Deepening Play (NEED FEEDBACK) [Archive] - Wizards Community

Deepening Play (NEED FEEDBACK) [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
DeathCharger
08-17-07, 05:57 PM Okay, this is DeathCharger speaking. I am not speaking as a dungeon master or player as much as for the sake of player characters everywhere. How often do people say, "I light my torch." or "We set up camp."? It seems like it happens a lot in my campaign world. But where is the firebuilding skill or the craft (campsite) skill? Where is there a skill that helps you to tell which way the wind is blowing before a storm so that you can know which direction the door of the tent will face? There is none.

So here's my proposition. The feat is Survivalist. It gives bonuses outside the basic skills it gives you, but... I'll get to that later.

First and foremost, it gives you the ability to use your Survival skill to attempt to find north in the wilderness or out at sea. This is always very handy. Not every character should know that the direction they are heading in is north. Not without a map at any rate, and a traveled distance to find two landmarks on the map.

Secondly, it allows the player character to make a Survival check in order to tell which way the wind is blowing, or for things like predicting storms, telling if a certain kind of fruit is ripe or even edible withoutcausing damage, or tending the fire at the campsite in extreme conditions. It brings the survival skill back into full swing, and helps the player interact with his or her wilderness surrounding more vividly and realistically. Also... it brings about the step-by-stepping of making camp and what you do at camp that night with the other people in the camp, because you have to make your checks hourly on whether or not you let the fire go out.

Classes who have the survivalist skill as a class skill tend to be the ones who would be likely to do these things, i.e. Barbarians predicting the weather as it appears on the far horizon and seeing which way it is traveling for the benefit of the party, Druids picking good fruit for the party, etc.
Secrets Untold
08-17-07, 10:55 PM That's a great idea. To fully understand how great of an idea that is, follow these steps:

1) Buy the PHB
2) Open the PHB
3) Turn to page 83
4) Look for the "Survival (Wis)" header
5) Read the section.

Done? Good. Your idea was so good, the developers actually used it! Congrats!

Most, if not all, of what you proposed is covered in the Survival skill itself.
Narodnik
08-18-07, 02:49 AM Haha, it's his first post, and probably his last.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
DeathCharger 08-17-07, 05:57 PM	Okay, this is DeathCharger speaking. I am not speaking as a dungeon master or player as much as for the sake of player characters everywhere. How often do people say, "I light my torch." or "We set up camp."? It seems like it happens a lot in my campaign world. But where is the firebuilding skill or the craft (campsite) skill? Where is there a skill that helps you to tell which way the wind is blowing before a storm so that you can know which direction the door of the tent will face? There is none. So here's my proposition. The feat is Survivalist. It gives bonuses outside the basic skills it gives you, but... I'll get to that later. First and foremost, it gives you the ability to use your Survival skill to attempt to find north in the wilderness or out at sea. This is always very handy. Not every character should know that the direction they are heading in is north. Not without a map at any rate, and a traveled distance to find two landmarks on the map. Secondly, it allows the player character to make a Survival check in order to tell which way the wind is blowing, or for things like predicting storms, telling if a certain kind of fruit is ripe or even edible withoutcausing damage, or tending the fire at the campsite in extreme conditions. It brings the survival skill back into full swing, and helps the player interact with his or her wilderness surrounding more vividly and realistically. Also... it brings about the step-by-stepping of making camp and what you do at camp that night with the other people in the camp, because you have to make your checks hourly on whether or not you let the fire go out. Classes who have the survivalist skill as a class skill tend to be the ones who would be likely to do these things, i.e. Barbarians predicting the weather as it appears on the far horizon and seeing which way it is traveling for the benefit of the party, Druids picking good fruit for the party, etc.
Secrets Untold 08-17-07, 10:55 PM	That's a great idea. To fully understand how great of an idea that is, follow these steps: 1) Buy the PHB 2) Open the PHB 3) Turn to page 83 4) Look for the "Survival (Wis)" header 5) Read the section. Done? Good. Your idea was so good, the developers actually used it! Congrats! Most, if not all, of what you proposed is covered in the Survival skill itself.
Narodnik 08-18-07, 02:49 AM	Haha, it's his first post, and probably his last.