An alternative to the Scent Ability

[LoneWolf23]

I've got a campaign oriented on furry PCs that will probably use the scent ability a lot, and I was frankly displeased with the standard Scent Ability. An automatic detect invisible people and bonus to track seems a little too potent. So here's my alternative Smell skill, which I'm using. Those creatures who get the Scent ability will instead get a bonus to smell...

Smell (Wis)
Using this skill, you can percieve and identify items by smell, and can use it to follow a scent to it's source.
Check: Make a Smell check against a DC that reflects how feint or potent the scent you're trying to identify is.

DC Scent
0 Strong Incense, Troglodyte Musk, Otyugh skin, Animal Waste, a spice rack, an active bakery
5 Wild flowers, Freshly cooked food, someone's perfume, half-day old waste
10 Dried foods and fruits, day old waste
+1 per 10 ft from the smeller
+5 through a door
+10 Within a cloud of smoke or mist
+10 to pinpoint a smell's unseen source

 

[Spatzimaus]

In 3.5E there will be a "Minor Scent" ability, IIRC. But even without that, I had already made a 3E version that worked well.

Basically, take the standard Scent. Divide all ranges by 3. Add 5 to any skill check DCs. Make the penalties for being downwind of the creature larger.

That's the ability I let Half-Orcs take as a Feat. It's far more balanced with normal Feats. It's also more appropriate for a lot of animals (like Horses and such); the creatures with the full Scent ability tend to be predator-types.