I've thought about the possible skills linked to monster identification before. Here's the list of skills I use, organized by monster type. In order to identify a monster, make an Intelligence check with one listed skill of your choice. Note that some monsters have multiple associated skills. This is intentional, and players can choose which skill they use. Some monsters will be an exception to these rulings - For example, a twig blight is a Plant, but its unusual nature similar to that of an undead means it might be more associated with Arcana or Religion than Nature or Survival.
For some monsters, you need to choose which skills are associated with it. In general, go by these rules:
INT ( Arcana) is for magical beings. This includes creatures of magical or extraplanar origin, and creatures with magical uses or powers linked to them.
INT History is for creatures that have strong historical significance in the world of humanoids. Creatures that interact with humanoids frequently, as well as creatures that write history books or have a strong oral tradition that reaches humanoid races, can be identified using this skill.
INT ( Nature) is for beings with less magical origins that appear naturally on the material plane. It also can be used to identify beings, such as fey, with strong magical connections to the natural world.
INT ( Religion) is for holy (or unholy) creatures significant to religiously followed forces. This includes creatures of cosmic good, creatures of cosmic evil, and creatures worshipped in the primal rituals of the Druids.
INT ( Survival). Yes, that's an intelligence check in this case, not a wisdom check. This skill applies to creatures important to know about for survival. In most cases, this parallels in with nature, but exceptions can sometimes exist.
Learning additional information
Beyond simply identifying a creature, a successful check reveals a little background about the monster. For example, if a player identifies a beholder, they might learn something like this: "Beholders are alien beings that dream themselves into existence and usually live underground or in mountain caves. They typically resemble a ball of flesh with ten eye stalks, each of which shoots a different ray of powerful magic. A beholder hovers endlessly above the ground, and in combat it flies out of reach, blocking magic with a field of magic-suppressing energy while shooting its rays at foes." Different skills can reveal different things about a monster, as would be appropriate. For example, identifying a solar with Religion would recall their strong relationship to godliness and what they represent when they appear to humanoids, while History would recall the feats that solars have accomplished on the mortal world and the power they displayed in those moments. In general, your description should dip into the lore, its personality, and maybe a few of its tactics, although you shouldn't read off any strictly mechanical text.
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Panda-wat (I hate my username) is somehow convinced that he is objectively right about everything D&D related even though he obviously is not. Considering that, he'd probably make a great D&D youtuber.
"If I die, I can live with that." ~Luke Hart, the DM lair
If I want the monster to be mysterious then it doesn't matter what abilities and skills the characters have - no-one knows what the monster is.
GM: It's a strange blobby creature with four heads and a mass of tentacles for legs. Player: What is it? Can I roll <ability>? GM: Nope, you don't know what it is. Player: But I'm an expert <skill>. GM: Yes, you are and you still have no idea what the beast is, which is a clue that it's something very unusual.
What I want to happen is for the players to go and research the monster to advance the story. You know, a plot clue. What usually happens is that the players just sulk, "the GM never lets us use our skills." Then they complain that I never give them any clues as to where to go next. *Sigh*
Well, I would say both sides have a point. You should let them roll, it just isn't a roll to recognize, it's a roll to make informed speculation.
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I've thought about the possible skills linked to monster identification before. Here's the list of skills I use, organized by monster type. In order to identify a monster, make an Intelligence check with one listed skill of your choice. Note that some monsters have multiple associated skills. This is intentional, and players can choose which skill they use. Some monsters will be an exception to these rulings - For example, a twig blight is a Plant, but its unusual nature similar to that of an undead means it might be more associated with Arcana or Religion than Nature or Survival.
Skills by Creature Type
Choosing associated skills
For some monsters, you need to choose which skills are associated with it. In general, go by these rules:
Learning additional information
Beyond simply identifying a creature, a successful check reveals a little background about the monster. For example, if a player identifies a beholder, they might learn something like this: "Beholders are alien beings that dream themselves into existence and usually live underground or in mountain caves. They typically resemble a ball of flesh with ten eye stalks, each of which shoots a different ray of powerful magic. A beholder hovers endlessly above the ground, and in combat it flies out of reach, blocking magic with a field of magic-suppressing energy while shooting its rays at foes." Different skills can reveal different things about a monster, as would be appropriate. For example, identifying a solar with Religion would recall their strong relationship to godliness and what they represent when they appear to humanoids, while History would recall the feats that solars have accomplished on the mortal world and the power they displayed in those moments. In general, your description should dip into the lore, its personality, and maybe a few of its tactics, although you shouldn't read off any strictly mechanical text.
Panda-wat (I hate my username) is somehow convinced that he is objectively right about everything D&D related even though he obviously is not. Considering that, he'd probably make a great D&D youtuber.
"If I die, I can live with that." ~Luke Hart, the DM lair
Well, I would say both sides have a point. You should let them roll, it just isn't a roll to recognize, it's a roll to make informed speculation.