Survival?

[Darkfangs]

Survival.. I know it lets you track things.. but can anyone tell me how it works.. and if it would be worthwhile for a barbarian with very few Skill Points per level? I'm hoping for some advice from the rest of the community who may have used this skill before and who can tell me whether it's a worthwhile one. Thanks guys.

[Sylvanas_Kathar]

The more survival points you have, the farter out you can detect things on your mini map when using the track ability. It helps sometimes, but most of the enemy spawns here have such a short distance that it doesnt help all the time.

[Ethereal Edge]

Expect a lot of roleplaying applications and not a lot of practical ones.

[Darkfangs]

Ahh.. if it's got a lot of RP use I think I may stick with it. Cause it's either that or taking Listen for those sneaky people, or UMD for the random little trinkets he finds.

[Ethereal Edge]

Survival is basically all-around wilderness ability, meaning it literally lets you survive days on your own in the wild, move quicker over long distances, etc.

[Guywise]

Aside from actual game mechanics(Tracking enemies) I have had to make survival checks for a number reasons(Not nessesarily on Sundren). Trying to elude those tracking me, locating edible plants in the wilds. Locating the correct type of tree by which a bow can be made. As well as orienteering in the wilds. So it is a good skill to have.

K

[Darkfangs]

hmm.. alright. Do I need the Track feat to make it useful to me as well, or is it fine on its own? and would you say maybe 10 points is okay for a barbarian?

[Guywise]

I think it would depend on your char concept. Is he from a samll village out in the middle of nowhere. Or a loner type that was basically alone for most of his life. That would have required him to learn to hunt, make clothes from animal skins, and well rely on himself to survive. Or is he from a large settlement or city even, where there were hunters, and tailors and he was just a warrior type. The tracking feat is only needed if you you want to track. But the survival skill, as was stated earlier the chars overall ability to live in the wilds. You must weigh weather you want to give up one feat in order to take tracking. On the other hand a mellee ranger barbarian multiclass can be nice.

[Grigori]

Crap... I just realized, Fubar grew up in the forest but has no survival skill... Oh boy... I knew I should have made his Int 8 instead of 6... Now I need to figure something out before I screw over my character...

[Guywise]

Hhehehe, No Fubar, not those mushrooms! Fubar spends the next 8 hrs looking at the wrinkles in his hand "wow,Wow,wow,wow,wow"

[Grigori]

Hahahahaha... either that or he spends the next 8 hours behind the bushes using up those scribble pages he uses for wiping paper... 'Um... aneewun gotz wun dem book? Fubar run out wiping paperz...'

[Tratz]

The more survival points you have, the farter out you can detect things on your mini map when using the track ability. It helps sometimes, but most of the enemy spawns here have such a short distance that it doesnt help all the time.

...Hehehe, I see what you've done here

[Scarlett]

Tis useless if you don't have the track feat, in my opinion. Note: The Feat, not the ability. They aren't the same thing I think...

[Grigori]

You can track without the feat. The feat you are thinking of allows for perpetual tracking while not being reduced in speed and is available for rangers only I do believe. -Swift Tracker-

Ok, went and read the book, it does say Survival "helps" with tracking... Not sure what the solid rules are now, I will go and look that up. But as far as roleplay goes... survival in the sense of living off of the land is how I look at it in a PW... I also think Survival should reflect in the ability to rest outdoors and how effective that rest is.

[Rhazeal]

I must say, I see some problems with the game applications of the Survival skill... Real time tracking in the manner it is present in the game seems more fit for spells such as "Detect Undead". I would love if there was a little "lag" - so to speak - on the tracking of creatures using the skill.