Steward Ring Granting Druid Bonus to Wildlings and Cia

[granny]

Regarding several issues related to survival in the wilderness for characters that aren't as attuned as a druid but that are somehow working into it or have some background suitable to that sort of thing, I have been thinking that maybe some druid only related boons could have ways of being bestowed to other wildling classes, probably offered through some sort of quest or even through being part of a faction like the Stewards. The boons that I think that could be shared are the following:

[LIST=1]

• Animals don't attack you
• Access to restricted places and quests
• Resting without oil

[Dillusionist]

Its a cool idea, in that wilderness bards, rogues, and sorcerers are often severely limited compared to their friends' capabilities. However, binding this to the steward ring seems to discourage non-steward nature concepts. More wilderness bolt-holes, or wilderness shops made to sell cheap survival supplies, might help encourage non-druid nature PCs. Resting really seems to be the big issue.

I definitely feel your pain though. Pulling off a tribal or witch sorcerer can be challenging as gold and oil dwindle.

[ThatDamnCat]

This seems like some kind of bonus that really ought to be tied to wilderness survival in a bigger way. Most notably, resting without oil should be near garunteed if you've gone and dumped 10 efuss ranks into a skill that's going to be useless to you as a class that presumably can't track, nine times out of ten. Nine times out of ten, because obviously, I'm not counting DM interactions here.

[granny]

The idea is to give a really specific perk that isn't granted from the start and that is rather earned. I would think that there could be some sort of disadvantage like the item being destroyed if the PC enters determined areas, forcing it to be earned all over again.

[Vlaid]

WIilderness Survival does more than tracking.

However it doesn't make much sense to give away many of the nature themed bonuses to anyone with 10 points in the EFUSS anyway but I like the idea of expanding some of those bonuses to other characters who are genuinely invested in the wilderness style (through the Stewards or whatever makes sense).

[Aefar]

Perhaps some experience can help when considering this suggestion:

I played quite a very long time guardian with pure fighter playing most time alone in all wilderness areas around (including lower underdark), spawning in wilderness areas... Survival was really as easy as for any druid or ranger. I think, that the "nature oriented fighter" (who came from civilization to the wilderness) is something like barbarian with one difference - barbarian is warrior borned in wilderness.

I think that for wilderness survival (real, not only skill) is needed:

• knowledge of the terrain (there are several places where to comfortably rest without fire and there are some much more safe ways than the other)
• knowledge of usual inhabitants and its behavior, weaknesses and strengths (especially their range of view, reactions, speed and climbing ability)
• to have a good strategy for escaping, avoiding enemy (climb around, go further but less dangerous way, run past, sidetrack them with the help of summons etc.) or slaying enemy
• to be carefull all the time (you do not need run into the bear, you can most times see it sooner, but you have to move carefully)

I enjoyed it. It was quite challenging, but after several weeks my character was almost undefeatable in her new homelands.

And in my opinion, beter equip can help... but it can remove some challenging flavour.