So I'm running Reign of Winter and my group is in the 2nd book, The Shackled Hut, and I really love it but one thing that consistently causes problems is all the gosh darn snow.
I have a Ranger and a Druid in my campaign and both of them maintain that they shouldn't leave any tracks in freshly fallen snow. My ranger picked his Favored Terrain as cold and my Druid claims that Trackless Step covers freshly fallen snow as well.
At 8th level and every five levels thereafter, the ranger may select an additional favored terrain. In addition, at each such interval, the skill bonus and initiative bonus in any one favored terrain (including the one just selected, if so desired), increases by +2.
If a specific terrain falls into more than one category of favored terrain, the ranger's bonuses do not stack; he simply uses whichever bonus is higher.
I guess that my biggest issue is from a common sense standpoint. In my opinion, while a Druid or Ranger would know how to avoid stepping on leaves and crushing them or breaking plants when they walked past, they wouldn't just magically not leave tracks in snow. Tracks in snow are all weight-based. They're footprints. Rangers/Druids don't just magically weigh less because they're in their element.
This is where I ask you, Paizo Community, to weigh in on my decision about these class features going forward. I don't want to limit my players or make them resent the classes and class features they've chosen but I don't think that I should negate my common sense either.
What do you think?
They leave no tracks. This isn't a common sense issue so much as a rules thing. While yes, they are ex abilities so are abilities like Darkvision which also violate common sense.
If you want that level of realism you will be spending a lot of time modifying the game making house rules.
Allow it. Rules as Written, it states that any terrain that is their favorite allows them to leave no trail. Snow is a major part of Reign of Winter and you'll be gimping their class features quite a bit. Honestly, both classes are spellcasters and thus common sense really doesn't play a part in it. Maybe they are sweeping it with branches or whatnot. But this is a case where your common sense and verisimilitude is going to rob your players of an ability they are expecting. It'd be like removing a character's ability to use uncanny dodge because they are on ice, since it's slippery. It's needless realism that adds nothing to the game.
Besides, if these teens can not leave footprints in the snow... I'm sure a ranger that can cast spells and a druid that can literally turn into a bird can too.
How would you guys rationalize RAW with certain sections in the Adventure Path that specifically state it is impossible to pass without leaving tracks? I remember this from somewhere in the first book right after they went through the winter portal. It also occurred in the second book in The Howlings. I'm not disagreeing with your responses, I'm just curious as to how you would handle a situation like this. Tending to rules or tending to AP?
Let them use it as written.
It's not like that is a continually useful mechanic, so negating a class ability in the few cases where it is situationally useful is just narrow minded. The abilities clearly DO cover Cold terrain including Snow, so to go against that is just ignoring the rules. It's supposed to do what it says.
Who knows how it works, they could just be effortlessly cleaning their trail as they go.
Maybe less effective in snow than forest/etc normally, but you can still be doing something to cover tracks, and these are extra-ordinary, heroic level survivalists.
Tracking requires a check, i.e. it can always potentially fail even when there is 'some' evidence.
So there is no need to say there is NO physical evidence whatsoever, just that FOR WHATEVER REASON
nobody is able to discern the remaining evidence to track it (unless they can bypass Trackless Step), i.e. Trackless Step sets the DC to Infinity.
If you really feel the need to, then just chalk it up to 'magic',
even if Ex is not 'magic' in game mechanics, no reason it can't be 'in effect'.
If you start negating class features for doing exactly what they are intended to do, people may just not want you to GM any more, or just say 'f### it' and decide to play a Synthesist Summoner or God Wizard because those don't run into your 'realism' triggers.
More power to your ruling, Kymvaris! Not because you are abusing your power, but because your mixing things up a little. Keep em on their toes. Of course, they're going to to use your own ruling against you in 10 months and ruin your fun too ;)
Works as intended. Allow it.
Oh, sure I'm ok with you shapeshifting into a bear and mauling the hell out of that Demon, but I'll be damned if you're not leaving footprints! Suspension of disbelief is one thing, but that's ridiculous!!
Just be sure to track what they're eating.
No amount of druidic exceptionalism can prevent a cloud of Ex-level flatulence from being tracked from miles away.
Want to know what might really bug a GM? The Guide Archetype. Now the entire group won't leave tracks!
It has forced my GM to have to use creative methods to arrange some wilderness encounters in the AP we are running. We were supposed to be tracked. :)
certain sections in the Adventure Path that specifically state it is impossible to pass without leaving tracks... I'm just curious as to how you would handle a situation like this. Tending to rules or tending to AP?
There is not a conflict between 'tending to the rules' or 'tending to the AP'. If the AP is putting forth a unique rule, then that rule interfaces with the rest of the rules exactly according to their respective RAW. It kind of comes down to the wording the AP uses, which I don't have off-hand.
When I look to see how something is impacting the game, I go through my checklist:
Is it game-breaking (ruining the fun of others, etc):
Yes? Then look at changing things.
No? Then change how I'm looking at the ability to find a way that makes thematic sense.
Allow it.
...
Maybe they are sweeping it with branches or whatnot.
This right here. You don't have to necessarily "not impact your environment", so much as not leave a trail. Perhaps you step in a manner that looks like other creatures or environmental effects (wind, etc). Perhaps you leave lots of marks that obliterate any trail you might have left.
It's an Ex ability. As in extraordinary. More than what common sense would normally allow. The Ranger/Druid can do these things without having to concentrate on it, and without slowing down. He's that good..
Regarding AP vs Class ability, I'd do like the rulebooks and side with specific trumping general. The AP saying "everyone leaves a trail" (general effect), while the class says "this guy leaves no trail" (specific).
Barring wording in the AP that calls out the specific rule ("everyone leaves a trail, even those that normally don't" or something like that), I'd go with my above ruling.