The description says Monster Lore, "yields useful monster info." It's supposed to be worth sacrificing a full round of actions. If useless info is given, bards will stop using the power and that class becomes less useful/appealing.

For the Zombie example, it really depends on the rules for the Zombie.

If Jeff said Zombies are immune to piercing and blunt weapons unless they hit the head, that would be a vital clue for those using maces, slings and bows.

Or that they are immune to elemental damage except fire. Key for mages.

I think the lore can be made useful for any monster as there are various subtle ways to make monster "familiar" but different in how they work for True Dungeon.

Druegar wrote:


They don't have to be useless or useful all the time. There were at least 7 monsters in the dungeons this year. If 1 of them didn't reveal useful information, is that really a bad thing? Another example:

DM: As you round the corner, you see a woman with snakes in place of her hair.
Bard: I monster lore her
DM: Looking into her eyes will turn you to stone.

This really isn't useful information for anyone who grew up in Western culture. Everyone knows what a Medusa is, even non-gamers. The information may be pertinent without being useful.

Now if this route is taken every monster, of course Monster Lore will become obsolete quickly, but 1 time every year, makes the decision to use Monster Lore a bit more interesting.

Monster lore gave really pertinent info for the dire squid and the sea lich (her immunities and her death touch). I don't know what the lore said for the eel or sirens.

Sirens also very pertinent. Identified the fighter and the wizard and gave combat stats (which I understand was the complaint initially).

WaterSomePlants wrote:


I also think this is a great idea!

brimstoner wrote:


One has a spear, the other is casting magical fire at you. Which is which?!

All I remember was boobs. That and the blood cloud at the end that made everyone have to save vs hepatitis.

henwy wrote:


Woo hoo! I have +10 on saves vs. Hepatitis (A & B only).


On my second run I did monster lore on EVERY monster, cause well, I was experimenting. By the time you did your monster lore on the sirens, they had already used their charm attack, so giving the heads up on that would have been moot.

I also agree that I don't like breaking the 4th wall and giving HP and AC. I know our GM on the Combat run told the Bard and Druid that doing 1 HP damage to our charmed companions would snap them out of it. Another group of my friends did not get that info offered to them, even though a good number of there party got failed their saves. So maybe that could have been the info given in the bard lore?

And I think I'm leaning towards the "If there is no useful info to give, give no useful info". Then the bard wouldn't feel like they had to Lore every monster, and picked ones they felt would be best.

But then again, I'm used to old school Gygaxian buggery, where we searched every foot of our dungeon with a 10' pole, UPHILL! Both ways! and we liked it that way!