As the Subject says. An in-class ability (No trace) uses references to the use of Survival to hide tracks. Shoudn't the ninja have that as a class skill?
It's still not a signature skill of how I would picture a ninja...
How about that, add to the No trace ability that for this ability Survival is used like a class skill? I mean, it's somewhat logical that ninjas are good at hiding their traces but not to be good at tracking themselves or to orientate in nature. (or take this advice: homebrew that all skills are class skills, allows some more customizing)
As the Subject says. An in-class ability (No trace) uses references to the use of Survival to hide tracks. Shoudn't the ninja have that as a class skill?
I also favor adding survival to their class skills.
• Ninja villages are secluded, in the more wild, less farm-able districts, which makes some survival knowledge somewhat more useful, and perhaps more common among the general ninja village population.
• Ninja shugendo is primarily based on the observation of nature, which means spending time in the woods/mountains/etc.
• They are, by nature, the special forces of medieval japan, so some wilderness survival is more likely in their grab bag. And being able to hide your tracks does assume some knowledge of how to track in the first place.
I also favor adding survival to their class skills.
• Ninja villages are secluded, in the more wild, less farm-able districts, which makes some survival knowledge somewhat more useful, and perhaps more common among the general ninja village population.
• Ninja shugendo is primarily based on the observation of nature, which means spending time in the woods/mountains/etc.
• They are, by nature, the special forces of medieval japan, so some wilderness survival is more likely in their grab bag. And being able to hide your tracks does assume some knowledge of how to track in the first place.
True... but then again, what actual japanese ninja's did is pretty irrelevant (although that doesn't stop people from arguing it). Paizo has directly stated that the ninja isn't meant to be historical at all and that they are going for the fantasy/media version.
Awesome. That means that the Ninja will have the Master Ninja Theme Song playing whenever they're about to do something. I can see it now. That's playing while they're shouting battle cries & monologues, while blasting people with fireballs & summoning giant creatures to wreck cities.
Wait, no. Those are all lame. But seriously. It doesn't make sense for the class to get an ability that's based off skill that they don't even get as a class skill. And remember, just cause it's a class doesn't mean your ninja has to pick it up.
ever bring the theme music with you and play it during the session?
Bahhhh... Ninjas don't cover their tracks.
Ninja never leave tracks to begin with ;)
Double check the way the ability is written. As written, "the DC to track a ninja using the survival skill increases by +1." In other words, the ninja doesn't make a survival check as part of using the ability. It is simply a passive bonus that makes the ninja more difficult to track.
Seeing as there currently is no mechanic for using survival to obscure tracks (probably because there are several class abilities that do this already), this approach makes sense to me.
So, as written, there isn't a need for ninjas to have survival as a skill. That said, whether or not they deserve it can be argued either way. Personally I don't think they do, but a ninja variant that is more at home in nature is perfectly reasonable.
Aren't there traits that add Survival as a class skill? And lots of neat multi-class options add Survival as a class skill: alchemist, barbarian, druid, fighter, inquisitor, some oracles, ranger, some sorcerers....