My party will soon discover a library that will be part of their base of operations. I want to make the library a tool (as defined by the Player's Handbook) that offers automatic proficiency in its use. The library can be used for Intelligence ability checks involving research in: Arcana, Mechanical Engineering, Medicine, Nature, and Religion. A roll has a minimum time spent based on the following table:
DC
Minimum Time
1-5 (Very Easy)
10 minutes
6-10 (Easy)
30 minutes
11-15 (Moderate)
1 hour
16-20 (Hard)
3 hours
21-25 (Very Hard)
1 day
26-30 (Nearly Impossible)
1 week
Does anyone see a problem with this? Is there a better way of doing this?
I don’t know if I’d give automatic proficiency. The stereotypical barbarian wouldn’t know how to use a library. If I were going the tool route, I’d probably be very liberal with who gets proficiency — wizards and knowledge cleric come to mind, or anyone who can justify it through their backstory.
But rather than proficiency, I’d probably just do investigate checks to see if someone can find what they’re looking for.
This looks fine but adds complexity. I'd give the character advantage on their check if they spend a day in the library. The Library is performing the Help action in effect.
If it is something common that would be in any decent book, then make it a simple check - or just taking the 10 on it and having your character understand the concept after X number of hours or something. If you are researching something particularly rare it is quite likely that a library would not have the book or even the base pieces to help; I've been there in real life a few times. Also, I disagree that the Library is performing a help check - it is the basis upon which the material is accessible, a librarian or other person would be the assistance in finding that information from the stacks.
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My party will soon discover a library that will be part of their base of operations. I want to make the library a tool (as defined by the Player's Handbook) that offers automatic proficiency in its use. The library can be used for Intelligence ability checks involving research in: Arcana, Mechanical Engineering, Medicine, Nature, and Religion. A roll has a minimum time spent based on the following table:
DC
Minimum Time
1-5 (Very Easy)
10 minutes
6-10 (Easy)
30 minutes
11-15 (Moderate)
1 hour
16-20 (Hard)
3 hours
21-25 (Very Hard)
1 day
26-30 (Nearly Impossible)
1 week
Does anyone see a problem with this? Is there a better way of doing this?
C. Foster Payne
"If you get to thinkin' you're a person of some influence, try orderin' somebody else's dog around."
I don’t know if I’d give automatic proficiency. The stereotypical barbarian wouldn’t know how to use a library. If I were going the tool route, I’d probably be very liberal with who gets proficiency — wizards and knowledge cleric come to mind, or anyone who can justify it through their backstory.
But rather than proficiency, I’d probably just do investigate checks to see if someone can find what they’re looking for.
This looks fine but adds complexity. I'd give the character advantage on their check if they spend a day in the library. The Library is performing the Help action in effect.
If you have Humblewood, I did really like the concept of having information being explored over days, and relating to finding information out in books to piece together an answer for something quite legendary and specific. Mysteries of the Avium - Humblewood Campaign Setting - Dungeons & Dragons - Sources - D&D Beyond (dndbeyond.com)
If it is something common that would be in any decent book, then make it a simple check - or just taking the 10 on it and having your character understand the concept after X number of hours or something. If you are researching something particularly rare it is quite likely that a library would not have the book or even the base pieces to help; I've been there in real life a few times. Also, I disagree that the Library is performing a help check - it is the basis upon which the material is accessible, a librarian or other person would be the assistance in finding that information from the stacks.