Increased functionality for Survival skill

[Shedboy]

How about making some exclusive transitions between areas (or parts of areas ) for characters who have good skills in Survival / Tracking. (various dc's). It might reflect improved directionsense, agaility for navigating terrain. Of course a failed DC could end up with Con damage or fatigue. (up the proverbial creek without a paddle).


e.g.

So you can take a map shortcut
Jump a map in between
Get to a secret area
Avoid a hazardous encounter (so you have reserves for what you want to do or in case thinsg go bad and you want to avoid )
etc.

Roads & trails are not necessarily the shortest route between two points on a map, especially if your on foot.

[Twisted-Indoctrine]

Actually roads and trails rarely exist in most places one would find actual adventure. Shackleton didn't exactly have a "southpole, this way!" sign set up for him, as an example.

It would be kind of cool to have more uses for survival and I think this is an alright use for it... Might even make some survivalist only rest areas in the middle of otherwise harsh wilderness for whenever the rest system is revised to make resting less "I'm going down on one knee wherever I want" and more "We probably ought find a safe area."

[Dihydrogen Monoxide]

Might take a bit of work revamping the ability.. not knocking the ideas, definitely gives a more suitable flavor to woodsman/women PC's.

Perhaps some sort of synthesis could be arranged for the above mentioned characters by adding in the knowledge: nature to survival when outdoors, and knowledge: dungeoneering when in a dungeon-like area. (Mmm... dungeon slime.)

[Waverider10]

survival/track

One of my irks about the survival/track combo is that it only "sees" hostiles. I would also think you could "see" friendlies and neutrals as well. I'm not sure if that's hardcoded or not. I'd think you'd be able to sniff out an orc warrior PC etc.

Perhaps survival could be used to not only allows a PC to know when there are others around but also hide you from others in the wild as well? Sort of a hide/sneak for radar only?

Of course anything that influnences the radar mechanic could be seen as metagaming... I'd think it is all in how you play it.

[Thief Of Navarre]

The transition between viridale and the orc camp would be a nice shortcut.

[Thief Of Navarre]

Might take a bit of work revamping the ability.. not knocking the ideas, definitely gives a more suitable flavor to woodsman/women PC's.

Perhaps some sort of synthesis could be arranged for the above mentioned characters by adding in the knowledge: nature to survival when outdoors, and knowledge: dungeoneering when in a dungeon-like area. (Mmm... dungeon slime.)

My suggestion is more dungeon slime. Perhaps an Ochre jelly or two ~ Could even have boss slime like in Dragon quest games Collosal Elder black pudding with 1000hp?

Back on topic. Sounds good; I could see the staff going for some of this when they have the time!