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Message: <blockquote data-quote="CombatWombat51" data-source="post: 1820877" data-attributes="member: 10473">Here's the skill I wrote up, which is basically the Scent ability with a chance of failure. The key to not having to spread thin creature skill points is by giving racial bonuses to Scent checks. In fact, in many cases where a creature had Track as a bonus feat and +X to Survival, simply changing the bonus to Scent, and removing the Track skill worked perfectly.ScentWis; Exclusive, UntrainedUnlike other skills, your eligibility to take ranks in Scent is based on your race. Creatures that have the Scent special quality (and only those creatures) also have the Scent skill. With a successful Scent check, you can detect approaching creatures, sniff out hidden enemies, and follow a trail.    You can detect creatures with a successful check. Make a Scent check with a DC equal to the amount of feet they are away. If the opponent is upwind, the DC is doubled, and if the creature is downwind, the DC is halved. The DC to detect a strong odor, such as smoke or rotting garbage, is equal to half the number of feet away they are. The DC to detect an overpowering scent, such as skunk musk or troglodyte stench, is equal to 1/4 of the number of feet away they are.    You can detect another creature’s presence, but not it’s specific location. To discern the direction of a scent requires a check with the same DC as above, and doing so is a standard action that doesn’t provoke attacks of opportunity. If you move within 5 feet of the scent’s source, you can pinpoint the location of the scent.    You can follow tracks by scent. The typical DC for a fresh trail is 10. The DC increases or decreases depending on how strong the quarry’s odor is (+5 bonus for strong scents, and a +10 bonus for overpowering scents), the number of creatures, and the age of the trail. For each hour that the trail is cold, the DC increases by 1. Otherwise, use the same rules as for the Track feat. Creatures tracking by scent ignore the effects of surface conditions and poor visibility.    Creatures with Scent can identify familiar odors just as humans do familiar sights.    Water, especially running water, can ruin a trail for air-breathing creatures. Still water forces another Scent check to follow the trail, with a +10 modifier to the DC. Running water also forces another check, but with a +20 modifier to the DC.    False, powerful odors can easily mask other scents. The presence of such an odor raises the DC to properly detect or identify creatures by 20, and the base DC for a fresh trail increases from 10 to 20.    Special: Creatures with the Scent ability gain a +4 racial bonus to Scent checks.    If something gives a bonus to Listen and Spot checks, such as a ranger’s favored enemy bonus, the bonus also applies to Scent checks.</blockquote>

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