A history check is one of the most powerful narrative tools in a Dungeon Master’s arsenal. It’s more than just a player’s ability to recall dates and names; it’s a direct line to the lore and soul of your world. When a player asks to make a check on an ancient symbol, a forgotten king’s name, or a crumbling ruin, they are asking for a deeper connection to the story. But for many a Game Master, this moment is fraught with a critical question: How much information is the right amount?
Give too little, and the check feels pointless, grinding the game’s momentum to a halt. Give too much, and you risk overwhelming your players or spoiling future discoveries. The key is to treat the History skill not as a simple pass/fail mechanism, but as a dial you can turn to control the flow of information, rewarding player investment and skill with a proportional level of narrative insight.
The Foundation: Setting a Difficulty Class (DC)
Before you can decide how much to reveal, you need a baseline. Every piece of information has a certain level of obscurity. Your first step is to assign a mental DC to the knowledge in question.
- DC 5-10 (Common Knowledge): This is information that nearly anyone with a passing interest in the world would know. It’s the stuff of tavern tales, children’s stories, and common sayings. Example: “Everyone knows the Elven kingdom of Silverwood is ancient and reclusive.”
- DC 11-15 (Specific Knowledge): This requires some level of education or dedicated interest. A character might have learned this from a book, a tutor, or a well-traveled relative. Example: “You recall that the Silverwood elves were instrumental in sealing away the Shadow Lich centuries ago.”
- DC 16-20 (Expert Knowledge): This is information known only to scholars, dedicated historians, or members of a specific culture or organization. It’s hidden in dusty library tomes or passed down through secret oral traditions. Example: “You remember reading that the ritual to seal the Shadow Lich required a specific celestial alignment and a rare component found only on the Elemental Plane of Fire.”
- DC 21+ (Obscure or Lost Knowledge): This information is purposefully hidden, actively suppressed, or has been lost to the ages. Finding it is a major breakthrough. Example: “You recall a footnote in a forbidden text suggesting that one of the elven houses that performed the ritual secretly worked with the Lich, creating a flaw in the prison.”
Mastering the Sliding Scale of a History Check
The true art of the history check lies in not being bound by a single DC. Instead, think of it as a sliding scale of success. The player’s roll doesn’t just determine if they succeed, but how much they succeed. This approach makes every roll meaningful, from a near-miss to a critical success.
Let’s imagine your players find a statue of an ancient warrior with a unique emblem on its shield. The Wizard, who is proficient in History, wants to know more. The base DC to identify the warrior is 15.
- Rolls 9 (Failure): Don’t just say, “You don’t know.” Offer something. “The style of armor is clearly from the First Dynasty, but the emblem is unfamiliar. It’s not from any of the major houses you know of.” This confirms what the player might already suspect (it’s old) without giving away the core secret.
- Rolls 16 (Success): The player beat the DC. Give them the core information. “You recognize the emblem of the Sunstone Guard, the personal protectors of the long-lost Empress Zara. They were said to be wiped out during the Night of Betrayal.” This is a solid piece of lore that adds context and a new plot thread.
- Rolls 22 (Major Success): The player didn’t just succeed; they excelled. Reward them with a deeper layer of information that provides a tangible advantage. “You not only recognize the Sunstone Guard, but you recall a specific legend about their captain, who hid the Empress’s signet ring—the key to her hidden vault—before he fell. Legends say his statue weeps when a true heir stands before it.”
Context is King: Tailoring the Information
Not every History check is created equal. The information you provide should be filtered through the lens of the character making the roll. This makes the world feel more real and validates your players’ character choices.
- Character Background: A Dwarf making a check about a Dwarven kingdom should get different, and likely more detailed, information than a Tiefling would on the same roll. The Dwarf might recall clan politics and forging techniques, while the Tiefling might only remember the kingdom’s major trade exports.
- Proficiency and Expertise: A character with proficiency or, even better, expertise in the History skill has spent years studying. Their “failures” should still be informative. A low roll for an expert shouldn’t mean they know nothing; it should mean the information is so obscure that even their vast knowledge is insufficient, but they might know who to ask or where to look next.
- Delivering the Information: Frame the knowledge within the character’s experience. Instead of “You know that…,” try “You remember a passage from a book you read in the Candlekeep library that mentioned…” or “Your mentor, the old gnome historian, once told you a story about…” This small change makes the information feel earned and personal.
Ultimately, the goal of a history check is to move the story forward and enrich the players’ understanding of your world. Use it as an opportunity to dangle plot hooks, reveal secrets, and empower your players with knowledge. By adopting a flexible, tiered approach and tailoring the results to the character, you can transform a simple skill check from a mechanical die roll into a moment of genuine discovery and narrative triumph.
Internal Resources from The Fates
Continue exploring the threads of lore, myth, and worldbuilding through these guides and generators crafted by The Fates:
Ancient Scrolls Generator
– Discover forgotten texts and cryptic messages for your adventurers.
Cavern Encounters Generator
– Uncover ancient ruins, myths, and mysteries buried beneath the earth.
How to Create an NPC Your Players Will Actually Care About
– Bring your world’s history to life through the people who remember it.
External Resources for Dungeon Masters
Dive deeper into worldbuilding and official D&D mechanics with these trusted resources:
D&D Beyond – Skill Check Rules
– Review the official system for History and other ability checks.
Dungeon Master’s Guide (Wizards of the Coast)
– The core reference for worldbuilding and running narrative checks.
Roll20 – Skill and Ability Reference
– Quick lookups for the History skill and related mechanics.
Candlekeep (Forgotten Realms Wiki)
– Explore one of the most famous libraries in D&D lore.
Kobold Press
– Discover more storytelling insights and third-party D&D design articles.
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