DM Tool - track laying tool

GM_ODA wrote:Friend Roger Dodger,
I understand what you're saying but I want to be careful not to 'steal the thunder' from a class. I have had some players complain of such; one griped that there was an item that gave 'Hide In Plain Sight' saying that having such a thing ruined the novelty of the Shadowdancer class. There is a camp out there who feel if you want your PC to be able to track you should take a level as ranger or druid or barbarian. I want to be careful not to make all the classes generic, this is a game of classes, and levels, feats and skills. We need to preserve some of that for the sake of the mechanics. Also, remember, scouting is not the same as tracking.

I am going to have Eriniel make the tracking system friendlier - allowing non tracking class PCs to recognize general type of tracks (no specifics), that would include telling your PC that the tracks you are looking at are those of a [YOUR RACE HERE] and from there it will be up to the PLAYER to figure out whose tracks they might be. Fair enough?

GM_ODA wrote:Friend Roger Dodger,
Also, remember, scouting is not the same as tracking.

No, indeed, but some of the same skills are used. Most of the time, I find tracks either in the grass (green areas outside), or in the dust of a dungeon/cave floor. Tracks in the grass would be difficult for anyone, even an expert tracker, to ID (just mashed grass, not very indicative). Tracks in the dust (or dirt in a cave) would be a little easier to see what kind of critter made the print. Tracks made across a farmer's plowed field would be the easiest to decipher (nice clean and soft dirt). The environment of the track is everything.

I am going to have Eriniel make the tracking system friendlier - allowing non tracking class PCs to recognize general type of tracks (no specifics), that would include telling your PC that the tracks you are looking at are those of a [YOUR RACE HERE] and from there it will be up to the PLAYER to figure out whose tracks they might be. Fair enough?

Things that would be describable in a 'reasonably' clear track would be 1) Size (small, med., large); 2) Humanoid (wearing boots or barefoot) or animal ('maybe' type, i.e. Cloven hoofed, Horse print, Canine, Feline or Bear). Again, the key is 'Reasonably Clear' tracks. Bent over grass isn't going to tell the PC much, other than the normal "Something has passed this way".

RL Story: I once went with a friend into the mountains of Montana looking for 'antlers', which 'can' be quite valuable. Wandering around the mountains, we came across 'tracks' and/or 'scat' (poop piles). The ground was bare, and the tracks were 'clear'. Still, I could only see in the tracks that they were made by a LARGE, cloven-hoofed animal. Same with the Scat (obviously a herbivore of some type). My friend, Ed, could see a lot more (more 'Tracking XP'). He could tell me that the prints were made by a Moose or an Elk (LARGE), and the Scat was dropped by one of the above. There are differences that the experienced can determine. I couldn't, and still can't (little Tracking XP).

Back to the Game:
An 'outdoorsie' class PC comes across "Tracks". 'Examine Tracks' reveals: "The tracks were made by a large Elk, traveling N-NW. The Scat is very green and still steaming, indicating the animal is quite close. Properly tanned Elk Hide would make a very nice Winter Coat, and the meat should last you at least a month - fresh and jerked".
A non-'outdoorsie' class comes across the same tracks. 'Examine Tracks' reveals: "A large, cloven-hoofed animal passed this way, traveling in a Northerly direction. The steaming pile of poo tells you the animal is fairly close by".

The 'Pile of Poo' could have just as easily have been Brown, Dry and Crumbly, indicating the animal passed by a long time ago.

No information is completely useless, but would take a little time to 'design' the placeable Track or Poo   .

Roger Dodger
A Citizen of the Republic

GM_ODA wrote:Friend Roger Dodger,
I understand what you're saying but I want to be careful not to 'steal the thunder' from a class. I have had some players complain of such; one griped that there was an item that gave 'Hide In Plain Sight' saying that having such a thing ruined the novelty of the Shadowdancer class. There is a camp out there who feel if you want your PC to be able to track you should take a level as ranger or druid or barbarian. I want to be careful not to make all the classes generic, this is a game of classes, and levels, feats and skills. We need to preserve some of that for the sake of the mechanics. Also, remember, scouting is not the same as tracking.

I am going to have Eriniel make the tracking system friendlier - allowing non tracking class PCs to recognize general type of tracks (no specifics), that would include telling your PC that the tracks you are looking at are those of a [YOUR RACE HERE] and from there it will be up to the PLAYER to figure out whose tracks they might be. Fair enough?