Search vs survival (and those quests that display in orange in the server message bar))

[Farmboy2003]

I took the quest with the moms ring in the graveyard. My character is a ranger, so it was awesome that I could use my track feat - But it used search instead! The messages i got were neat as bricks, and the quest was fun to do, worked like a charm.

it kinda makes sense using search, but is this a trend with the custom content in the server? I have played nwn2 for many years now, and its always survival that makes track work. Do I need to invest more into search than survival if I wish to be a good tracker?

I tried doing the one with the daughter in the well, but that didnt work at all. Oh well

[Tsidkenu]

Tracking is the search for a creature and uses knowledge and familiarity with the wilds/terrain.

I wish we could go 5th edition and combine search, spot, sense motive and listen into a singular Perception check. But it does make sense to use Search for that quest. You're looking for an object, not hunting/tracing a living creature.

[Farmboy2003]

Eh, not to point out logic in DND game, but a zombie was the target - and also how do you use search to find an object on a zombie in the far corner of the map from where you are? My elf has stellar eyesight, but i think that is stretching it.

Of course, we import mechanical stuff to make quests work and then we let our imagination fill in the blanks.

My question is if I should start investing more in the search skill (than survival) if I wish to be an adequate tracker/party scout etc on the serer? Both mechanically like in this example and RP'ly

[Ewe]

I think they are probably both useful for tracking. In fact, the Search skill is supposed to give you a skill synergy to Survival while tracking. http://www.d20srd.org/srd/skills/usingS ... illSynergy
(But I don't believe it actually does that on BG.)

I'm a new player, and have been to very few zones, but from what I've seen survival is mostly used for checks on picking plants (no clue if the plants are even useful) and for cooking meat at a campfire (this can provide pretty good early level healing items). While search plays mostly into trap detection (but from description only rogues can detect and disarm traps beyond a certain DC?).

[Glowfire]

Majority of the times I've done the quest, the ring has simply been on the ground somewhere.