Should there be a skill for the ability to smell?

[dreaded_beast]

We have skills to spot, listen, and search.

Do you think there should be a skill for the ability to smell?

IMO, having a good sense of smell can produce decent information, almost as much as a spot or listen check. For example, sometimes you smell something far sooner than you hear or see it. Another example is if you are in a room, and smell a strange odor, but can neither see or hear what is making it.

I think it would be Wisdom based, along the lines of the other skills that deal with the "senses".

Or would having a "smell" skill add to many rules to the game or not contribute a significant amount of usefulness?

 

[Crothian]

Smell could be a skill but we do already have the scent ability. But one problem is that no matter how much you train your nose its never going to be as good as a dogs for instance. If you make is a skill then it would be possible for people to out smell a dog.

 

[Dark Psion]

Scroll down to "Senses" Part 1,2 & 3

http://www.throwingdice.com/freestuff.html

 

[Droogie]

As Crothian mentioned, there's already a scent ability. Personally, I wish some skills could be consolidated. Listen, Spot, Scent, maybe even Sense Motive into "Perception". Move Silent, Hide, maybe Disguise into "Stealth", etc.

 

[Tinker Gnome]

I can tell when a sub sandwich has olives on it, and when it doesnt by smelling. I can also randomly smell things that are not even in my presence and are not even in my house. I think Smell should be a skill.

 

[dreaded_beast]

As Crothian mentioned, there's already a scent ability.

IMO, the "scent" ability seems to be more for monsters and NPCs than for player characters. I'm thinking along the lines of something for the PCs that they can add skill points too.

In regards to not being able to smell as good as a dog, the same thing could be said for being able to hear or see better than a person's natural physical limitations, in my opinion.

 

[Mark]

Should there be a skill for the ability to smell?

You seem to do just fine without any skill whatsoever...

In regards to not being able to smell as good as a dog...

P - U!

 

[der_kluge]

We had scent as a skill in my last campaign. The minotaur took it. wis-based.

It wasn't a problem, though it did require me to think of what some of those dungeons must have smelled like. I don't know... I think it added to the game.

It certainly was useful. If anything, having it is a bit on the powerful side, since you can smell invisible foes, and you can smell if someone is polymorphed and you don't recognize their smell, that kind of stuff.

So yea, it can be a little unbalancing. So be prepared for that kind of stuff if you include it.

 

[dreaded_beast]

since you can smell invisible foes

to make it balanced, i would make the DC similar to a spot, listen, check. perhaps being invisible also masks a creature's scent somewhat.

and you can smell if someone is polymorphed and you don't recognize their smell,

i would say that a polymorphed person would also have a different smell, since polymorph is a fairly powerful ability

 

[Particle_Man]

My DM allowed Scent as a takeable (but not automatic) feat for half-orcs and gnomes. He also allowed Scent as a skill for those who had the Scent Feat, treating it exactly as Spot (wis based, and cross-class where spot is cross-class). Where the feat allowed a roll modified by Wisdom, I was allowed to use my Scent skill. My half-orc fighter took the feat and maxed out the cross-class skill and sometimes did quite well with it. It changed her from a one dimensional character to a two dimensional character (Kill Bad Guys, and occasionally sniff out a Clue).