Catch Fishing (sage ability)

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Catch fishing is an amateur-status sage ability in the studies of Scouting, Oceanography and Beachcomber, describing the skill of catching fish using a line — net fishing isn’t included. It’s presumed that in a less developed world, with magic and druids, and a far smaller fishing population than exists in the modern world, that most lakes, rivers and shores are teeming with fish. Therefore, virtually anyone without fishing skill can catch fish, so long as they’re ready to wait. Skilled anglers, however, are able to catch more fish, in less time, and larger fish as well.

Unskilled anglers roll 2d6 when attempting to fish, using dice of different colours. One die is designated the primary die, and the other the secondary die. The number of fish caught equals the primary die +1, subtracting the secondary die. Any score of zero or less indicates the angler has been “skunked” and has caught no fish. Each fish that’s caught is rolled for size on a d10: half-pound (1-4), one pound (5-7), two pounds (8-9), three pounds (10).

Amateur anglers roll a d12 as their primary die and a d4 as their secondary. They also add +1 to their primary die. Each fish that’s caught is rolled for size on a d20: half-pound (1-5), one pound (6-10), two pounds (11-14), three pounds (15-17), four to five pounds (18-19) and six to eight pounds (20). As a character increases their knowledge points from angler to authority, they add another +1 to the primary die.

Ocean fishing. The above numbers describe freshwater fishing in lakes and rivers. Ocean fishing must be done from a boat that’s able to row out from shore and find schools of fish. The boat cannot be simply rowed anywhere and a line dropped; salt water is largely empty of fish, so that it requires a skilled angler to recognise where schools of fish congregate, and thus have any chance of catching fish. A character that's able to read tides can also locate schools of fish, though that other sage ability doesn't make them better anglers. Fishing folk of all kinds who know the local waters well can also be counted on to know where schools of fish can be found.

When ocean fishing, double the size of any fish caught when fishing in a bay, bight, inlet or gulf; triple the size of fish that are caught in a lagoon, sea or ocean. Also, in all cases increase the bonus on the primary die from +1 to +2. When fishing in a sea or ocean, increase the size of the secondary die to a d8 for unskilled anglers and to a d6 for those who are skilled.