Hunting: This is the ability to locate, stalk, and hunt large and small game with the bow, sling, or spear. Successful use of this skill gives the character a +1 to hit with a bow, sling, or spear against an unaware target in a peaceful outdoor setting; the skill is not usable in most combat situations. The character can automatically supply himself with food over a long period of time if he is in a fairly fertile area and has a missile weapon, spear, or javelin. In areas not normally rich in game he must make a skill roll and receive penalties to that roll (penalties determined by the DM). If he is trying to supply more than just himself, he must make a skill roll if he is supplying one other person, and he takes a – 1 penalty for each additional person after the first he is trying to supply. He must roll each day, and failure indicates that he has not found enough food to feed everyone that day. A character with the Hunting skill forages automatically in fertile areas (even when on the move) and uses his Hunting skill roll to determine how successful he is during full days spent in search of game.
🏹 Racial Variants #
| Variant | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Elven | The Silent Harvest | Elves hunt with a focus on balance. They can forage for food while moving at a Full Pace instead of a slow pace. Their +1 to hit extends to targets that are “Lightly Obscured” by foliage. |
| Dwarven | Trophy-Taker | Dwarves hunt the “pests” of the deep—giant vermin and cave-beasts. They excel at identifying “edible” parts of monsters that others would find repulsive, allowing them to forage in Caves/Dungeons at a -2 penalty. |
| Halfling | Trap-Setter | Halflings prefer snares and pits over chasing prey. If they spend a day in a “Fertile Area,” they can gather double rations on a successful roll, as they catch small game in their sleep. |
| Rakasta/ Lizardfolk | Apex Predator | They don’t need weapons to hunt. If they lose their missile weapons, they can still “Automatically Supply” themselves with food using their natural claws and instincts. |
🗺️ Regional Variants #
- The High-Plateau Falconer (Mountain/Arctic)
In the barren heights, you must hunt from the sky or from a distance.
- Specialty: Vertical Sightlines. They are experts at spotting prey from miles away. They ignore the penalty for hunting “one other person” because they can locate larger herds that others would miss.
- The Deep-Jungle Stalker (Wilderness/Tropical)
In the thick green, you hunt by sound and smell, not sight.
- Specialty: Toxicology. They know which small game in the jungle is poisonous. When foraging, they are immune to “spoiled food” or “poisonous berries” as they instinctively filter out dangerous sources.
- The Great Plains “Runner” (Plains/Nomadic)
Trained in the art of persistence hunting—wearing the animal down.
- Specialty: Endurance Tracking. They can track a single animal for days. If they fail a Hunting roll, they can spend an extra hour to reroll once, representing their refusal to give up the trail.
- The Coastal Beachcomber (Coastal/Island)
Hunting isn’t just about land animals; it’s about the tide.
- Specialty: Tidal Bounty. They can “Hunt” (forage) in coastal areas without a weapon by gathering shellfish and spearing fish in shallows. They gain a +2 bonus to feed additional people if they are on a shoreline.
⚖️ The “Unaware Target” Mechanic
As per the rules, the +1 to hit only applies to an unaware target in a peaceful setting.
- Design Tip: If the Hunter makes their skill roll by 5 or more, you might allow that +1 bonus to apply even in the first round of a combat ambush, representing their ability to treat a “monster” like “game.”
🍱 Supplying the Party: The “Hunger” Math #
As noted, the penalties stack up fast when feeding a group:
- 1 Person: Automatic (in fertile areas).
- 2 People: Skill Roll (No penalty).
- 3 People: Skill Roll (-1).
- 5 People: Skill Roll (-3).
Pro-Tip: If the Hunter has the Cooking skill (or a Halfling teammate), a failed Hunting roll can be mitigated. The Cook can “stretch” the scraps found to feed everyone, preventing a day of starvation but providing no healing during rest.
