Request for help: If your PC had to spend 2 years in the wild, how would he survive?
- Thread starter Edena_of_Neith
- Start date
If you have an 11 Wisdom, take a level of Druid ASAP. This will give you a healing spell and allow you to pump up your wilderness lore. Plus you will be able to cast Entangle, this will allow you to escape from any non-flying enemy because even if you encounter an Dire Bear the Entangle will slow it down enought for you to run away.
Just 1 level of Druid should be enough, then you can return to your wizardly ways.
Just 1 level of Druid should be enough, then you can return to your wizardly ways.
If I put a wizard up against, let's say, a single goblin, I'd lay odds 50/50, because the battle will really come down to who wins initiative and how much damage they do. A magic missle could take out the goblin, but a bow hit could likely take out the mage, too. It's so dicey at low levels.
Multiclassing is for sure an option that would go a long way to helping things out - but it's only an option if the character is allowed to accumulate experience. Unless he's getting XP for other things besides taking down monsters, he's not going to be getting much for basic survival. At the same time, trying to take down any sort of critter also puts you in significantly more danger, the kind that will kill you outright.
Multiclassing is for sure an option that would go a long way to helping things out - but it's only an option if the character is allowed to accumulate experience. Unless he's getting XP for other things besides taking down monsters, he's not going to be getting much for basic survival. At the same time, trying to take down any sort of critter also puts you in significantly more danger, the kind that will kill you outright.
Voadam
Legend
List what skills you have Edena. And what languages you speak. It's tough to advise you to make friends with orcs if you don't speak orc.
You will need to make fires to cook your food, undercooked food can make you very ill very quick and you will need a fire in winter. Test out different woods in your fires, you will find that evergreen needles burn quick but create a lot of smoke, you will find that dried dead wood burns with less smoke.
Create shelters to hide in so you can get circumstance modifiers to hide. You will not do well on just your default skill.
Use MM to get small animals for food, deer will have more than 5 hit points I think.
You will need to make fires to cook your food, undercooked food can make you very ill very quick and you will need a fire in winter. Test out different woods in your fires, you will find that evergreen needles burn quick but create a lot of smoke, you will find that dried dead wood burns with less smoke.
Create shelters to hide in so you can get circumstance modifiers to hide. You will not do well on just your default skill.
Use MM to get small animals for food, deer will have more than 5 hit points I think.
Buttercup
Princess of Florin
Just a few quick comments, Edena. Red meat does not prevent scurvy. Scurvy is a severe vitamin C deficiency, and only foods containing that vitamin will protect one. Your character will need to eat berries and greens to stay healthy.
Your idea about digging a hole in a river bank sounds good, but you might still consider building another shelter somewhere else, such as in a tree. If the river floods, you won't have time to create a shelter then. Do it in Summer, while its easy.
Prestidigitation is your friend. You can heat water to make soup from dried plant matter and frozen chunks of animal flesh. You can keep yourself and your clothing clean. It's the difference between survival and certain death.
Don't discount any source of nutrients. Set snares for small critters, eat bugs, leaves, berries, nuts, tubers, etc.
A fire of dry wood doesn't smoke much, and if you build it right inside your cave, it won't be visible for miles.
Your idea about digging a hole in a river bank sounds good, but you might still consider building another shelter somewhere else, such as in a tree. If the river floods, you won't have time to create a shelter then. Do it in Summer, while its easy.
Prestidigitation is your friend. You can heat water to make soup from dried plant matter and frozen chunks of animal flesh. You can keep yourself and your clothing clean. It's the difference between survival and certain death.
Don't discount any source of nutrients. Set snares for small critters, eat bugs, leaves, berries, nuts, tubers, etc.
A fire of dry wood doesn't smoke much, and if you build it right inside your cave, it won't be visible for miles.
Zaruthustran
The tingling means it’s working!
More info
Time for full disclosure, Edena. You've listed your situation, environment, and supplies, but have given us zero help with these vital bits of info:
1. WHAT IS YOUR QUEST? EXACTLY?
2. What are your character's stats, skills, languages, and feats?
3. What animal did you pick as your Familiar?
You seem like a reasonably intelligent guy. So read. Like another guy said, you should go to the library and get "My Side of the Mountain ". You can finish it in an afternoon. While you're at the library (or at a bookstore), pick up the Worst Case Scenario Survival Handbook. It has plain language, easy to understand notes on a few survival techniques (and, more importantly, it conveys an overall glimpse of the mindset required for survival).
If you're going to go through with this, get serious. Read theSAS Survival Handbook or the U.S. Army Survival Manual. These two books contain not only information on how to find food and shelter in any season and climate, but also how to avoid active search patrols and other intelligent, hostile foes. These books are perfectly applicable to your situation.
And good grief, GO TO A PARK AND LOOK AT SOME TREES. If you're in Southeast Michigan, go to Kensington Park or even Maybury Park in Northville. Just by walking around, you'll see an astonishing number of places that would make great shelter with minimal work.
Now, please help us help you and give us the details on your character and situation.
-Z
PS: if your character is in a place so remote that there's zero chance of friendly parties/merchants, and you are far (you said at least 40 miles) from roads, then chances are you're far from hostile, intelligent monsters. You're in the deep woods. Your primary concern should be magical Beast and exposure. And with your spells (especially Prestidigition, which you can use to Warm your clothes during Winter), you'll do okay.
PSS: make candles from congealed animal fat. A single candle, held close to the breast under your cloak, will keep you warm enough to survive--even at freezing temperatures. Remember to breathe the warm air above the candle.
PSSS: An intelligent monster who encounters this character won't instantly know he is a wizard. This guy has a sword and a bow; he could be any class in the world. And any level. If you encounter a sizable hostile band, stand tall and fierce and use prestidigitation to cause your sword to burst into ethereal flames. Point the sword at them. Say that the glade has no value. Then say that it is under your protection, and you will allow them to leave in peace.
Time for full disclosure, Edena. You've listed your situation, environment, and supplies, but have given us zero help with these vital bits of info:
1. WHAT IS YOUR QUEST? EXACTLY?
2. What are your character's stats, skills, languages, and feats?
3. What animal did you pick as your Familiar?
You seem like a reasonably intelligent guy. So read. Like another guy said, you should go to the library and get "My Side of the Mountain ". You can finish it in an afternoon. While you're at the library (or at a bookstore), pick up the Worst Case Scenario Survival Handbook. It has plain language, easy to understand notes on a few survival techniques (and, more importantly, it conveys an overall glimpse of the mindset required for survival).
If you're going to go through with this, get serious. Read theSAS Survival Handbook or the U.S. Army Survival Manual. These two books contain not only information on how to find food and shelter in any season and climate, but also how to avoid active search patrols and other intelligent, hostile foes. These books are perfectly applicable to your situation.
And good grief, GO TO A PARK AND LOOK AT SOME TREES. If you're in Southeast Michigan, go to Kensington Park or even Maybury Park in Northville. Just by walking around, you'll see an astonishing number of places that would make great shelter with minimal work.
Now, please help us help you and give us the details on your character and situation.
-Z
PS: if your character is in a place so remote that there's zero chance of friendly parties/merchants, and you are far (you said at least 40 miles) from roads, then chances are you're far from hostile, intelligent monsters. You're in the deep woods. Your primary concern should be magical Beast and exposure. And with your spells (especially Prestidigition, which you can use to Warm your clothes during Winter), you'll do okay.
PSS: make candles from congealed animal fat. A single candle, held close to the breast under your cloak, will keep you warm enough to survive--even at freezing temperatures. Remember to breathe the warm air above the candle.
PSSS: An intelligent monster who encounters this character won't instantly know he is a wizard. This guy has a sword and a bow; he could be any class in the world. And any level. If you encounter a sizable hostile band, stand tall and fierce and use prestidigitation to cause your sword to burst into ethereal flames. Point the sword at them. Say that the glade has no value. Then say that it is under your protection, and you will allow them to leave in peace.
Personally I think you stand a great chance.
Be sneaky and try to avoid any direct confrontation.
You could try for the mad hermit routine. Plaster the valley with totem signs and other such props. And if confronted by other smart humanoids act like a crazy guy!
This will usually ensure that they will leave you alone.
Another option is to appear as a shaman. Act mysteriously and if you dress up in rags and use some animal skull as a helmet (so that they can't see your face.) you can fool them to think that you are for example some powerful orcish shaman who has taken the glade as his home, and beware any who displeases you!!
So you con the humanoids into bringing you food.
Be sneaky and try to avoid any direct confrontation.
You could try for the mad hermit routine. Plaster the valley with totem signs and other such props. And if confronted by other smart humanoids act like a crazy guy!
This will usually ensure that they will leave you alone.
Another option is to appear as a shaman. Act mysteriously and if you dress up in rags and use some animal skull as a helmet (so that they can't see your face.) you can fool them to think that you are for example some powerful orcish shaman who has taken the glade as his home, and beware any who displeases you!!
So you con the humanoids into bringing you food.
Zaruthustran
The tingling means it’s working!
Answering the question in the subject title
Just to show you how good your wizard has it, I'll describe my PC (at first level) and see what you think of his chances.
Lawful Good Dwarf Fighter 1
Str 12, Dex 16, Con 19, Int 18, Wis 8, Cha 6. HP 14.
Skills: Craft Armor, Craft Weapon, Craft Jewelry, Craft Stonework.
Feats: Quickdraw, Improved Initiative
Starting gear: Breastplate, longspear, buckler, battle axe, light crossbow and 30 bolts, hatchet (back of hatchet head fashioned into a hammer), spikes, backpack, 2 weeks rations, blanket, cloak, 2 waterskins, 2 flasks of oil, chalk, soap, whetstone, 4 candles, flint and tinder, backpack.
Languages: Dwarf, Common, Giant, Draconic, Elf, Gnome
Later, I multiclassed this character to Wizard and made a wand-quickdrawing-mithral-full-plate-wearing bad ass. But this is what he was at first level.
How would this character survive in the wild? He could do well in a fight, but without magic and a familiar he'd have to work a LOT harder to avoid unwinnable fights or bring down food. And in winter he'd have a very hard time staying warm, as compared to our magic-equipped friend and his hour-long prestidigitation spells. Thanks goodness for a terrific Fortitude save to resist damage from exposure; with a Wilderness Lore exposure damage check modifier of -2 he'll need it.
If he can get close enough to an animal he stands a decent chance of bringing it down (ranged attack BAB of +4). And he doesn't need to worry about breaking bolts since he can make more. But deer take more than one shot, and with such a low Wis he can't hope to track even a wounded, bleeding deer.
If he has his weps and armor on he's more than a match for most aggressive animals. But even a dwarf can't wear armor 24/7.
So maybe he could use his Stonecunning and stonework skills to craft a basic block house (using his hammer and a spike as a chisel). He could cover it with sod, creating a warm, sturdy, fairly camouflaged shelter. Great--but what about intelligent foes? He's certainly not able to talk his way out of an encounter. And it'd take quite a long time (and a lot of noise) to construct even a basic dwelling, even if he used river rocks.
So count your blessings, magic man.
Just to show you how good your wizard has it, I'll describe my PC (at first level) and see what you think of his chances.
Lawful Good Dwarf Fighter 1
Str 12, Dex 16, Con 19, Int 18, Wis 8, Cha 6. HP 14.
Skills: Craft Armor, Craft Weapon, Craft Jewelry, Craft Stonework.
Feats: Quickdraw, Improved Initiative
Starting gear: Breastplate, longspear, buckler, battle axe, light crossbow and 30 bolts, hatchet (back of hatchet head fashioned into a hammer), spikes, backpack, 2 weeks rations, blanket, cloak, 2 waterskins, 2 flasks of oil, chalk, soap, whetstone, 4 candles, flint and tinder, backpack.
Languages: Dwarf, Common, Giant, Draconic, Elf, Gnome
Later, I multiclassed this character to Wizard and made a wand-quickdrawing-mithral-full-plate-wearing bad ass. But this is what he was at first level.
How would this character survive in the wild? He could do well in a fight, but without magic and a familiar he'd have to work a LOT harder to avoid unwinnable fights or bring down food. And in winter he'd have a very hard time staying warm, as compared to our magic-equipped friend and his hour-long prestidigitation spells. Thanks goodness for a terrific Fortitude save to resist damage from exposure; with a Wilderness Lore exposure damage check modifier of -2 he'll need it.
If he can get close enough to an animal he stands a decent chance of bringing it down (ranged attack BAB of +4). And he doesn't need to worry about breaking bolts since he can make more. But deer take more than one shot, and with such a low Wis he can't hope to track even a wounded, bleeding deer.
If he has his weps and armor on he's more than a match for most aggressive animals. But even a dwarf can't wear armor 24/7.
So maybe he could use his Stonecunning and stonework skills to craft a basic block house (using his hammer and a spike as a chisel). He could cover it with sod, creating a warm, sturdy, fairly camouflaged shelter. Great--but what about intelligent foes? He's certainly not able to talk his way out of an encounter. And it'd take quite a long time (and a lot of noise) to construct even a basic dwelling, even if he used river rocks.
So count your blessings, magic man.
The Kender
First Post
Sounds fun accually. Remember what he posted. He's doing this for cash, and he looses if he leaves the forest.
1) Spend the day at a park, even a small local one. Its amazing how much you notice when you need to
2) Read "The Hachet"
3) Since you can't multiclass, take spells that will help you. If you know what you are doing, its not so bad. A Wizard could accually be a very good choice.
4) Worst case scenario, cover your face and act like an Orc Shaman, like others suggested.
5) Find a nice flat rock and make a Barbaque
6) Protection from Cold is your friend
7) Go with the hole in the bank idea. Dig it in as far as you can without calapsing it.
1) Spend the day at a park, even a small local one. Its amazing how much you notice when you need to
2) Read "The Hachet"
3) Since you can't multiclass, take spells that will help you. If you know what you are doing, its not so bad. A Wizard could accually be a very good choice.
4) Worst case scenario, cover your face and act like an Orc Shaman, like others suggested.
5) Find a nice flat rock and make a Barbaque
6) Protection from Cold is your friend
7) Go with the hole in the bank idea. Dig it in as far as you can without calapsing it.
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