Recall Knowledge in Depth
[[compendium:action:Recall Knowledge]] (1 action) identifies creatures and recalls facts using relevant skills. Critical success reveals weaknesses; critical failure gives false info. One attempt per subject per encounter.
Recall Knowledge is one of the most frequently used actions in PF2e, available to all characters without training.
Basic Mechanic (1 action, concentrate): Attempt a skill check to remember useful information about a topic. The GM sets the DC based on how obscure the information is. Each creature, hazard, or topic has specific skills that apply.
Skills by Creature Type:
- Arcana: Constructs, dragons, aberrations with arcane ties
- Crafting: Constructs, mechanical traps, alchemical items
- Nature: Animals, beasts, plants, fungus, primal creatures
- Occultism: Aberrations, spirits, undead with occult ties
- Religion: Celestials, fiends, undead, divine creatures
- Society: Humanoids, cultural knowledge, famous individuals
- Specific Lore: Narrower topic but lower DC
Degrees of Success:
- Critical Success: Detailed and precise information — exact weaknesses, resistances, and special abilities.
- Success: Useful general information — the creature's basic nature and one useful fact.
- Failure: No useful information recalled.
- Critical Failure: The GM provides incorrect information that seems plausible. The player doesn't know they critically failed.
Restrictions: You can attempt to Recall Knowledge about a specific subject only once per encounter (unless you gain new evidence or context). Additional attempts against the same creature use a higher DC.
Tactical Use: Identifying a creature's weaknesses (e.g., a troll's vulnerability to fire) can dramatically change encounter strategy. Building characters with high knowledge skills is a genuine party contribution.