Tracking by non rangers

[Bill]

Does anyone have any rules about wilderness tracking by characters that are not rangers?

Thanks.

Bill

[Galannor]

Hi, I allow my players' heroes to track, even if they are not rangers, but if they are not rangers in my games they don't add their level to their tracking ckecks.
If general conditions are particularly hard and harsh, a non ranger could also suffer from a higher Challenge Level.
Hope that helps,
Galannor

[Arduin]

Well, (PHB I think) it is Wis based, the player does NOT add their level to the check and even if a successful check is made, it is less successful than a Ranger would be.

Hope this helps....

[Omote]

Hi, I allow my players' heroes to track, even if they are not rangers, but if they are not rangers in my games they don't add their level to their tracking ckecks.
If general conditions are particularly hard and harsh, a non ranger could also suffer from a higher Challenge Level.
Hope that helps,
Galannor

This right here.

Also, in some particularly harsh situations, I will not even allow the PCs to attempt to track at all. Sorry Cleric, hire a ranger NPC if you want to track over hard packed earth creatures who passed this way a week ago.

~O

[Sir Ironside]

You'd think the Barbarian class would have some kind of restricted tracking ability. Not as good as a Ranger but better than other classes.

[Lord Dynel]

Hi, I allow my players' heroes to track, even if they are not rangers, but if they are not rangers in my games they don't add their level to their tracking ckecks.
If general conditions are particularly hard and harsh, a non ranger could also suffer from a higher Challenge Level.
Hope that helps,
Galannor

This right here.

Also, in some particularly harsh situations, I will not even allow the PCs to attempt to track at all. Sorry Cleric, hire a ranger NPC if you want to track over hard packed earth creatures who passed this way a week ago.

~O

I think I'm with you, O, but I probably wouldn't wait till "harsh situations," as I probably prohibit nearly all the classes, outside the ranger, to try to track. However...

You'd think the Barbarian class would have some kind of restricted tracking ability. Not as good as a Ranger but better than other classes.

I would allow Barbarians and Druids to try to track (without adding levels). Otherwise, if you need to track, as Omote stated, hire a tracker (ranger).

[alcyone]

This depends, too, on the necessity of tracking. If the whole reason the bad guys left a trail is to get to the next part of the adventure, I'd make it pretty easy (but still roll, so I don't tip off players). This is often the case when using a prepublished adventure or an event-driven adventure of one's own.

In a more open-ended adventure, I'd be a lot more comfortable with failure. If you don't have the skills, you'd still get a roll, but no level added, and your degree of success will differ. Where a ranger would go, "Oh, he's gutshot, he's limping, he favors his right side, he's still got an arrow in him, and his pace is slowing. He went that way." the successful wizard would get "He was here. He's not here now. I think he went that way." (and maybe he did, and maybe he didn't.)

[Arduin]

This depends, too, on the necessity of tracking. If the whole reason the bad guys left a trail is to get to the next part of the adventure, I'd make it pretty easy (but still roll, so I don't tip off players). This is often the case when using a prepublished adventure or an event-driven adventure of one's own.

Yes, but this need not take the tracking skill. Example: following bad guys (8 people on horses) right after newly fallen snow in remote area. No real skill other than working eyeballs needed.

[Lord Dynel]

Yes, but this need not take the tracking skill. Example: following bad guys (8 people on horses) right after newly fallen snow in remote area. No real skill other than working eyeballs needed.

Yeah, this is an absurdly easy example. You said yourself, "no real skill than two working eyeballs." So, yeah, I agree. But I don't consider that "tracking," either...more like "CK: Are you looking at the ground? Yes? Then you see the tracks." Very similar to Listen. I think the fighter, while he's no trained rogue, could hear the combat in the next room. That's the way I'd handle it, at least. But If I sniff any kind of check being necessary then I'd prescribe to the method I outlined in my previous post.

[Arduin]

So, yeah, I agree. But I don't consider that "tracking," either...more like "CK: Are you looking at the ground? Yes? Then you see the tracks."

Right. That was my point. Situations where "tracking" isn't needed but you are still "tracking" in the non C&C sense.

[Lord Dynel]

So, yeah, I agree. But I don't consider that "tracking," either...more like "CK: Are you looking at the ground? Yes? Then you see the tracks."

Right. That was my point. Situations where "tracking" isn't needed but you are still "tracking" in the non C&C sense.

Yes. My point was that in situations like the one you gave, not only do you not need the tracking ability, I wouldn't even require a roll. Or for you to be a wilderness-based class. All but the most simple circumstances, in my opinion, should be available to just about everyone. Examples like that, though, aren't considered tracking in my opinion.; it's more like following bread crumbs à la Hansel and Gretel. I know you said that you are still tracking in the non C&C sense, but I guess my opinion is a little different. Following a trail vs. tracking. As long as the PC can spot the trail left, then they should be good.

[Arduin]

Following a trail vs. tracking. As long as the PC can spot the trail left, then they should be good.

Yes, "tracking" was the wrong word. Following a "Trail" is more of an accurate description.

[ThrorII]

A Track check is a Wisdom SIEGE check. Anyone can try to track. No level is added for non-rangers.

Tracking for non-rangers (house rule):
Track: Allows the character to successfully track any creature in a wilderness setting that leaves a discernable trace. Checks are made every 5 hours. Characters cannot determine specific features about the creature tracked, such as numbers, type or status (injured, etc). Rangers have expanded tracking skills. Tracks that have been concealed by a ranger use the ranger’s level as the challenge level.

Compared to the ranger's ability:
I allow rangers to do the above automatically as a class feature (house rule). The expanded features listed in the PHB class abilities (determine characteristics, determine number of creatures tracked, determine catagory of creature tracked, and specific characteristics or specific creatures) are availble to rangers with a SIEGE check.

This makes sure the party cleric is not a better tracker than the 1-3rd level ranger.

[serleran]

Anyone can track the obvious -- numerous giant footprints in fresh mud, without any attempt to conceal it, littered with detritus and stool. No check really needed.

Following something a little trickier may require a check, and I generally allow anyone with "outdoors" skills to do it -- ranger, barbie, druid, etc.

Getting precise information... like number of individuals, their conditions, whether they are gimps or in chains... the standard Sherlock Holmes stuff requires a check and only a ranger can do it.

[doominicus]

Anyone can track anything in my game. As usual, if tracking isn't your class skill, you don't add your level. Tracking, even if successfull, if tried by a non-ranger character, is less effective: you cannot understand the number, the kind and little details of the chased ones.

[Lord Dynel]

Anyone can track the obvious -- numerous giant footprints in fresh mud, without any attempt to conceal it, littered with detritus and stool. No check really needed.

Following something a little trickier may require a check, and I generally allow anyone with "outdoors" skills to do it -- ranger, barbie, druid, etc.

Getting precise information... like number of individuals, their conditions, whether they are gimps or in chains... the standard Sherlock Holmes stuff requires a check and only a ranger can do it.

I agree with this. This is what Arduin and I were discussing upthread. To me, it's a good mix of RAW with some house rules mixed in (as the RAW is not to allow a check for class abilities from another class).

[Lurker]

Anyone can track the obvious -- numerous giant footprints in fresh mud, without any attempt to conceal it, littered with detritus and stool. No check really needed.

Following something a little trickier may require a check, and I generally allow anyone with "outdoors" skills to do it -- ranger, barbie, druid, etc.

Getting precise information... like number of individuals, their conditions, whether they are gimps or in chains... the standard Sherlock Holmes stuff requires a check and only a ranger can do it.

Rgr on that, plus I'll throw in that a ranger can use his tracking ability to "guess" where the tracks are headed, or if they are tracks that will lead the party into an ambush.

It's one thing to follow the obvious, its another to follow them, get a head of them or avoid a back tracking loop around trap ...