Survival and Naturalist - what do I roll against

[Sunrunners_Fire]

Originally Posted by Ulzgoroth

So what is Naturalist better for then?

Its' better?

[Anders]

It's better in that it gets you Survival capability in all environments. There's no default between Survival specialties (which, maybe, there should be).

[Sunrunners_Fire]

Originally Posted by Asta Kask

It's better in that it gets you Survival capability in all environments. There's no default between Survival specialties (which, maybe, there should be).

I agree that Naturalist is more efficient point-wise than purchasing all sixteen Survival specialties individually. I dispute the idea that it is "better" than Survival.

[Dogma75]

But would that be realistic if you play a SciFi Campaign or travel overseas to other countries???

[Sunrunners_Fire]

Originally Posted by Dogma75

But would that be realistic if you play a SciFi Campaign

Naturalist (Earth) is only good when you're on Earth, correct. Naturalist has a mandatory specialty related to which planet it is relevant to.

Originally Posted by Dogma75

or travel overseas to other countries???

The GM can always apply familiarity penalties, if it desires to do so and feels they are appropriate.

[Ulzgoroth]

Originally Posted by Sunrunners_Fire

I agree that Naturalist is more efficient point-wise than purchasing all sixteen Survival specialties individually. I dispute the idea that it is "better" than Survival.

You appear to have misunderstood me.

I was replying to a post which proposed functions for Naturalist and Survival which had Survival doing vastly more in every respect. Thus I questioned what Naturalist was better at that would justify it existing as a skill.

[Flyndaran]

Originally Posted by Asta Kask

It's better in that it gets you Survival capability in all environments. There's no default between Survival specialties (which, maybe, there should be).

Survival says if you can eat it, not if it's good for constipation or tasty for ferrets and red bandersnatches.

[vicky_molokh]

Originally Posted by Sunrunners_Fire

Naturalist (Earth) is only good when you're on Earth, correct. Naturalist has a mandatory specialty related to which planet it is relevant to.

Well, in that case survival on an alien planet, with alien biochemistry and all, isn't an option either.

[whswhs]

Originally Posted by Ulzgoroth

So what is Naturalist better for then?

Well, it can be used to find herbs of plants of a desired species, and thus as an aid to Pharmacy (Herbal). Sam Gamgee (in the movie) has no particular wilderness survival skills—he has to ask Gollum to catch rabbits for him!—but he knows athelas on sight.

Bill Stoddard

[whswhs]

Originally Posted by Asta Kask

It's better in that it gets you Survival capability in all environments. There's no default between Survival specialties (which, maybe, there should be).

There certainly is! Every land specialty defaults to every other land specialty at -3; every water specialty to every other water specialty at -4.

Bill Stoddard