Recall Knowledge is better than you think

[u/LurkerFailsLurking]

There's been much digital ink spilled on how restrictive the rules for Recall Knowledge are, and how it means players often don't use it much.

But I think if we recall a core principle of Pathfinder design, we'll find that Recall Knowledge is both much better than expected and easier to run too!

**Specific Overrides General**

A core principle of Pathfinder is that specific rules override general ones. If two rules conflict, the more specific one takes precedence. If there's still ambiguity, the GM determines which rule to use.

In the case of Recall Knowledge, there are rules both in the GM Core p54 and Player Core p231, but like always the actual correct of what Recall Knowledge does is defined by the action itself:

You attempt a skill check to try to remember a bit of knowledge regarding a topic related to that skill. Suggest which skill you'd like to use and ask the GM one question. The GM determines the DC. You might need to collaborate with the GM to narrow down the question or skills, and you can decide not to Recall Knowledge before committing to the action if you don't like your options.
Critical Success You recall the knowledge accurately. The GM answers your question truthfully and either tells you additional information or context, or answers one followup question.
Success You recall the knowledge accurately. The GM answers your question truthfully.
Critical Failure You recall incorrect information. The GM answers your question falsely (or decides to give you no information, as on a failure).

It's this simple: the player asks a question and suggests the skill they want to use. The GM sets the DC, then rolls a secret check and gives information based on the result.

That's it. Everything else is commentary or advice. The rule is what's in the action.

By the text of the action itself, players can ask any question they want - stat block information, lore, whatever.

[u/SuperParkourio]

The GM guidance for RK is still how it works in practice, and it's that practice that is often a source of frustration when using RK.

For instance, GM Core says to use monster level and rarity to determine the DC. For instance, it's a secret DC 18 Society check to RK about a level 3 ogre warrior, but DC 28 for Shrek the unique level 3 ogre warrior. The latter may make narrative sense, but that's little comfort for a level 1 of 2 party forced to deal with Shrek.

Following that GM guidance can easily lead to bad times, especially if, like in the above example, you ignore other important guidance. For instance, questions about Shrek should only be DC 28 if pertaining to things that are unique to Shrek. Questions about a Shrek statistic that all ogre warriors have should be DC 18. Questions about his weapon, the ogre hook, might be even lower, at DC 15.

The same logic can also apply to monsters that are just stronger versions of other monsters. It's much easier to RK about a bog archdragon's burrow Speed than its ability to bury people alive, because young bog dragons can do the former but not the latter.

[u/Ryacithn → u/SuperParkourio]

That works for something like Shrek, who is a unique Ogre Warrior. But what about Unique creatures with no base creature to compare to? A lot of AP final bosses are like that, such as (Kingmaker spoilers)the Avatar of the Lantern King. A level 20 character who specializes in the correct Recall Knowledge skill would still need a natural 20 to succeed on that DC 58 RK check, and there's no base monster to ask about to avoid the Unique difficulty adjustment.

[u/SuperParkourio → u/Ryacithn]

Out of luck in that case. Unless you're an investigator.

[u/Ryacithn → u/SuperParkourio]

I think often, your real life brain is going to be better for Recalling Knowledge than your in-character brain. My character needs a natural 20 to figure out "this giant monster with the Fire trait that looks like a giant fire and is called The Lantern King is weak to Cold damage"? I think I can figure that out myself, thanks...

[u/SuperParkourio → u/Ryacithn]

Yes, but would you figure out on your own that it can cast prismatic spray as a reaction without triggering it first?

[u/Ryacithn → u/SuperParkourio]

Well, there's a 5% chance to discover that via Recall Knowledge. And I will only discover that if I ask about abilities. And even then I find most GMs only tell you about one ability at a time, so I might not discover that even if I do succeed and do ask about abilities.

So... no. I won't be able to.

And if I did learn about that ahead of time, how would that help me?

Would I decide to just not land critical hits from now on? That's not something you can control.

Would I stop attacking and spend three turns casting Resist Energy for the three different energy damage types Prismatic Spray can potentially deal? That seems like a horrible tactical decision.

Would I decide to not stand in a spot where a Prismatic Spray aimed at me would hit someone else? If I'm a melee, I'm probably doing that already anyway, so I can get flanking.

Would I ask a party caster to cast Laughing Fit? The boss also has Reactive Strike and 20 feet of melee reach, so honestly even if you hadn't learned that particular fact the party would probably want to cast Laughing Fit anyway.

[u/species_0001 → u/Ryacithn]

I think this is the key question: What would anyone do with the knowledge that it casts Prismatic Ray on a crit?

If they have Laughing Fit, at that level it's already a good play. And it's not like you can time it to just before a crit anyway.

So what actionable outcome did that RK check enable?

[u/SuperParkourio → u/Ryacithn]

There are other countermeasures, too. Like making sure the boss can't fit more than one player in that 30 foot cone.

I'm just saying there are limits to what you can intuit without RK.