Again just kind of emphasizing things here, but Rangers already do have special abilities they can use to find out things about creatures, you don't need to create any additional mechanics or offer additional ways to do this. Its literally a class ability to find out what resistance a creature has.
Using Knowledge rolls, and giving some rationale as to when to use them vs. having them automatically succeed, is now "extra mechanics"?
With the Ranger Favored Enemy you don't have any "automatic" success, its an intelligence roll which would make a skill check actually better than the Ranger ability if applied to finding out say what a creatures resistance is unless I'm missing something.
I/We eventually figured out that's what you meant :)
As I'm seeing it - and my use of the Ranger class specifically in my example was ill chosen ( my bad ) - a party with a Ranger would have 4 avenues to knowing something useful about the creature.
The Ranger can get the information via Favored Enemy ( a knowledge check @ advantage, RAW, IIRC - possibly automatic if that 's a table rule )
Player characters with off camera experience with the creatures ( I was raised by a Troll Hunter ), would likely be able to get the information automatically by virtue of their background - although after your comments, I would now likely only give them advantage, to keep in line with the Ranger.
General knowledge rolls from player-characters - Intelligence/Nature check without advantage.
Player/Character "in game" knowledge ( Hey Bob, remember that session last month when we fought these critters, and .... )
There is, of course
Player knowledge that the character wouldn't have - but that's bad :p
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There is, of course
My DM Philosophy, as summed up by other people: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rN5w4-azTq3Kbn0Yvk9nfqQhwQ1R5by1/view
Disclaimer: This signature is a badge of membership in the Forum Loudmouth Club. We are all friends. We are not attacking each other. We are engaging in spirited, friendly debate with one another. We may get snarky, but these are not attacks. Thank you for not reporting us.