-round action.

Special

• An untrained Knowledge check is simply an Intelligence check. Without actual training, a character only knows common knowledge about a given subject.
• A character can take 10 when making a Knowledge check, but can’t take 20.
• There are multiple Feats in the 'Misc' category that can improve Knowledge skills.
• House Rule(Optional) The GM may decide that having 5 or more ranks in a specific Knowledge skill provides a character with a +2 synergy bonus when making a related skill check.