Why do barbarians not have spot/move silently/hide?

[Question]

I thought barbarians were some of the best hunters and trappers around? Without these essential class skills, how do they :

-Spot animals camoflagued by terrain, especially if they evolved some kind of hiding mechanism(even something as simple as the rightly coloured cloak of fur)

-Move quietly enoughly not to startle the game, get into position in order to

-Hide and then make an ambush when all members of the hunting party are ready and an opportunity presents itself?

All barbarians have is listen, and im having hard time picturing a barbarian hunting game by listening to it alone.

 

[Infiniti2000]

All you need to hunt is Survival.

 

[pawsplay]

Rangers are the best hunters and trappers around. Barbarians... can also track. Some of them.

 

[Sejs]

You're thinking of rangers. And rangers have those skills.


Yes, barbarians do indeed hunt. Hunting is covered by the survival skill, which is class for barbarians. They are not, however, wilderninjas that also rage.

 

[Farganger]

All you need to hunt is Survival.

Indeed, they can be great hunters considering the survival skill DC is only 10 to:

"Get along in the wild. Move up to one-half your overland speed while hunting and foraging (no food or water supplies needed). You can provide food and water for one other person for every 2 points by which your check result exceeds 10."

A high level barbarian, maxed out in survival, can easily provide food for a large group.

 

[Nail]

....They are not, however, wilderninjas that also rage.

Excellent.

 

[Tequila Sunrise]

Still, why Listen but not Spot? You'd think they'd have neither or both.

 

[Sejs]

Still, why Listen but not Spot? You'd think they'd have neither or both.

Off the top of my head? Similar to why they have Uncanny Dodge. Part of the whole hard-to-ambush meme they've got going.

 

[frankthedm]

Still, why Listen but not Spot? You'd think they'd have neither or both.

Goes along with their ability to keep thier dex bonus against unseen foes. Plus you don't close your ears while you are asleep.

 

[werk]

I thought barbarians were some of the best hunters and trappers around?

You seem to be a little misled about barbarians.

Barbarians are uncivilized people. It is a term that the greeks used to describe anyone not Greek. It is a blanket term for underdeveloped or unsophisticated folks, including, but not limited to, nomadic peoples.

In modern terms...anyone that doesn't have cell phones or access to mass communication lines.

Due to their lack of technological advancement, they are usually 'closer to the earth' hunter/gatherers, which is why they get survival. That doesn't mean they are good at it, it just means they are more familiar than city-folk. It's also why they start illiterate.

Previously there was a limiting factor for barbarians, in that they didn't like magic or technology, but that has been removed from the current edition (because most players didn't think their barbarian should be afraid of their flaming sword).

I had a barbarian/cleric designed after a yanomamo (rainforest indian) shaman, and he was great fun. Nothing like a hopped-up, bandy legged, 4'6" human wearing a loincloth and a bad haircut to ruin negotiations.