Nature
The Nature Skill is the Atomic RPG System system skill that players will use in a wide variety of ways to discover the many mysteries of the natural world in which they playing. The skill Nature is a very versatile skill and can be used in a variety of ways. In a natural setting campaign or in adventures where you will be in the wilderness, the Nature skill will be quite useful.
Using the Nature Skill is almost always an Action. A player must stop and concentrate on the skill at hand to use Nature Skill.
Here are some of the common uses for the Nature Skill:
Sample Nature Skill Checks
The Nature Skill in the Atomic RPG System will be used in a wide range of situations. Below is a list of some of the most common uses of the Nature Skill. The difficulty of these checks will be determined by the GM. Most checks will range between 15 and 40, but may be as low as 5 or as high as 100. Reference the GM guide for Skill Checks for more details.
- Identifying Weather Patterns
- Tracking
- Identify Plants or Animals
- Tending Wounds
- Identify Poisons
- Orienteering
- Animal Calls
A character's Spirit Trait determines the base skill bonus.
Player Cooperation - Aid Another
Multiple characters can work together to figure something out. This is called Aiding Another.
To successfully Aid Another character the character helping must make the same check the as the one rolling the Skill Check. If they succeed then the player rolling the Skill Check can add their Character Tier to their roll.
However, if the character helping fails in the check, the player will get a penalty to the roll of their Character Tier. Only one player may Aid another at a time.
Passive Nature Checks
Your Passive Nature check is your normal bonus + 10. This is used by the GM to determine things that you may notice or know without having to actively ask to use your skill.
This is a useful tool the GM can use to give out information in the game. Or can even be prompted by the player to see if the GM is willing to give you something for free.
Nature Check as an Action
Nature as an Action will happen when a player character tries to do something that may require a Nature Skill. Examples that would require the use of an Action would include determining if the plant is poisonous, determining time of day, or tracking an animal through the woods.
Animal Handling
As a general rule a Nature Skill Check of 15 needed to calm or train a Tier 1 creature. Add 5 to this difficulty per Tier above 1st the creature is. So a Tier 4 creature would need a Nature Skill Check of 30 to train. This can of course be modified by the GM for animal type, situation, and temperament.
Camping
Change Movement Type
The Speed at which the player can move is equivalent to an Nature Skill check divided by 5. One check is required per turn when moving in a Movement style different to the player's own. Nature Skill check of 22 the character can swim at a Speed of 4.
Players have a standard Movement type of Ground.
Players can not use this method to Fly.
Holding Your Breath
After that the player must start to roll nature Skill checks each round to keep holding their breath. It starts at 5 and increases by 5 each round.
Nature of 13 can hold their breath for 2 rounds without rolling. On round 3 they start rolling.
When a checks is failed, the Character is affected by Deadly Environmental Effects.
Hunting
An Easy Skill Check is enough to survive.
A Moderate Skill Check will get plenty of good resources.
And a Hard Skill Check will get you everything you need and more!
Reduce Falling Damage
Characters can fall the same distance as their Speed or less without taking damage.
Characters will take 5 Hit Points times Character Tier of damage per Space they fall.
Spaces Fallen - Speed = Final Spaces | Spaces * ( 5 * CT ) Damage
Rolling a Critical Skill Check the player character takes only half damage.
Rolling a Fumbled Skill Check the player character takes double damage.
Characters fall at a rate of 20 spaces per round.
(This is for simplicity, not Newtonian accuracy.)
Identifying Natural Things
Rolls to determine things such as this will need to be assigned by the GM on a case by case basis.
Predicting Weather
Rolls to determine things such as this will need to be assigned by the GM on a case by case basis.
Tracking
Check for Tracking can vary greatly and should always is up the GM to determine the difficulty and what players may learn.
Wound Care
The difficulty of this kind of task is also completely up to the GM. They will set appropriate difficulties and outcome depending on the situation.
Characters can make a Moderate Check to heal another character. This is a slow process and cannot be done in Battle Time. If outside of Battle Time a character can add their best Healing Bonus with a successful check.