Difference between revisions of "Avoid Encounter (sage ability)"

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Whenever the party enters a hex containing monsters of a type and number that would seriously threaten that party, a character with the avoid encounter ability is entitled to a [[Ability Checks|wisdom check]]. The check may also be made if a wandering monster is indicated before the monster can attack.
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[[File:Avoid Encounter (sage ability).png|right|525px|thumb]]
  
If the check is successful, it may be read that the character is aware of the danger - but not the specific nature of the danger nor the species/type/number of the monster in question. Another ability, such as knowledge of reptiles, birds, beasts, etcetera, may be interpreted by the DM to fill in this information (if this seems probable). The actual nature of the monster is not revealed by the ability.  No special adjustments are gained with regards to surprise, whether the party moves forward or waits for the monster to manifest.
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'''Avoid encounter''' is an [[Knowledge Points|expert]]-status [[Sage Ability|sage ability]], in the [[Sage Study|study]] of [[Scouting (sage study)|Scouting]], that allows the character to avoid, and direct others to avoid, a [[Wandering Monster|wandering monster]] in the vicinity.  The skilled character must make a [[Ability Checks|wisdom check]] to succeed at this effort.  The check is made after the DM announces that a wandering [[Bestiary|monster]] encounter is about to take place.
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Specific knowledge of the monster being avoided is NOT provided — unless the character also has sage knowledge of [[Amphibians & Reptiles (sage study)|reptiles]], [[Birds (sage study)|birds]], [[Beast|beasts]], [[Mammals (sage study)|mammals]] and such like, upon which they can draw in order to detect odours, evidence of spoor, tracks and so on.  
  
Options will be to either backtrack the direction the party has come, until retreating entirely out of the hex where the monster resides, or to quickly gather up everything and stumble away into the night if a wandering monster is involved. Failing to do either will probably result in an encounter with the monster.
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== Avoidance ==
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If the character wishes not to encounter the monster, then an effort must be made to circumvent and avoid the creature's vaguely-known location.  This will take 1-4 hours, as rolled by the DM.  During this time, the party is assumed to have moved off the road, finding some sort of path that later leads them back to the road.  It's assumed the party remains aware of the road's location, and that they are simply moving parallel to it in a manner that avoids the encounter.  After the time loss, the party simply travels on with nothing peculiar occurring.
  
See [[Scouting (sage study)|Scouting]]
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== Engaging ==
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On the other hand, if the character and the party choose to actively engage the monster, because of their foreknowledge they cannot be [[Surprise (combat)|surprised]].  It's also assumed that the monster, almost certainly intending to ambush the party, won't be surprised either.  Therefore, when the encounter occurs, only [[Initiative|initiative]] need be rolled between the combatants.
  
[[Category: Needs Rewrite]]
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[[Category: Sage Abilities]][[Category: Don't Review until 2024]]

Latest revision as of 01:09, 16 August 2023

Avoid Encounter (sage ability).png

Avoid encounter is an expert-status sage ability, in the study of Scouting, that allows the character to avoid, and direct others to avoid, a wandering monster in the vicinity. The skilled character must make a wisdom check to succeed at this effort. The check is made after the DM announces that a wandering monster encounter is about to take place.

Specific knowledge of the monster being avoided is NOT provided — unless the character also has sage knowledge of reptiles, birds, beasts, mammals and such like, upon which they can draw in order to detect odours, evidence of spoor, tracks and so on.

Avoidance

If the character wishes not to encounter the monster, then an effort must be made to circumvent and avoid the creature's vaguely-known location. This will take 1-4 hours, as rolled by the DM. During this time, the party is assumed to have moved off the road, finding some sort of path that later leads them back to the road. It's assumed the party remains aware of the road's location, and that they are simply moving parallel to it in a manner that avoids the encounter. After the time loss, the party simply travels on with nothing peculiar occurring.

Engaging

On the other hand, if the character and the party choose to actively engage the monster, because of their foreknowledge they cannot be surprised. It's also assumed that the monster, almost certainly intending to ambush the party, won't be surprised either. Therefore, when the encounter occurs, only initiative need be rolled between the combatants.