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<blockquote data-quote="DdraigGoch" data-source="post: 4282596" data-attributes="member: 61627">Tracking &quot;in RL&quot; is broken into two pretty distinct peices.Track &amp; Sign-This is largely an issue of identification.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; -What animal does that track/nest/rubbing tree/feeding site/feces/etc belong to?&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; -What gender is the animal?&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; -What exactly was the animal doing when it made the track in question?&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; -What gait?&nbsp; -What direction was it looking?&nbsp; etc-Track &amp; Sign identification is an issue of knowledge skills, not of perception checks.&nbsp; This should really be covered by nature/arcana/dungeoneering/religion.Trailing-This is actually what D&amp;D is usually talking about when they discuss tracking, the actual act of following spoor (tracks and signs) to the creature that made them.&nbsp; -Part of trailing is definetly perception skills but I am not comfortable saying it is JUST perception.&nbsp; A HUGE part of trailing is your understanding of the creature you are following.&nbsp; There are always plenty of times when there are NO tracks, you have to rely on understanding of behaviour and your instincts to make educated guesses.I think, overall, trailing should really be a skill challenge.&nbsp; If you just want to check out a spoor and find out what happened, there is no reason to make more than one knowledge check.&nbsp; If you want to find spoor, indentify it, follow the trail through possibly dense and varied terrain, leading to intelligent or magical quarry... skill challenge time.Knowledges, perception, insight, endurance and even streetwise make sense.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="DdraigGoch, post: 4282596, member: 61627"] Tracking "in RL" is broken into two pretty distinct peices. Track & Sign -This is largely an issue of identification. -What animal does that track/nest/rubbing tree/feeding site/feces/etc belong to? -What gender is the animal? -What exactly was the animal doing when it made the track in question? -What gait? -What direction was it looking? etc -Track & Sign identification is an issue of knowledge skills, not of perception checks. This should really be covered by nature/arcana/dungeoneering/religion. Trailing -This is actually what D&D is usually talking about when they discuss tracking, the actual act of following spoor (tracks and signs) to the creature that made them. -Part of trailing is definetly perception skills but I am not comfortable saying it is JUST perception. A HUGE part of trailing is your understanding of the creature you are following. There are always plenty of times when there are NO tracks, you have to rely on understanding of behaviour and your instincts to make educated guesses. I think, overall, trailing should really be a skill challenge. If you just want to check out a spoor and find out what happened, there is no reason to make more than one knowledge check. If you want to find spoor, indentify it, follow the trail through possibly dense and varied terrain, leading to intelligent or magical quarry... skill challenge time. Knowledges, perception, insight, endurance and even streetwise make sense. [/QUOTE]

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