Menu
News
All News
Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
Pathfinder
Starfinder
Warhammer
2d20 System
Year Zero Engine
Industry News
Reviews
Dragon Reflections
Columns
Weekly Digests
Weekly News Digest
Freebies, Sales & Bundles
RPG Print News
RPG Crowdfunding News
Game Content
ENterplanetary DimENsions
Mythological Figures
Opinion
Worlds of Design
Peregrine's Next
RPG Evolution
Other Columns
From the Freelancing Frontline
Monster ENcyclopedia
WotC/TSR Alumni Look Back
4 Hours w/RSD (Ryan Dancey)
The Road to 3E (Jonathan Tweet)
Greenwood's Realms (Ed Greenwood)
Drawmij's TSR (Jim Ward)
Community
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Resources
Wiki
Pages
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Downloads
Latest reviews
Search resources
EN Publishing
Store
EN5ider
Adventures in ZEITGEIST
Awfully Cheerful Engine
What's OLD is NEW
Judge Dredd & The Worlds Of 2000AD
War of the Burning Sky
Level Up: Advanced 5E
Events & Releases
Upcoming Events
Private Events
Featured Events
Socials!
Twitch
YouTube
Facebook (EN Publishing)
Facebook (EN World)
Twitter
Instagram
TikTok
Podcast
Features
Top 5 RPGs Compiled Charts 2004-Present
Adventure Game Industry Market Research Summary (RPGs) V1.0
Ryan Dancey: Acquiring TSR
Q&A With Gary Gygax
D&D Rules FAQs
TSR, WotC, & Paizo: A Comparative History
D&D Pronunciation Guide
Million Dollar TTRPG Kickstarters
Tabletop RPG Podcast Hall of Fame
Eric Noah's Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News
D&D in the Mainstream
D&D & RPG History
About Morrus
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
The
VOIDRUNNER'S CODEX
is coming! Explore new worlds, fight oppressive empires, fend off fearsome aliens, and wield deadly psionics with this comprehensive boxed set expansion for 5E and A5E!
Community
General Tabletop Discussion
Character Builds & Optimization
Optimizing a Cartographer
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="faria" data-source="post: 6813101" data-attributes="member: 6780042"><p>I saw that Outlander Wanderer feature, but the background doesn't offer proficiency in Cartographer's tools, meaning I'd have to mash two together like Rune mentioned above. That would yield a more optimal combination though, so it's worth considering a custom background. Guild Artisan-Cartographer but swap Guild Membership for the Outlander's Wanderer feature, keep Insight (useful for scouting), drop Persuasion for Perception. That's if we can choose. </p><p></p><p>Question: Do you think Outlander's Wanderer feature would replace the need for the Keen Mind feature?</p><p></p><p>As for what cartography checks are for, it's for drawing <u>accurate</u> and <u>beautiful</u> maps. That's it. Even if I roll a natural 20 Investigation/Perception check to determine the correct size of a room with the exact layout of features and enemies, I can still f*ck up the map I draw for my allies. Maybe I mess up the <u>accuracy</u> and draw the room too small or a column too big or an enemy in the wrong place or put a ledge 30ft off from where it should be. Or maybe I mess up the <u>beauty</u> with non-straight lines or an ink blotch, making the map's value drop when I try to sell it later in town. </p><p></p><p>I understand that these don't seem like they make a big difference, but they do. Most groups are already used to just walking into rooms without knowing what they'll find, because most groups don't use scouts. It's the only useful/appropriate role I see for a cartographer character though, and having a good scout can change the game. A scout can ensure surprise rounds every time because we know where the enemies are and plan attacks. A scout can give the group the option to sneak past guards without having to fight them because we know that they're distracted. A scout can find/trigger traps so they don't hurt the entire party. An invisible scout can see that there's an ambush ahead, giving us the upper hand instead. <u>Having a scout can make a huge difference, but what good are they if they can't accurately portray to their allies what they've found?</u> Some people might like these changes (less death = more fun), some might not (more death = more fun), but I see potential for everyone in the middle (more options = more fun). Scouting is a new idea for me, so I haven't yet explored the concept. I could use feedback and help to determine the value of this new strategy.</p><p></p><p>I do have a question: Would it be Investigation or Perception to determine the size, shape, etc of a room I enter? Or perhaps I should roll both: Investigation for layout/size of the room and discovery of traps + Perception for number of enemies and their locations?</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="faria, post: 6813101, member: 6780042"] I saw that Outlander Wanderer feature, but the background doesn't offer proficiency in Cartographer's tools, meaning I'd have to mash two together like Rune mentioned above. That would yield a more optimal combination though, so it's worth considering a custom background. Guild Artisan-Cartographer but swap Guild Membership for the Outlander's Wanderer feature, keep Insight (useful for scouting), drop Persuasion for Perception. That's if we can choose. Question: Do you think Outlander's Wanderer feature would replace the need for the Keen Mind feature? As for what cartography checks are for, it's for drawing [U]accurate[/U] and [U]beautiful[/U] maps. That's it. Even if I roll a natural 20 Investigation/Perception check to determine the correct size of a room with the exact layout of features and enemies, I can still f*ck up the map I draw for my allies. Maybe I mess up the [U]accuracy[/U] and draw the room too small or a column too big or an enemy in the wrong place or put a ledge 30ft off from where it should be. Or maybe I mess up the [U]beauty[/U] with non-straight lines or an ink blotch, making the map's value drop when I try to sell it later in town. I understand that these don't seem like they make a big difference, but they do. Most groups are already used to just walking into rooms without knowing what they'll find, because most groups don't use scouts. It's the only useful/appropriate role I see for a cartographer character though, and having a good scout can change the game. A scout can ensure surprise rounds every time because we know where the enemies are and plan attacks. A scout can give the group the option to sneak past guards without having to fight them because we know that they're distracted. A scout can find/trigger traps so they don't hurt the entire party. An invisible scout can see that there's an ambush ahead, giving us the upper hand instead. [U]Having a scout can make a huge difference, but what good are they if they can't accurately portray to their allies what they've found?[/U] Some people might like these changes (less death = more fun), some might not (more death = more fun), but I see potential for everyone in the middle (more options = more fun). Scouting is a new idea for me, so I haven't yet explored the concept. I could use feedback and help to determine the value of this new strategy. I do have a question: Would it be Investigation or Perception to determine the size, shape, etc of a room I enter? Or perhaps I should roll both: Investigation for layout/size of the room and discovery of traps + Perception for number of enemies and their locations? [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Community
General Tabletop Discussion
Character Builds & Optimization
Optimizing a Cartographer
Top