Tracking

[Nikosandros]

Questions for those with the rules:

How is tracking handled? Is it a nature roll? Perception? Something else entirely?

Does any class, like for instance the ranger, has any feature, power or feat that makes it better at tracking?

 

[Cheesepie]

There are no feats or class features for tracking. I can't conclusively say there's not a ranger utility power for tracking, as I have not read them all, but there is at least not one at fairly low levels.

I would use a certain skill depending on the area: Nature for the wilderness, Dungeoneering for caves and dungeons and such, and Streetwise(?) for urban areas.

 

[Nikosandros]

I'm bumping this thread of mine from a week ago...

The ranger initial description states that they are able to track "through nearly any landscape using the smallest clue to set your course, even sometimes the calls and songs of beasts and birds."

How so? I couldn't find any feature, power or feat that helps in this regard.

Similarly, the Pathfinder paragon path talks about being "the ultimate scout" but offers no mechanical way of supporting it.

 

[Selganor]

Finding tracks is described in the Perception skill, a skill only the Ranger (and the Rogue) got on their Class Skill list.

 

[MarkChevallier]

It may be another disconnect between 4E's aspirations and design goals and what it has actually delivered.

Some of what was initially promised has been delivered, but a lot hasn't. There seem to me to be many instances in the rules where it seems like the design was aiming for something (perhaps in an initial version) but has been changed or simplified over time to the point where it no longer meets the original goal.

In this case, the Perception skill is used for tracking, not Nature, Dungeoneering or Streetwise (Nature is mentioned in fluff text on several occasions, but its description excludes any mention of tracking and Perception includes tracking details explicitly). This skill is available (but not required) for Rangers, so they are really on a par with Rogues (although they will almost certainly have higher Wisdom). They certainly don't seem to have any special mechanical benefit when it comes to tracking.

 

[Nikosandros]

It may be another disconnect between 4E's aspirations and design goals and what it has actually delivered.

Some of what was initially promised has been delivered, but a lot hasn't. There seem to me to be many instances in the rules where it seems like the design was aiming for something (perhaps in an initial version) but has been changed or simplified over time to the point where it no longer meets the original goal.

This seems a likely explanation.

In this case, the Perception skill is used for tracking, not Nature, Dungeoneering or Streetwise (Nature is mentioned in fluff text on several occasions, but its description excludes any mention of tracking and Perception includes tracking details explicitly). This skill is available (but not required) for Rangers, so they are really on a par with Rogues (although they will almost certainly have higher Wisdom). They certainly don't seem to have any special mechanical benefit when it comes to tracking.

Exactly my point. I would have expected some utility power or feature that helped with that kind of activity.

Also, as you say, it would make sense to use the "environment specific skills" to track.

 

[LowSpine]

On the RPGMP3.com Shadowfell Actual Play session they used Nature to examine some tracks and identify what made them. They didn't use the skill to actually track what made them down, however.

So, thinking about it, I would use Nature, Dungeoneering and Streetwise to gather specific information about the tracks or signs or whatever and use Perception to actually track them down, follow them.

 

[Silverblade The Ench]

Perosnally, I think the best way to do it would be to let Rangers use both Percpetion and Nature checks to Track:
both skills rolled for each check, best of the two results taken.
Typical Skill Challenge, difficulty set by DM's decision on the cirumstances.

Example:
party has a rogue and ranger. Rogue is skilled at spotting things so obviously he has a chance to track an enemy. But the Ranger is also skilled in naturelore and hunting.
Tracking a party of orcs (easy, lot of them, no unusual conditions, soft ground, not a road).

DM says: 4 successes before 2 fails.

The rogue can only reoll Perception, the ranger gets best of both Perception and Nature, as if his eyes may miss an obvious clue, he may note disturbed animals, discoloured bark etc that a rogue simply wouldn't have the experience to realize was wrong.

that IMHO, would solve this issue?

 

[LowSpine]

I was a bit disappointed by 4E in this respect. They gave the impression that they were going to balance the combat aspects of each class, which they did, and develop the non-combat parts of the class separately, which they did in a way - they just didn't bother with any of them much.

The things that were there are still there in a way, but undeveloped as if they thought 'I don't care and neither should you whether you like it or not.'

Hopefully an independant developer will flesh out this stuff because it looks like WOTC couldn't be bothered (bear in mind I am very pro 4E)

 

[Falling Icicle]

Using Perception to notice and follow tracks but Nature, Dungeoneering, etc to identify the creature that made them sounds good to me.