Does anyone else feel like it should be this way too?
A Cleric's Primary Ability Score is Wisdom, while a Necromancer's (aka Wizard's) is Intelligence. It almost seems like the class rules are concocted appropriately to agree with this!
Making a pure knowledge check with wisdom doesn't make sense to me. Besides, wizards already have a way to get Expertise in Medicine and clerics have a way to add their wisdom modifier to Religion checks already.
Religion isn't a measure of faith or anything like that. It's a measure of your knowledge on cults, faiths, and gods around the world. It's not theology, it's religious studies.
An argument could be made for Intelligence (Medicine). Generally, I stick with Wisdom for actually applying medicine, like treating or diagnosing someone, since it's meant to be how observant you are and such. If a character wants to recall medicinal information, though, like the effects that a disease has or how it spreads, then I have them roll an Intelligence (Medicine) check.
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Look at what you've done. You spoiled it. You have nobody to blame but yourself. Go sit and think about your actions.
Don't be mean. Rudeness is a vicious cycle, and it has to stop somewhere. Exceptions for things that are funny. Go to the current Competition of the Finest 'Brews! It's a cool place where cool people make cool things.
How I'm posting based on text formatting: Mod Hat Off - Mod Hat Also Off (I'm not a mod)
Personally, I agree with the others and think that most of the time, Religion is better associated with Intelligence as a primary ability to use and Medicine with Wisdom. However, from time to time I do feel it appropriate to juxtapose them, just not all the time. However, if you’re the DM, you gotta make the call that feels right to you.
As someone who practises Medicine for a living, Wisdom checks feel appropriate much of the time: a lot is observation, pattern recognition and gut feeling. However, there are plenty of situations where Intelligence is more appropriate: considering differential diagnoses, recalling information about diseases, treatments etc. (A DM might also choose to ask for Dexterity (Medicine) checks if the characters are attempting surgery or maybe a Charisma (Medicine) check for managing a complex doctor-patient interaction.)
As someone who practises Medicine for a living, Wisdom checks feel appropriate much of the time: a lot is observation, pattern recognition and gut feeling. However, there are plenty of situations where Intelligence is more appropriate: considering differential diagnoses, recalling information about diseases, treatments etc. (A DM might also choose to ask for Dexterity (Medicine) checks if the characters are attempting surgery or maybe a Charisma (Medicine) check for managing a complex doctor-patient interaction.)
I really like this answer!
Thanks to everyone for the discussion too.
I don’t personally have any intention of changing the rule at my own game table at the moment (unless my players suddenly have an overwhelming request to consider it). I just like the discussion.
Personally, I agree with the others and think that most of the time, Religion is better associated with Intelligence as a primary ability to use and Medicine with Wisdom. However, from time to time I do feel it appropriate to juxtapose them, just not all the time. However, if you’re the DM, you gotta make the call that feels right to you.
I also really liked seeing that “skills with different abilities” has been maintained. I definitely had this in mind when I began this thread too. But I was mainly starting the topic to consider how these particular skills are thought about, since the ideas I had felt contradictory to the core placement of the skills with their associated abilities.
As many agree, it is always going to be situational, which is why it is good that they even state in the main rules that you CAN use skills with different abilities. Gives you more freedom. I mean, we are going to do what is best for our game no matter what the rules say, but it is nice to have it there too.
As someone who practises Medicine for a living, Wisdom checks feel appropriate much of the time: a lot is observation, pattern recognition and gut feeling. However, there are plenty of situations where Intelligence is more appropriate: considering differential diagnoses, recalling information about diseases, treatments etc. (A DM might also choose to ask for Dexterity (Medicine) checks if the characters are attempting surgery or maybe a Charisma (Medicine) check for managing a complex doctor-patient interaction.)
As someone who trains future doctors how to conduct physical exams and helps them hone their doctor:patient interaction skills, and helps test them on those subjects, I absolutely agree 100%. I could even see Str coming into play (ask any ortho surgeon/sports med doc/physical therapist) and Con as well (ask any pathologist). But if you had to pick 1 ability score in particular, which would you go with for the majority of checks?
Constitution (Medicine) checks would be what you make on hour 14 of your intern shift
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Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock) Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric) Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue) Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
As someone who practises Medicine for a living, Wisdom checks feel appropriate much of the time: a lot is observation, pattern recognition and gut feeling. However, there are plenty of situations where Intelligence is more appropriate: considering differential diagnoses, recalling information about diseases, treatments etc. (A DM might also choose to ask for Dexterity (Medicine) checks if the characters are attempting surgery or maybe a Charisma (Medicine) check for managing a complex doctor-patient interaction.)
As someone who trains future doctors how to conduct physical exams and helps them hone their doctor:patient interaction skills, and helps test them on those subjects, I absolutely agree 100%. I could even see Str coming into play (ask any ortho surgeon/sports med doc/physical therapist) and Con as well (ask any pathologist). But if you had to pick 1 ability score in particular, which would you go with for the majority of checks?
Does Medicine actually allow a character to treat another though? It is a diagnosis skill not a healing skill directly.
According to the PHB2024:
Medicine: Diagnose an illness, or determine what killed the recently slain.
This sounds like an Intelligence test. Sure, perception of symptoms is one thing, but without prior knowledge and deductive reasoning, it is pretty useless! I mean, I could notice that somebody has blue spots all around their neck, but I wouldn’t know what to do about it!
Does Medicine actually allow a character to treat another though? It is a diagnosis skill not a healing skill directly.
According to the PHB2024:
Medicine: Diagnose an illness, or determine what killed the recently slain.
This sounds like an Intelligence test. Sure, perception of symptoms is one thing, but without prior knowledge and deductive reasoning, it is pretty useless! I mean, I could notice that somebody has blue spots all around their neck, but I wouldn’t know what to do about it!
Yes, Medicine is used to treat. A DC 10 Wisdom (Medicine) check is what the rules call for when stabilizing someone who is at 0hp. I don't think that's just meant to represent your character standing over the other character and saying, "yep. What you've got here is a classic case of Troll-Bludgeoned Syndrome. Read all about it at Uni."
Also, being proficient in the skill means knowing what to do about it. Just because it takes some knowledge to do something doesn't mean it has to use Intelligence. It takes knowledge to perform a magic trick, or to climb a wall, or to train an animal, but that doesn't mean all of those should be Intelligence checks, it just means that all of those should be checks that you might be able to add your proficiency bonus to.
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Look at what you've done. You spoiled it. You have nobody to blame but yourself. Go sit and think about your actions.
Don't be mean. Rudeness is a vicious cycle, and it has to stop somewhere. Exceptions for things that are funny. Go to the current Competition of the Finest 'Brews! It's a cool place where cool people make cool things.
How I'm posting based on text formatting: Mod Hat Off - Mod Hat Also Off (I'm not a mod)
Does Medicine actually allow a character to treat another though? It is a diagnosis skill not a healing skill directly.
According to the PHB2024:
Medicine: Diagnose an illness, or determine what killed the recently slain.
This sounds like an Intelligence test. Sure, perception of symptoms is one thing, but without prior knowledge and deductive reasoning, it is pretty useless! I mean, I could notice that somebody has blue spots all around their neck, but I wouldn’t know what to do about it!
Yes, Medicine is used to treat. A DC 10 Wisdom (Medicine) check is what the rules call for when stabilizing someone who is at 0hp. I don't think that's just meant to represent your character standing over the other character and saying, "yep. What you've got here is a classic case of Troll-Bludgeoned Syndrome. Read all about it at Uni."
Also, being proficient in the skill means knowing what to do about it. Just because it takes some knowledge to do something doesn't mean it has to use Intelligence. It takes knowledge to perform a magic trick, or to climb a wall, or to train an animal, but that doesn't mean all of those should be Intelligence checks, it just means that all of those should be checks that you might be able to add your proficiency bonus to.
That isn’t treating. It is stabilising. It is the equivalent of first aid - it doesn’t return any HP. So it isn’t a treatment.
And in any case, it still seems like an Intelligence skill in application.
In the case of Religion, there could be a case for making it a Wisdom check on the grounds that it becomes less about comparative anthropological lore and more about one’s own connection with a particular god or religion. To be honest, it isn’t really a skill that has much application in many games anyway if treated like a lore. Aside from Clerics, who really cares!
Of course, one of the basic problems in all of this is the slightly contrived distinction between Intelligence and Wisdom that has always existed in the game.
Does Medicine actually allow a character to treat another though? It is a diagnosis skill not a healing skill directly.
According to the PHB2024:
Medicine: Diagnose an illness, or determine what killed the recently slain.
This sounds like an Intelligence test. Sure, perception of symptoms is one thing, but without prior knowledge and deductive reasoning, it is pretty useless! I mean, I could notice that somebody has blue spots all around their neck, but I wouldn’t know what to do about it!
Yes, Medicine is used to treat. A DC 10 Wisdom (Medicine) check is what the rules call for when stabilizing someone who is at 0hp. I don't think that's just meant to represent your character standing over the other character and saying, "yep. What you've got here is a classic case of Troll-Bludgeoned Syndrome. Read all about it at Uni."
Also, being proficient in the skill means knowing what to do about it. Just because it takes some knowledge to do something doesn't mean it has to use Intelligence. It takes knowledge to perform a magic trick, or to climb a wall, or to train an animal, but that doesn't mean all of those should be Intelligence checks, it just means that all of those should be checks that you might be able to add your proficiency bonus to.
That isn’t treating. It is stabilising. It is the equivalent of first aid - it doesn’t return any HP. So it isn’t a treatment.
And in any case, it still seems like an Intelligence skill in application.
Huh? Stabilizing somebody who's bleeding out on the ground isn't treating them? Applying first aid isn't medical treatment?
Whatever. Regardless of the terminology you want to use, making sure that somebody who is about to die doesn't clearly goes well beyond diagnosis.
In the case of Religion, there could be a case for making it a Wisdom check on the grounds that it becomes less about comparative anthropological lore and more about one’s own connection with a particular god or religion.
Well... no. That just isn't what the Religion skill is. You're taking the skill and saying that it should use a different stat on the grounds that it should be a different skill. But then you don't end up with the Religion skill using Wisdom, do you? You just end up with a new, different skill that uses Wisdom, possibly with the same name as Religion but none of the same meaning.
To be honest, it isn’t really a skill that has much application in many games anyway if treated like a lore. Aside from Clerics, who really cares!
What? You mean you've never played a game that has a cult in it? Sorry, but if the game's title were extended just a bit more it would definitely be Dungeons, Dragons, and Dangerous Cults (Oxford comma to preference (but ideally included)). Gods are gods. They're usually important driving, or at least backing, forces behind some of a world's greatest powers. Understanding them absolutely has application in-game.
Of course, one of the basic problems in all of this is the slightly contrived distinction between Intelligence and Wisdom that has always existed in the game.
Fair 'nuff. Intelligence is definitely for recalling lore, so I don't see much ambiguity as to what stat you'd use to recall religious lore, but it definitely gets fuzzier for Medicine.
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Look at what you've done. You spoiled it. You have nobody to blame but yourself. Go sit and think about your actions.
Don't be mean. Rudeness is a vicious cycle, and it has to stop somewhere. Exceptions for things that are funny. Go to the current Competition of the Finest 'Brews! It's a cool place where cool people make cool things.
How I'm posting based on text formatting: Mod Hat Off - Mod Hat Also Off (I'm not a mod)
Does Medicine actually allow a character to treat another though? It is a diagnosis skill not a healing skill directly.
According to the PHB2024:
Medicine: Diagnose an illness, or determine what killed the recently slain.
This sounds like an Intelligence test. Sure, perception of symptoms is one thing, but without prior knowledge and deductive reasoning, it is pretty useless! I mean, I could notice that somebody has blue spots all around their neck, but I wouldn’t know what to do about it!
Yes, Medicine is used to treat. A DC 10 Wisdom (Medicine) check is what the rules call for when stabilizing someone who is at 0hp. I don't think that's just meant to represent your character standing over the other character and saying, "yep. What you've got here is a classic case of Troll-Bludgeoned Syndrome. Read all about it at Uni."
Also, being proficient in the skill means knowing what to do about it. Just because it takes some knowledge to do something doesn't mean it has to use Intelligence. It takes knowledge to perform a magic trick, or to climb a wall, or to train an animal, but that doesn't mean all of those should be Intelligence checks, it just means that all of those should be checks that you might be able to add your proficiency bonus to.
That isn’t treating. It is stabilising. It is the equivalent of first aid - it doesn’t return any HP. So it isn’t a treatment.
And in any case, it still seems like an Intelligence skill in application.
Huh? Stabilizing somebody who's bleeding out on the ground isn't treating them? Applying first aid isn't medical treatment?
No it isn’t. It is First Aid. It is what you do to ensure things won’t get worse until the actual medics arrive and provide treatment. In game terms, treatment is basically returning lost HP.
In the case of Religion, there could be a case for making it a Wisdom check on the grounds that it becomes less about comparative anthropological lore and more about one’s own connection with a particular god or religion.
Well... no. That just isn't what the Religion skill is. You're taking the skill and saying that it should use a different stat on the grounds that it should be a different skill. But then you don't end up with the Religion skill using Wisdom, do you? You just end up with a new, different skill that uses Wisdom, possibly with the same name as Religion but none of the same meaning.
To be honest, it isn’t really a skill that has much application in many games anyway if treated like a lore. Aside from Clerics, who really cares!
What? You mean you've never played a game that has a cult in it? Sorry, but if the game's title were extended just a bit more it would definitely be Dungeons, Dragons, and Dangerous Cults (Oxford comma to preference (but ideally included)). Gods are gods. They're usually important driving, or at least backing, forces behind some of a world's greatest powers. Understanding them absolutely has application in-game.
I am willing to bet that the Religion skill as is, is barely used at most DnD tables. It is also dependent on the world and how prevalent polytheistic traditions are. It is a very situational skill.
Does Medicine actually allow a character to treat another though? It is a diagnosis skill not a healing skill directly.
According to the PHB2024:
Medicine: Diagnose an illness, or determine what killed the recently slain.
This sounds like an Intelligence test. Sure, perception of symptoms is one thing, but without prior knowledge and deductive reasoning, it is pretty useless! I mean, I could notice that somebody has blue spots all around their neck, but I wouldn’t know what to do about it!
Yes, Medicine is used to treat. A DC 10 Wisdom (Medicine) check is what the rules call for when stabilizing someone who is at 0hp. I don't think that's just meant to represent your character standing over the other character and saying, "yep. What you've got here is a classic case of Troll-Bludgeoned Syndrome. Read all about it at Uni."
Also, being proficient in the skill means knowing what to do about it. Just because it takes some knowledge to do something doesn't mean it has to use Intelligence. It takes knowledge to perform a magic trick, or to climb a wall, or to train an animal, but that doesn't mean all of those should be Intelligence checks, it just means that all of those should be checks that you might be able to add your proficiency bonus to.
That isn’t treating. It is stabilising. It is the equivalent of first aid - it doesn’t return any HP. So it isn’t a treatment.
And in any case, it still seems like an Intelligence skill in application.
Huh? Stabilizing somebody who's bleeding out on the ground isn't treating them? Applying first aid isn't medical treatment?
No it isn’t. It is First Aid. It is what you do to ensure things won’t get worse until the actual medics arrive and provide treatment. In game terms, treatment is basically returning lost HP.
In the case of Religion, there could be a case for making it a Wisdom check on the grounds that it becomes less about comparative anthropological lore and more about one’s own connection with a particular god or religion.
Well... no. That just isn't what the Religion skill is. You're taking the skill and saying that it should use a different stat on the grounds that it should be a different skill. But then you don't end up with the Religion skill using Wisdom, do you? You just end up with a new, different skill that uses Wisdom, possibly with the same name as Religion but none of the same meaning.
To be honest, it isn’t really a skill that has much application in many games anyway if treated like a lore. Aside from Clerics, who really cares!
What? You mean you've never played a game that has a cult in it? Sorry, but if the game's title were extended just a bit more it would definitely be Dungeons, Dragons, and Dangerous Cults (Oxford comma to preference (but ideally included)). Gods are gods. They're usually important driving, or at least backing, forces behind some of a world's greatest powers. Understanding them absolutely has application in-game.
I am willing to bet that the Religion skill as is, is barely used at most DnD tables. It is also dependent on the world and how prevalent polytheistic traditions are. It is a very situational skill.
Knowledge about Fiends and Celestials is commonly classed under Religion, and polytheistic systems are the default assumption of D&D, so it’s not really anymore situational than using Nature for Monstrosity knowledge is- within the scope of a single adventure it might not come up, but there’s extensive printed material that can support it.
Regarding Medicine, first keep in mind that skill descriptions are just that- descriptive not proscriptive- so the absence of language specifically about treating injuries or illness is not positive proof that the skill cannot be applied in that way.
Now, that said, it’s not the design intent that a skill check alone will restore HP or generally remove conditions (certain specific cases for the latter might exist in some adventures, but that’s something that falls on the DM’s end of the spectrum of game features). That’s why you need the Healer feat and a kit, for example. But that’s the hard, player-facing mechanics. A player’s ability to do something like prepare medicine to break a fever or set a broken bone is a roleplay matter, and so is left up to the DM as with most other applications of skill checks rather than being codified in hard language.
Huh? Stabilizing somebody who's bleeding out on the ground isn't treating them? Applying first aid isn't medical treatment?
No it isn’t. It is First Aid. It is what you do to ensure things won’t get worse until the actual medics arrive and provide treatment. In game terms, treatment is basically returning lost HP.
This is an absolutely bizarre hill to try and die on, but I hope someone treats you with the basic medical skills collectively known as "first aid" before you rhetorically expire
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Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock) Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric) Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue) Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
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Does anyone else feel like it should be this way too?
A Cleric's Primary Ability Score is Wisdom, while a Necromancer's (aka Wizard's) is Intelligence. It almost seems like the class rules are concocted appropriately to agree with this!
"What you saw belongs to you. A story doesn't live until it is imagined in someone's mind."
― Brandon Sanderson, The Way of Kings
Making a pure knowledge check with wisdom doesn't make sense to me. Besides, wizards already have a way to get Expertise in Medicine and clerics have a way to add their wisdom modifier to Religion checks already.
The Forum Infestation (TM)
Religion isn't a measure of faith or anything like that. It's a measure of your knowledge on cults, faiths, and gods around the world. It's not theology, it's religious studies.
An argument could be made for Intelligence (Medicine). Generally, I stick with Wisdom for actually applying medicine, like treating or diagnosing someone, since it's meant to be how observant you are and such. If a character wants to recall medicinal information, though, like the effects that a disease has or how it spreads, then I have them roll an Intelligence (Medicine) check.
Look at what you've done. You spoiled it. You have nobody to blame but yourself. Go sit and think about your actions.
Don't be mean. Rudeness is a vicious cycle, and it has to stop somewhere. Exceptions for things that are funny.
Go to the current Competition of the Finest 'Brews! It's a cool place where cool people make cool things.
How I'm posting based on text formatting: Mod Hat Off - Mod Hat Also Off (I'm not a mod)
Also, in ‘24, there’s an option for clerics to add wisdom to their religion checks.
Personally, I agree with the others and think that most of the time, Religion is better associated with Intelligence as a primary ability to use and Medicine with Wisdom. However, from time to time I do feel it appropriate to juxtapose them, just not all the time. However, if you’re the DM, you gotta make the call that feels right to you.
I just checked and was very pleased to see that they retained this in the updated PHB and included it in the D&D Free Rules too: (https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/dnd/free-rules/playing-the-game#DeterminingSkills)—
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As someone who practises Medicine for a living, Wisdom checks feel appropriate much of the time: a lot is observation, pattern recognition and gut feeling. However, there are plenty of situations where Intelligence is more appropriate: considering differential diagnoses, recalling information about diseases, treatments etc. (A DM might also choose to ask for Dexterity (Medicine) checks if the characters are attempting surgery or maybe a Charisma (Medicine) check for managing a complex doctor-patient interaction.)
I really like this answer!
Thanks to everyone for the discussion too.
I don’t personally have any intention of changing the rule at my own game table at the moment (unless my players suddenly have an overwhelming request to consider it). I just like the discussion.
Cheers!
"What you saw belongs to you. A story doesn't live until it is imagined in someone's mind."
― Brandon Sanderson, The Way of Kings
I also really liked seeing that “skills with different abilities” has been maintained. I definitely had this in mind when I began this thread too. But I was mainly starting the topic to consider how these particular skills are thought about, since the ideas I had felt contradictory to the core placement of the skills with their associated abilities.
As many agree, it is always going to be situational, which is why it is good that they even state in the main rules that you CAN use skills with different abilities. Gives you more freedom. I mean, we are going to do what is best for our game no matter what the rules say, but it is nice to have it there too.
"What you saw belongs to you. A story doesn't live until it is imagined in someone's mind."
― Brandon Sanderson, The Way of Kings
As someone who trains future doctors how to conduct physical exams and helps them hone their doctor:patient interaction skills, and helps test them on those subjects, I absolutely agree 100%. I could even see Str coming into play (ask any ortho surgeon/sports med doc/physical therapist) and Con as well (ask any pathologist). But if you had to pick 1 ability score in particular, which would you go with for the majority of checks?
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Constitution (Medicine) checks would be what you make on hour 14 of your intern shift
Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock)
Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric)
Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue)
Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
Tricky choice, but probably Wisdom.
Too true…!
Does Medicine actually allow a character to treat another though? It is a diagnosis skill not a healing skill directly.
According to the PHB2024:
Medicine: Diagnose an illness, or determine what killed the recently slain.
This sounds like an Intelligence test. Sure, perception of symptoms is one thing, but without prior knowledge and deductive reasoning, it is pretty useless! I mean, I could notice that somebody has blue spots all around their neck, but I wouldn’t know what to do about it!
Yes, Medicine is used to treat. A DC 10 Wisdom (Medicine) check is what the rules call for when stabilizing someone who is at 0hp. I don't think that's just meant to represent your character standing over the other character and saying, "yep. What you've got here is a classic case of Troll-Bludgeoned Syndrome. Read all about it at Uni."
Also, being proficient in the skill means knowing what to do about it. Just because it takes some knowledge to do something doesn't mean it has to use Intelligence. It takes knowledge to perform a magic trick, or to climb a wall, or to train an animal, but that doesn't mean all of those should be Intelligence checks, it just means that all of those should be checks that you might be able to add your proficiency bonus to.
Look at what you've done. You spoiled it. You have nobody to blame but yourself. Go sit and think about your actions.
Don't be mean. Rudeness is a vicious cycle, and it has to stop somewhere. Exceptions for things that are funny.
Go to the current Competition of the Finest 'Brews! It's a cool place where cool people make cool things.
How I'm posting based on text formatting: Mod Hat Off - Mod Hat Also Off (I'm not a mod)
That isn’t treating. It is stabilising. It is the equivalent of first aid - it doesn’t return any HP. So it isn’t a treatment.
And in any case, it still seems like an Intelligence skill in application.
In the case of Religion, there could be a case for making it a Wisdom check on the grounds that it becomes less about comparative anthropological lore and more about one’s own connection with a particular god or religion. To be honest, it isn’t really a skill that has much application in many games anyway if treated like a lore. Aside from Clerics, who really cares!
Of course, one of the basic problems in all of this is the slightly contrived distinction between Intelligence and Wisdom that has always existed in the game.
Huh? Stabilizing somebody who's bleeding out on the ground isn't treating them? Applying first aid isn't medical treatment?
Whatever. Regardless of the terminology you want to use, making sure that somebody who is about to die doesn't clearly goes well beyond diagnosis.
Well... no. That just isn't what the Religion skill is. You're taking the skill and saying that it should use a different stat on the grounds that it should be a different skill. But then you don't end up with the Religion skill using Wisdom, do you? You just end up with a new, different skill that uses Wisdom, possibly with the same name as Religion but none of the same meaning.
What? You mean you've never played a game that has a cult in it? Sorry, but if the game's title were extended just a bit more it would definitely be Dungeons, Dragons, and Dangerous Cults (Oxford comma to preference (but ideally included)). Gods are gods. They're usually important driving, or at least backing, forces behind some of a world's greatest powers. Understanding them absolutely has application in-game.
Fair 'nuff. Intelligence is definitely for recalling lore, so I don't see much ambiguity as to what stat you'd use to recall religious lore, but it definitely gets fuzzier for Medicine.
Look at what you've done. You spoiled it. You have nobody to blame but yourself. Go sit and think about your actions.
Don't be mean. Rudeness is a vicious cycle, and it has to stop somewhere. Exceptions for things that are funny.
Go to the current Competition of the Finest 'Brews! It's a cool place where cool people make cool things.
How I'm posting based on text formatting: Mod Hat Off - Mod Hat Also Off (I'm not a mod)
No it isn’t. It is First Aid. It is what you do to ensure things won’t get worse until the actual medics arrive and provide treatment. In game terms, treatment is basically returning lost HP.
In the case of Religion, there could be a case for making it a Wisdom check on the grounds that it becomes less about comparative anthropological lore and more about one’s own connection with a particular god or religion.
Well... no. That just isn't what the Religion skill is. You're taking the skill and saying that it should use a different stat on the grounds that it should be a different skill. But then you don't end up with the Religion skill using Wisdom, do you? You just end up with a new, different skill that uses Wisdom, possibly with the same name as Religion but none of the same meaning.
To be honest, it isn’t really a skill that has much application in many games anyway if treated like a lore. Aside from Clerics, who really cares!
What? You mean you've never played a game that has a cult in it? Sorry, but if the game's title were extended just a bit more it would definitely be Dungeons, Dragons, and Dangerous Cults (Oxford comma to preference (but ideally included)). Gods are gods. They're usually important driving, or at least backing, forces behind some of a world's greatest powers. Understanding them absolutely has application in-game.
I am willing to bet that the Religion skill as is, is barely used at most DnD tables. It is also dependent on the world and how prevalent polytheistic traditions are. It is a very situational skill.
Knowledge about Fiends and Celestials is commonly classed under Religion, and polytheistic systems are the default assumption of D&D, so it’s not really anymore situational than using Nature for Monstrosity knowledge is- within the scope of a single adventure it might not come up, but there’s extensive printed material that can support it.
Regarding Medicine, first keep in mind that skill descriptions are just that- descriptive not proscriptive- so the absence of language specifically about treating injuries or illness is not positive proof that the skill cannot be applied in that way.
Now, that said, it’s not the design intent that a skill check alone will restore HP or generally remove conditions (certain specific cases for the latter might exist in some adventures, but that’s something that falls on the DM’s end of the spectrum of game features). That’s why you need the Healer feat and a kit, for example. But that’s the hard, player-facing mechanics. A player’s ability to do something like prepare medicine to break a fever or set a broken bone is a roleplay matter, and so is left up to the DM as with most other applications of skill checks rather than being codified in hard language.
This is an absolutely bizarre hill to try and die on, but I hope someone treats you with the basic medical skills collectively known as "first aid" before you rhetorically expire
Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock)
Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric)
Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue)
Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)