Track Feat, Survival Skill, Tracking Mode...

[Simian]

At times, when using the Tracking Mode to reduce the normal NWN2 movement speed, I will see these brown blibs on the mini-map for low level hostile non-player-characters. Since I've found it rather useful, I am considering spending some points in the Survival Skill...

However, I do not know how the Survival Skill, Tracking Mode and Track Feat actually work together. In NWN2wikia, we get the following quote; "According to Designer George Ziets [1], the survival skill "expands the range you can see hostile creatures on the minimap, while in Tracking mode. Any character can activate Tracking mode, but only characters with the Track feat and points in the Survival skill are going to get much value from it." "

Frankly, I know how to activate the Tracking Mode, but that's where my knownledge ends. So, is the "Track Feat" necessary to actual benefits from your Survival Skill when in the Tracking Mode? If not, what does this Feat actually do?

[Luna]

Approved for posting if someone wants to answer.

[catcher]

I think you need the Track feat to actually track certain monsters.

[Blackman D]

with survival you can see small creatures like vermin on the mini map if your skill is high enough as well as a few other small type creatures if you only have a high survival, the skill alone is limited to what you can "track"

high survival plus the track feat basically means that you have taken the time to actually learn how to effectively track anything and with the feat the survival skill becomes unlimited to what you can track, with it you can track large creatures and humanoids

also with the feat and a high survival the total area that you can track at once increases, my druid can stand in the middle of most maps and track the movements of every creature in the area, on some medium sized and small areas she can track everything in the area from the transition point

also with pvp, if you have someone set to hostile you can track other players only if you have the track feat, when you do it this way it takes their hide and move silently skill against your spot, listen and survival, if they hide from you, lets say they have HiPS, and you are able to spot them with your skills you can also track them on the mini map, additionally if they use invisibility, ethereal jaunt or etherealness to hide from you they will disappear off of your mini map, however if you counter with (and only with for ethereal) true seeing you will be able to track them again

[Ambaryerno]

Is there a survival level at which point you can get the IDENTITY of what's on the mini-map? I would think a skilled enough tracker would be able to tell the difference between, say, a wolf and a wild snake from their tracks. ESPECIALLY if you consider tracking doesn't literally just mean footprints, but can encompass identifying the presence of an animal from anything they leave behind, including it's droppings....

[Ri762]

According to the DnD Wiki the DC for identifying the race/kind of creature, via survival and the tracking feat, is set at 60.

looks at Hydros post below and edits: what i meant is only for roleplaypurposes. The identity will of course not show up on the mini-map. It's just an approach to roleplay an experienced tracker.

further edit: the DnDwiki is for PnP-purposes and not for NWN2. The DC given there should rather be seen as an orientation and not as etched in stone. There is no such thing like a certain invested amount of skillpoints which then grants you an offical title called "experienced". Use your personal judgement but keep it reasonable. In the end the DMs decide if the roll was sufficient to read the tracks you are after or not, when you are in one of their events/encounters.

http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/SRD:Survival_Skill

[Hydrocarbonated]

Doesn't apply here.

Track allows you to attempt to track 'animals and humans', which sort of works. The Track feat allows you to track anything, unless it's bugged like Winter Wolves. Survival ranks increase your range. There is some sort of opposed-roll stuff going on with people who have stealth.

Overall the PVP implementation is lacking, but PVM it works okay. Knowing where to find enemies can be handy.

[Simian]

Hmn... so if skill ranks in Survival only increase the range, would it mean that Survival - with the Track feat - "works" even when it is taken as a cross-class skill?

[Simian]

Spiffing, erm, I take that the "Ranger" capability is to survive in the wilderness.

Well, thanks, I think I now know which feat to take at level 12.

[Rudolph]

Bumping this in view of the following question:

How many points in Survival (including items and/or buffs) would you say are needed to make Tracking worthwhile?