General book lot: +1 circumstance bonus to all knowledge checks
Specific book lot: +2 circumstance bonus to specific topic
Comprehensive book lot: +4 circumstance bonus to specific topic
Master book lot: +6 circumstance bonus to specific topic
I’m also reprinting some of the SRD information on the Knowledge skill for quick reference.
Knowledge types:
• Arcana (ancient mysteries, magic traditions, arcane symbols, cryptic phrases, constructs, dragons, magical beasts)
• Architecture and engineering (buildings, aqueducts, bridges, fortifications)
• Dungeoneering (aberrations, caverns, oozes, spelunking)
• Geography (lands, terrain, climate, people)
• History (royalty, wars, colonies, migrations, founding of cities)
• Local (legends, personalities, inhabitants, laws, customs, traditions, humanoids)
• Nature (animals, fey, giants, monstrous humanoids, plants, seasons and cycles, weather, vermin)
• Nobility and royalty (lineages, heraldry, family trees, mottoes, personalities)
• Religion (gods and goddesses, mythic history, ecclesiastic tradition, holy symbols, undead)
• The planes (the Inner Planes, the Outer Planes, the Astral Plane, the Ethereal Plane, outsiders, elementals, magic related to the planes)
Synergies:
If you have 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (arcana), you get a +2 bonus on Spellcraft checks.
If you have 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (architecture and engineering), you get a +2 bonus on Search checks made to find secret doors or hidden compartments.
If you have 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (geography), you get a +2 bonus on Survival checks made to keep from getting lost or to avoid natural hazards.
If you have 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (history), you get a +2 bonus on bardic knowledge checks.
If you have 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (local), you get a +2 bonus on Gather Information checks.
If you have 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (nature), you get a +2 bonus on Survival checks made in aboveground natural environments (aquatic, desert, forest, hill, marsh, mountains, or plains).
If you have 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (nobility and royalty), you get a +2 bonus on Diplomacy checks.
If you have 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (religion), you get a +2 bonus on turning checks against undead.
If you have 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (the planes), you get a +2 bonus on Survival checks made while on other planes.
If you have 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (dungeoneering), you get a +2 bonus on Survival checks made while underground.
If you have 5 or more ranks in Survival, you get a +2 bonus on Knowledge (nature) checks.
The Libraries statted below follow this format:
LIBRARY NAME
Public Collections: These collections of book are generally available to the public (possibly with some fee associated, but with little other restrictions) and should be easy for player characters to access. In addition to that, the library may have catalogues to speed up research time as well as sages on hand to help with the finding and interpretation of information.
Private Collections: These collections are restricted to some private group, and should be difficult (but not impossible) for the player characters to access. Indexes and sages are rarely on hand to help with these private collections, so research times are normal.
Hidden Collections: These collections are never labeled and most likely are never grouped together in a cogent manner. Many of the books that make up a hidden collection are actually grouped in with part of another collection in the library (either public, private or both). Unless player characters know exactly what they are looking for, hidden collections are all but undetectable. Researching through hidden collections always takes more than the standard time.
Collections will be displayed in the following format:
:
I’ll encourage anyone who is interested to post their own libraries (or make comments on what I throw out). Maybe eventually we can stat them all out. Marco has a put together a nice list of universities on the Vaults if anyone needs some ideas about where libraries might exist and what their specialties could be.
Mystaran Universities
Public Collections:
Arcana (ancient mysteries, magic traditions, arcane symbols, cryptic phrases) +2: This collection deals with arcane mysteries of all sorts. It has been collected by wizards from the Great School over the centuries. Arcana (constructs, dragons, magical beasts) +2: Compiled by the Monster Handler’s Guild. Dungeoneering (aberrations, oozes) +2: Compiled by the Monster Handler’s Guild. History (Glantri) +6: There are numerous books in this collection detailing the history of the nation. Local (Glantri) +4: This collection provides a wealth of information about the various cultural groups that comprise the Principalities. Nature (animals, fey, giants, monstrous humanoids, vermin) +2: Compiled by the Monster Handler’s Guild.Private Collections: These collections are restricted to the Glantrian nobility or to students currently attending the Great School.
Arcana (Fire) +6: This collection of books was brought to Glantri by Flaem colonists nearly 600 years ago. Arcana (Air) +2: This collection was compiled over 200 years ago by the followers of Hulzunthram after they colonized the area.Hidden Collections:
Arcana (Radiance) +2: This collection is hidden throughout the library, and very difficult to utilize. The books that make up this collection could also fit into the other collections of the library, and an untrained eye might classify them as such. For those that know what they are searching for, these tomes are a prized catch indeed. Nobility (Glantri) + 2: The nobles of Glantri are a secretive lot and actively seek to suppress information about themselves from falling into the wrong hands. Glantri’s library is huge however, and some rare tomes escape their notice. Private Collections: The elves are a very private people, and will only allow other elves (preferably Alfheimers) access to their most precious books. Elves from other nations might be able to convince the librarians to let them pass, but non-elves will find this task next to impossible.
Geography (lands, terrain, climate) +4: This collection is dedicated to the natural and magical geographical formations of the south eastern portion of the continent of Brun. History (Alfheim) +6: This collection is a compilation of the history of Alfheim. Local (Alfheim) +4: This collection relates information on each of the major clans that make up the nation of Alfheim. Nature (plants, seasons and cycles, weather) +6: The elves have a long history of interaction with the natural world, and have accumulated much knowledge about it (both mundane and magical).Hidden Collections:
History (Blackmoor) +2: It may seem unlikely that the nature loving elves would have information relating to Blackmoor, but some of their interactions with that ancient culture have remained intact on the pages of dusty tomes.:-) Jesper
Jenni wrote:
There is a very cool section in "The Quintessential Wizard" d20 supplement
by Mongoose Publishing that is all about "Libraries and Tomes of Knowledge".
It provides an excellent set of 3e compatible mechanics for DMs to use to
determine exactly how a particular library can be used by a player character
in a very useful and reasonable manner. It's such a great mechanic, in fact,
that, after I borrowed a copy from a friend, I went out and bought my own
copy of the book simply so I could use this section (That's not to say the
rest of the book isn't worthwhile, it's just that the Library mechanics are
so cool, and I happen to play with a group of "real roleplayers" who love
nothing more than to ask "Are there any useful books on {specific topic}
among the moldering books we just found in the remains of a library in the
middle of this dungeon?").
The basic idea is that, like a character, a monster or a trip, every
library can be presented by a series of statistics that describe its
capabilities. Each library is a unique collection of knowledge; the
statistics are what differentiate the books collected by a hermit and a great
library located within a capital city of the great empire.
Since it is OGC, I'll give you a summary of the statistics and other
details:
/Topics/
Libraries are assumed to focus on a few different areas of knowledge. Each
topic corresponds to a specific Knowledge sub-skill, such as arcane,
religion, nature or the planes, &c (any legitimate Knowledge sub-skill is
acceptable). Some libraries contain so many books on so many subjects that a
determined researcher could uncover information on almost any topic, in which
case the library lists "All" as one of its topics.
/Ranks/
Each topic a library supports offers a scholar a virtual number of ranks in
the corresponding knowledge skills. These are temporarily gained by a
character who does research in the library. Ranks are determined by a
library's size (described later)
/Duration/
Because some libraries are better organized than others are, it may take
more or less time to find the information being sought in one library than in
another (that is, it may take more or less time before he may benefit from
the virtual ranks for a Topic). The duration is determined entirely by the
library's level of organization.
Durations:
6 hours:
A well-organized library focused on one topic or featuring an extensive
catalogue of its contents and their location."
1 day:
A library covering multiple topics with it contents clearly described and
listed in detail. The average library that covers one or two topics.
3 days:
An extensive library with a cataloguing system that lists the general topic
covered by it books but does not detail the contents of each specific volume.
1 week:
The average library that covers up to a dozen topics in depth or offer a
wide range of information. Books are grouped together by the organization
system which does not include a complete list of the library's contents.
10 days:
An extensive library with little or no documentation of it contents. Books
are stored according to their contents, but individual books are often mixed
in with the wrong category.
2 weeks:
A very large or very poorly organized collection of books. Books may be
stored by some factor that has nothing to do with their content, such as
storage in alphabetical order by title.
1 month:
Because of the great number of books the library contains and the poor state
of its upkeep, the library is difficult to use. Some clues as to the general
subjects it covers and it storage methods exist, but the library is in such
poor condition that a researcher must spend significant time looking for
books that may help his efforts.
3 months
The library is little more than stacks of book piled in closet, tossed on
to tables, and stuffed into bookshelves. A researcher would need to spend
the first three months of his research determining the nature of the
library's collection before he had any chance of performing any useful
research."
/Languages/
Very few libraries contain only books that are written in one language. A
researcher who can not read all the different languages that a given library
contains will not be able to take full advantage of that library's resources.
Each language is assigned a numerical rating, expressed as a penalty that is
applied to the virtual skill ranks for a researcher who does not know that
language. This language modifier may only apply to certain topics within a
collection if there are a disproportionate number of books on that topic in
that language.
/Size/
The physical size of a library limits how much information it can hold, the
internet not having been invented yet...
. Libraries use the same rangeof size categories as creatures, and the size determines the number of
volumes it can hold; the maximum number of Topics and Ranks in those topics
it can offer; whether the library can support the "Any" topic; the minimum,
average and maximum duration; and the physical size of the structure needed
to contain it.
Sizes:
Tiny: A collection of a dozen or so books, a single bookcase.
Small: A large (20 ft.-by-20 ft.) room of bookcases and shelve
Medium: Two or three rooms of bookcase and shelves.
Large: Up to six rooms full of shelved books.
Huge: A dozen rooms used solely for the purpose of storing books.
Gargantuan: An entire building dedicated to nothing but the storage and use
of books.
Colossal: Multiple buildings or one extremely large structure set aide for
book storage and research.
Table: Library Minimums and Maximums:
| Max | Max | Duration |
Size | Topics | Ranks | Min | Avg | Max |
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Tiny | 1 | 4 | 1 day | 1 day | 1 day |
Small | 3 | 6 | 1 day | 2 days | 3 days |
Medium | 6 | 8 | 1 day | 5 days | 10 days |
Large | 12 | 10 | 2 days | 8 days | 2 weeks |
Huge | 24* | 12 | 2 days | 11 days | 3 weeks |
Gargantuan | 48* | 14 | 3 days | 16 days | 1 month |
Colossal | 96* | 16 | 3 days | 1 month | 3 months |
--------------------------------------------------------------------
* Can have the "Any" topic.
Once a library has a set of statistics, it can be used by a character for
research:
First, the researching character must have uninterrupted access to the
library for a period of time equal to its duration statistic. After this
time, the researcher gains the virtual ranks in the Knowledge skill
corresponding to one of the library's topics. If a library has an "Any"
topic, then the researcher can pick any Knowledge skill and gain virtual
ranks in it.
A character who has gained virtual ranks may make one Knowledge check using
these extra ranks per day. He must have access to the library in order to
gain the benefits of these ranks, and must spend the entire day of his check
reading through the library's volumes and researching a particular problem.
Unlike normal knowledge checks, a check made using a library may be retried
once for every 4 virtual ranks in a subject offered by that library,
representing a researcher's attempts to track down just the right book - a
failure could mean just that she hadn't found the right book yet.
Virtual ranks ignore the normal cap on the maximum limit on ranks based on
character level, but otherwise count just like skill points spent on a skill,
so a character that doesn't have a particular Knowledge skill as a class
skill only gains half the virtual ranks from a library.
Any character who already has more ranks in a particular Knowledge skill
than are offered by a library, doesn't get as much benefit as a less skilled
researcher, but also only needs to spend half the usual amount of time to
gain the benefits of a library. Instead of the usual mechanism, such a
researcher may either gain enough virtual ranks so that the sum of her normal
and virtual ranks is equal to twice the virtual ranks offered by the library
OR she may choose to receive a +2 competence bonus to her Knowledge check.
These changes reflect the fact that a researcher who is already an expert in
her field will encounter many books she is already familiar with before
finding the ones that fill the gaps in her learning, and may also skim
through new books she finds that offer little new insight into the subject.
Those are the basic rules for mundane libraries. There are also other
services that a library in a magical world may offer:
/Ancient Languages and Ciphers/
The library has a collection of books dealing with codes, code breaking,
ancient language and other esoteric methods of communication. This quality
has a ranking similar to the ranks associated with a mundane topic. For each
day a researcher spends with these books, he gains a cumulative virtual rank
in Decipher Script.
/Identify Items/
Some libraries feature extensive tome that detail the qualities, features
and capabilities of magic items. A character with access to these volumes
can use them to research an item and determine its capabilities. This
quality has a ranking similar to the ranks associated with a mundane topic.
Every three days, a researcher capable of casting arcane spells or the spell
identify may make a caster level check as if he used the spell analyze
dweomer. The researcher must spend 8 hours a day for those three days in
order to make the caster level check. A spellcaster may make a number of
checks for one item equal to this special quality's rating.
/Item Creation Lore/
This implies a library that caters especially to wizards and generally
include many volumes of arcane lore decribing the theory, practice and
history of magic. While some of this is encompassed by Knowledge (arcane), a
certain subset plays a critical role in creating magic items.
A wizard may use this library feature to fulfill any one prerequisite
necessary to create an item other than an item creation feat or a minimum
caster level. For example, the cloak of elvenkind requires it creator to be
an elf. Using this library feature, a wizard could undover a tome that
details the process used by elves to make the cloak.
In order to take advantage of this special feature, a spellcaster must make
a Knowledge (arcana)[*] check. The wizard may gain the benefit of any
virtual feat offered by the library when making this check, if he fulfills
the requirements of earning those ranks as normal. The DC of this check
equals 20 plus twice the minimum caster level needed to create the item.
[*] This might be a Spellcraft check - the main description says Knowledge
(arcana) but the example (quoted next) says "Spellcraft". I suppose it could
be either really, so use whichever makes the most sense to you.
Example: A wizard wishes to create a cloak of elvenkind. To create the
cloak, a wizard must have a minimum caster level of 3, the Craft Wondrous
Item feat, ace to the spell invisibility, and he must be an elf. Using the
item creation lore feature of a library, a wizard could substitute his
knowledge of the spell or the item's racial requirement. He can never
substitute the necessary creation feats or the caster level, nor can he
replace more than one prerequisite. Thus, if this wizard is an elf, he can
use this feature to remove the need for the invisibility spell. If he is not
an elf then he must use it to replace the racial requirement. The Spellcraft
DC to substitute one of the cloak's features is 26, or 20 plus 2 times the
minimum caster level of 3.
/Monster Lore/
A library with this special quality includes a significant selection of
tomes detailing the habits, abilities and ecology of monster races. The
feature is always linked to a single monster type, such as outsider or
humanoid, and has a number of ranks similar to a mundane topic. A wizard or
other character may research monster lore just like any other subject. After
spending the standard duration in the library, he gains a new virtual skill,
Monster Lore, with a subtype determined by the monster category covered by
this special quality and a number of virtual ranks equal to the ranks
associated with this feature. He may now spend a day in the library to
research a particular monster that falls into the correct category. After
that day of research, he makes a Monster Lore check with a DC equal to 10
plus the monster's hit dice. On a successful check, the researcher learns
the details of a randomly determined special attack, a randomly determined
special quality, or a particular weakness possessed by the creature. On a
failed check, there is a 25% chance the character uncovers an incorrectly
reported or misinterpreted trait - the DM should create something fitting for
the creature. A character may only make one Monster Lore check for any given
creature at each library that has this feature.
A researcher may gain the benefits of multiple Monster Lore virtual skills
by spending the standard duration of time finding potentially useful tomes
for each of the monster types covered by a library's collection.
The Monster Lore skill is not a real skill - instead it is a game mechanic
representing the knowledge contained within a particular library's books.
When making a Monster Lore check, the researcher is determining whether he
can find the information he needs within the library's books.
/Translations/
A well stocked library includes volumes that describe many languages and
provide translations of them to and from Common and other tongues. This
feature includes a list of languages the library supports in this context. A
researcher my translate text from the listed languages to any other listed
language or into Common. A character may translate 10 plus his Intelligence
score pages with a full day of work. Inevitably, such a translation will not
be so precise as one carried out by someone who fully understands both
languages, but should serve to give a basic understanding of the text.
There is also a section with lots of suggestions and tips for DMs on
creating libraries for a campaign, dealing with PCs and libraries of their
own, and how to handle the presence of rare and exotic books. (Too much to
go into now - I've already stayed up too late!)
Jenni
--
Jenni A. M. Merrifield
Software User Experience Professional
Designing to Requirements and walking on Water is EASY. . .
. . . So long as both are Frozen.
----------
E-Mail & WinIM: [strawberry @ jamm.com]
Blog: [http://strawberryjamm.blogspot.com]
--
/Topics/
Libraries are assumed to focus on a few different areas of knowledge. Each
topic corresponds to a specific Knowledge sub-skill, such as arcane,
religion, nature or the planes, &c (any legitimate Knowledge sub-skill is
acceptable). Some libraries contain so many books on so many subjects that a
determined researcher could uncover information on almost any topic, in which
case the library lists "All" as one of its topics.
/Size/
The physical size of a library limits how much information it can hold, the
internet not having been invented yet...
of size categories as creatures, and the size determines the number of
volumes it can hold; the maximum number of Topics and Ranks in those topics
it can offer; whether the library can support the "Any" topic; the minimum,
average and maximum duration; and the physical size of the structure needed
to contain it.
/Ranks/
Each topic a library supports offers a scholar a virtual number of ranks in
the corresponding knowledge skills. These are temporarily gained by a
character who does research in the library. Ranks are determined by a
library's size (described later)
As far as the Stronghold Builder's Guide is concerned, these things are all interrellated. Book lots dealing with one subject (or those dealing with all knowledge in general) take up one "space" and provide a +2 (or +1) circumstance bonus to knowledge checks. A Comprehensive lot of books dealing with one subject takes up three "spaces" (and costs quite a bit more) and gives a +4 bonus, while a Master lot takes up six "spaces", costs even more, and gives a +6 bonus.
Now, the only real difference between these two systems here is the idea of "virtual Knowledge" presented by QW. This is actually something I would argue against. Knowledge (in the 3E skill system) should represent a lot of hard work and effort throughout a character's entire carreer, and should not be something that someone visiting a library for a few hours (or days or weeks) would be able to reproduce... even on a temporary level. Otherwise I think you remove a lot of the incentive for taking knowledge skills in the first place.
Here is how I would handle the circumstance bonus (as outlined in SBG). Anyone who is in the library and spends the necessary amount of time doing research would be allowed 1 knowledge check. Taking 10 or 20 would be appropriate (for those trained with the corrosponding knowledge skill). In this case however I would rule that untrained characters could make a skill role while in the library, but could not take 10 or 20. That means that they would essentially be checking based on their role + circumstance bonus only.
/Duration/
Because some libraries are better organized than others are, it may take
more or less time to find the information being sought in one library than in
another (that is, it may take more or less time before he may benefit from
the virtual ranks for a Topic). The duration is determined entirely by the
library's level of organization.
This is very useful (but not something I've thought about yet) and not something that the SBG goes into in any detail. IMO references should reduce study time, and the larger a library is should increase study time. Library size can be determined based on the total number of book lots (I call them collections in my posts above) that a library has. I'm not sure if we should come up with a mechanic dealing with this, or just leave it in the hands of the DM to set research times on a per library basis.
There were other things that the QW mentioned about ancient languages and translations, but this is getting too complicated IMO. To simulate this I propose the following 2 mechanics:
1) The researcher already has a bonus for the number of languages he knows... his Int bonus, and it is already included in the Knowledge check. We don't have to worry about this one.
2) Sages in the library can assist a researcher in his studies (by aiding another) for a given cost. This +2 bonus can represent the sages knowledge and potential translation abilities. I suppose that DMs could set up tables of sages and their prices on a per library basis if he wanted to. Paying more might insure that you get the +2 bonus, while paying less might incure some chance of not recieving it at all...
Ok. Thanks again for the input Spellweaver, this has really helped me to put my thought together. More comments are welcome of course :D.
Thanks Spellweaver! The information from Jenni is actually very useful to me.
You're welcome
Jenni replied to a post I had made concerning the value of books. I had suggested that characters would actually have to acquire books with knowledge in order to gain ranks in the relevant skill. That way, a book that has sufficient knowledge to buy two ranks in Knowledge Arcana would be very valuable as treasure indeed.
But most people at Mystara 3E disliked the idea because it discriminated against the characters relying on book knowledge to gain new skills - the wizards and sorcerors. And I see their point. But I am thinking of introducing the old rules from 1st E AD&D concerning required training to be able to advance a level, so IMO the other classes can be similarly restricted. In fact, they might even be more restricted because you can find a book in a pile of treasure but you rarely find a weapons trainer in a dragon's horde! (not a live one anyway :D)
Now, the only real difference between these two systems here is the idea of "virtual Knowledge" presented by QW. This is actually something I would argue against. Knowledge (in the 3E skill system) should represent a lot of hard work and effort throughout a character's entire carreer, and should not be something that someone visiting a library for a few hours (or days or weeks) would be able to reproduce... even on a temporary level. Otherwise I think you remove a lot of the incentive for taking knowledge skills in the first place.
I disagree, respectfully. I think that characters will always need knowledge skills because they cannot drag their libraries with them on adventures and look something up to decipher runes on a wall when hordes of monsters are attacking them. Secondly, in my experience, a typical character will always need more knowledge than he has ranks to buy. A library can help him in those cases. And thirdly, most of my university education has been "reading stuff once and learning where to look it up again" and not learning by heart. I think people can acquire "virtual knowledge" from being in a library for weeks. But they should loose those ranks within, say, a week after leaving the library. If you do want to put restrictions on library use, why not impose a maximum gain? Say you can only acquire as many "virtual ranks" in a given skill as you posses already? That way you won't have an unknowing peasant visiting the Imperial Academy for a month and then writing the Known World's leading manual on strategy and army tactics...
Here is how I would handle the circumstance bonus (as outlined in SBG). Anyone who is in the library and spends the necessary amount of time doing research would be allowed 1 knowledge check. Taking 10 or 20 would be appropriate (for those trained with the corrosponding knowledge skill). In this case however I would rule that untrained characters could make a skill role while in the library, but could not take 10 or 20. That means that they would essentially be checking based on their role + circumstance bonus only.
Hmm... I don't know about that "take 20" rule. On the one hand, I like it that skilled users get an advantage over non-skilled. On the other hand, if you spend weeks at a library I assume you would alway take 20 because what difference would that make? And generally giving skilled a +20 advantage over non-skilled might be a bit too much IMO.
2) Sages in the library can assist a researcher in his studies (by aiding another) for a given cost. This +2 bonus can represent the sages knowledge and potential translation abilities. I suppose that DMs could set up tables of sages and their prices on a per library basis if he wanted to. Paying more might insure that you get the +2 bonus, while paying less might incure some chance of not recieving it at all...
I really like the ideas of hiring a sage to help!
I was toying with a post about courses and classes at the GSoM before my harddisc died. One of them was to gain a new class skill:librarian, which could reduce research time spent finding information and making magical items. Might be relevant here...
Giving this some more thought...
:-) Jesper
Originally Posted by chimpman
Here is how I would handle the circumstance bonus (as outlined in SBG). Anyone who is in the library and spends the necessary amount of time doing research would be allowed 1 knowledge check. Taking 10 or 20 would be appropriate (for those trained with the corrosponding knowledge skill). In this case however I would rule that untrained characters could make a skill role while in the library, but could not take 10 or 20. That means that they would essentially be checking based on their role + circumstance bonus only.
Hmm... I don't know about that "take 20" rule. On the one hand, I like it that skilled users get an advantage over non-skilled. On the other hand, if you spend weeks at a library I assume you would alway take 20 because what difference would that make? And generally giving skilled a +20 advantage over non-skilled might be a bit too much IMO.
Ok, after reading through the knowledge skill again I'm going to retract this. Knowledge is one of those skills that you are not allowed to try again if you fail... so that means that you just can't take 20 on the roll. The way I read it though would indicate that you should be able to take 10. So let's take a look at the following 2 examples of NPC doing research on abberations at the Great Library of Glantri:
NPC1 = Wizard with Int 18, Knowledge (Dungeoneering) + 5
His knowledge check will be 1d20 + 4(Int) + 5(ranks) + 2(library bonus) which = 1d20 + 11
Taking 10 on such a check would yield a result of 19 without the library and 21 with it.
NPC2 = Expert with Int 12
His knowledge/intelligence check will be 1d20 + 0(Int) + 0(ranks) + 2(library bonus) which = 1d20 + 2
Taking 10 would yield a result of 10 without the library and 12 with it.
In either case hiring a sage to help out could result in an additional +2 bonus to the roll, and enlisting the aid of a "reference desk" could reduce the time spent in acquiring the library circumstance bonus.
These numbers don't seem unreasonable to me. And remember that sages can be hired to track down information on their own (at an increased cost) by those who either don't want to spend time researching, or lack the knowledge skill points to do so effectively. What do you think?
Another question to ask is how exactly would using a library help with spell research. I'm still thinking about the problem. If anyone is interested, check out this thread:
http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=318769&highlight=spell+research
Another benefit of using a library might be that if a character fails a Knowledge check, they would be allowed to make the chack again after spending their research time again. Characters would still not be able to take 20 on their roll however.
Method 1: Finding the Spell in the Library
It might be possible (especially in libraries dedicated to arcane magic) to find the actual spell hiding in a book somewhere in the library's collection. Finding the spell requires the character to make either a Knowledge or Search check at DC 15 + spell level. If the library collection provides a circumstance bonus, this can be added to the check. DMs can increase/decrease the DC by 2 depending on the library's size, and can increase/decrease it by another 2 depending on the library's organization.
Once the spell has been located in the library, all the character needs to do is learn it using the normal methods. This requires a Spellcraft check at DC 15 + spell level. The library circumstance bonus does not apply to this roll.
Method 2: Creating a new Spell through Research
In this case the character can not actually find a copy of the spell in the library, but he can find enough information to be able to attempt to recreate the spell for himself. The Knowledge bonus provided by an appropriate collection of the library can be applied directly to the Spellcraft check for learning the spell (along with any Knowledge based synergy bonus).
Since the DC for copying a spell from a scroll or spell book is 15 + spell level I figure that the DC for researching one indirectly from a library would be 25 + spell level. Failing this check would require another bout of research before it can be made again.
Thoughts? Anyone see any problems with these numbers?
Here is another Library:
AASLA LIBRARY
Private Collections: These collections are restricted to Alphatian nobles and their select designated servants.
Arcana (Air) +6: This is one of the most prominent collections on air magics in the entire Alphatian empire. Engineering (Shyship) +6: Aasla has been the eminent local for skyship construction and has accumulated quite a reference section on the topic throughout the millennia. Geography (local) +4: This collection details the local geography of the lands around Aasla. The Planes (transitive planes) +2: This collection deals with the stars and how they relate to planar conjunctions and possible planar travel. Hidden Collections:
History (Alphatia) +4: This collection deals with the escape of the Alphatians from their doomed world and their journey to this one.