RPGBOT.Podcast26 Jul 2025

KNOWLEDGE SKILLS Remastered - Know thy enemy—or at least what page it's on in the Monster Manual

Knowledge skills: because sometimes knowing what's in the dungeon is more important than knowing how to kill it.

In this episode, the RPGBOT.Podcast crew breaks down the often-overlooked but mechanically vital Knowledge skills in tabletop RPGs like Dungeons & Dragons and Pathfinder. The gang explores how these skills function in the game, how they've changed over editions, and why your party's lore nerd is secretly carrying your campaign.

They explore how Knowledge checks can enrich worldbuilding, deepen immersion, and add mechanical weight to player choices. Whether you're identifying a creature, recalling ancient lore, or flexing your Arcana at a smug wizard, the right knowledge at the right time can mean the difference between survival and a total party kill.

The episode also dives into how different systems handle knowledge, including Pathfinder 1e's granular Knowledge skills, D&D 5e's streamlined Intelligence-based skills, and how GMs can reward players for investing in information-gathering instead of just smiting things with swords or spells.

Key Takeaways:

Knowledge skills are essential for both roleplay depth and mechanical advantage.
They can be undervalued by players but are a powerful tool when supported by the GM.
Systems vary widely in how they handle knowledge – make sure to know what's available to you.
GMs should reward curiosity and learning with story reveals, tactical insight, and world connection.
Players who invest in knowledge can shift the direction of the story, avoid deadly fights, and impress powerful NPCs.
Lore-focused characters add richness and versatility to any party—especially in exploration-heavy campaigns.

If you enjoy the show, please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app. It's a quick, free way to support the podcast, and helps us reach new listeners.

If you love the show, consider joining us on Patreon, where backers at the $5 and above tiers get ad free access to RPGBOT.net and the RPGBOT.Podcast, can chat directly to members of the RPGBOT team and community on the RPGBOT.Discord, and can join us for live-streamed recordings.

Support us on Amazon.com when you purchase products recommended in the show at the following link: https://amzn.to/3NwElxQ

How to Find Us:

In-depth articles, guides, handbooks, reviews, news on Tabletop Role Playing at RPGBOT.net

Tyler Kamstra

Ash Ely

Randall James

Producer Dan

@Lzr_illuminati

Denne episoden er hentet fra en åpen RSS-feed og er ikke publisert av Podme. Den kan derfor inneholde annonser.

Episoder(652)

CYBERPUNK RED: How to Play 1 - Talk Before You Glock

Welcome to Night City, chooms, where the sky is red, the rent is due, your landlord is probably armed, and health care arrives by helicopter only if your credit score has a body count. In this episode...

27 Jul 0s

PANDEMONIUM (Remastered) - Speaking of Things that are Chaotic...

Welcome to Pandemonium, the plane where the wind screams, gravity is a rumor, and every emergency exit has a reasonable chance of dropping you directly into the Abyss. Tyler explains the cosmology, Ra...

25 Jul 0s

ARCHIVE OF MESS-US - Everyone Failed Their Diplomacy Check

Tonight, the RPGBOT.Podcast enters the discourse arena, where Paizo is financially bleeding, Archives of Nethys accidentally brought a flamethrower to a contract negotiation, and the internet has alre...

23 Jul 0s

UNEARTHED ARCANA - EVEN MORE VILLAINOUS OPTIONS: Evil Gets a Second Draft

We return to Wizards of the Coast's Villainous Options, now revised after the first round was lovingly pushed down the stairs by public feedback. Some subclasses survived untouched. Some got a makeove...

20 Jul 0s

2014 DnD 5e MONKS Levels 5 - 20 (Remastered) - Beyond the Flurry of Blows: Strategic Tips for Mastering the Class

At levels 1 through 4, the 2014 Monk is a beautiful dream: you punch, you kick, you spend ki like a raccoon with a stolen credit card. Then levels 5 through 20 arrive, and suddenly the class asks, "Wo...

18 Jul 1h 12min

CASTING MISSILES - Adapting DnD to Other Levels of Technology

This week on the RPGBOT.Podcast, the hosts ask the eternal tabletop question: what happens when your beloved fantasy RPG grows up, gets a driver's license, discovers firearms, and immediately becomes ...

16 Jul 1h 4min

PF2 ROGUE Part 2 - Scoundrels, Ruffians, and Weaponized Gaslighting

Before the rogues can reach legendary proficiency, the episode must first survive the real high-level threats: Producer Dan being sleepy, Tyler's aggressively early bedtime policy, Ash explaining the ...

13 Jul 58min

2014 DnD 5e MONKS Levels 1 - 4 (Remastered) - Ascend to Greatness or Stumble in the Shadows

Monks are supposed to be serene masters of body, mind, and spirit, which is adorable because in 2014 DnD 5e they mostly begin life as a lightly dressed Dex-Wis-Con spreadsheet sprinting toward danger ...

11 Jul 51min