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Primes and Knowledge (the planes)

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Sat, 2007-03-03 14:48
#1
Sucros
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Primes and Knowledge (the planes)

I'm starting to prep my annual summer campaign, and this time it's going to (finally) be planescape. I'll be DMing for a bunch of the greenest of green primes and want to capture the fish out of water feeling.

What I was thinking of, was having a knowledge (the planes) give first edition answers, whereas all the locals will be using planescape terminology. Ie. A successful knowledge (the planes) check by a prime could reveal info on nirvana, demons, or bone devils, whereas a planar (and the residents of those planes) will use the terms mechanus, tanaari, or osyluths.

I'm also coming up with a few results for botched knowledge rolls that are way off the mark. Ie. "Githzerai are the product of degenerate humans who mate with the frog-like beings of limbo"

What do people think of this? Any other ways I can keep knowledge usefull but make it feel the realm of stuffy scholars who don't really know what they're talking about? Any other ideas for botched knowledge rolls?

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Sat, 2007-03-03 15:15
#2
Iavas
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Primes and Knowledge (the planes)

Personally, I prefer to give primes a certain initial bonus to their Knowledge (local) for the particular locality or a lesser bonus to their Knowledge (prime) for their particular world and a similar bonus to planars to their Knowledge (the Planes).

As for botched rolls, just feed them information from the 3e books. Sticking out tongue

Sat, 2007-03-03 15:20
(Reply to #2) #3
Hymneth
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Primes and Knowledge (the planes)

I think the idea about the 1st ed. answers is really interesting. If I knew more about the older lore I might do that myself. Personally, I've been using the Planewalker rules about gaining planes of specialty for every four ranks of Knowledge (The Planes) that a being has, and I've decided that Primes do not recieve these specialties unless they decide to take their particular prime as one. I also tend to mess with the information they get and to leave out planescape color from their answers. Oh, and the idea about the botched rolls is always good, so long as the player doesn't know it is wrong, or can roleplay that the PC doesn't.

Sat, 2007-03-03 18:23
(Reply to #3) #4
Armoury99
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Primes and Knowledge (the planes)

I'd definitely go with your plan. Maybe even going so far as to let your PCs 'earn' (maybe as loot while on the Prime?) a look at a copy of the old Manual of the Planes, so they can feel nice and well informed when they get to Sigil.... Laughing out loud

(try and use your "oh damn, the've found the handout that explains it all" face, to really encourage them to screw themselves over)

We do something similar to this in my gaming group, and it works great (no one ever believes the Clueless - even when he's right!) One thing I'd add though - sometimes its not just a matter of misinformation; occasionally the Primer viewpoint can actually provide good information - I suppose an example might be that a planar's view of a Celestial might concentrate on how to deal with them (verbally or physically), while a Primer might know a lot more about its place and role in the divine hierarchy of local Gods, and maybe even its deeds (on the Prime).

It might be fun to hand out the old pictures of stuff too (especially once the jig is up), for an amusing "the sages say it looks like this" moment - especially with the modrons...

Sun, 2007-03-04 01:20
(Reply to #4) #5
Jem
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Primes and Knowledge (the planes)

Sounds like fun. You might let some botched K(the Planes) checks be based on firmly believed but incorrect information based in a world's mythos or folk legends... requiring characters to overturn accepted beliefs in the face of facts.

Of course, in a setting where belief can become reality, sufficient devotion and effort on a character's part might lead to that belief becoming an accurate description of planar truth!

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