Skip to content

Nature

Wisdom

Nature represents one’s ability to recall and understand information pertaining to the natural world. It is very useful when training or commanding domestic animals, riding mounts, and understanding the nature, including fauna and flora, geology, and weather.

Handle Animal

  • Single Action
  • Proficient Only: Yes, but can attempt Untrained

Nature can be used to command an animal to do an action it already knows. This requires that it have been trained, as per the Train Animal action, in the command being given. Some animals, such as an animal companion or mount might not need this check for commonly used actions, such as a horse being commanded to jump, or a dog being commanded to sit. However, less instinctual commands, such as attack or guard, likely require this check. The DC is often determined by the animal’s familiarity with the action and the relationship between you and the creature. An animal that is not trained in a particular action can be pushed to attempt it. This requires a Nature check with the DC of 10 higher than what is listed under the Train Animal action. If you are not familiar with the animal, but the animal has training with the action, the DC is 10 higher. You cannot push an animal to perform an action if it is unfamiliar with you and the action without using the Train Animal check.

Recall Knowledge

  • Single Action
  • Proficient Only: No

You can use Nature to remember information about a creature, object, or place in the natural world. This includes fauna, floral, geology, and weather in common terrains. It can also be applied to knowledge of the local terrain. Common knowledge, such as identifying an evergreen tree, is often a DC 10 or does not require a check while more specific knowledge is a DC 15. Recalling precise and more extensive details increases the DC to 20. Very obscure information is often a DC 25 or 30. If you are not as familiar with the subject being recalled, the DC can increase anywhere from 5 to 15 points while familiarity can similarly decrease the DC. Resources, such as books or experts on a subject, can reduce the DC as low as 10.

Remembering information about creatures usually has a DC equal to 10 + the creature’s Challenge Rating if it is common, 15 + the creature’s Challenge Rating if it is uncommon, and 20 + the creature’s Challenge Rating if it is rare. For every 5 points your check passes the DC, you can recall specific and useful information about the creature, such as special defenses or offenses, unique conditions, immunities, and weaknesses, or more, or very general information such as the creature’s balance between offense and defense. You can choice to name particular sections of a creature’s statistics to learn about, the balance of a creature’s build, or request the GM make an appropriate selection.

Ride

  • Single Action
  • Proficient Only: No

You can use Nature to ride a mount for an hour or to stay on a mount during combat if the mount is not trained in combat. The basic DC, assuming an even-tempered mount with training in being ridden, is 15. Saddles can make this check easier while combat or dangerous situations increase the DC to 20.

Train Animal

  • 24 hours
  • Proficient Only: Yes

Nature can be used to teach an animal a new command. The most common commands are listed below with their DCs. Only indifferent, friendly, or helpful domesticated animals can be trained in this way, and they can only be taught one new command every 7 days. Wild animals can only be trained using the Wild Empathy trait.

  • Attack (DC 25). The animal commanded attacks an indicated opponent until that opponent is unconscious, the animal is badly hurt, or you command the animal Down. The Attack command can be used to end a Friend command.
  • Come (DC 15). The animal commanded comes to you if it is able to. This also ends any Guard, Seek, Stay or Track command.
  • Defend (DC 20). The animal commanded defends the creature you indicate until the animal is badly hurt or you command the animal Down.
  • Down (DC 20). The animal stops its previously commanded action of Attack, Defend, Perform, or Work and waits for another command.
  • Drop (DC 15). The animal drops anything it is holding. This ends any command to Fetch.
  • Fetch (DC 15). The animal retrieves a specific object that you indicate. This can be ended with a Drop command if necessary.
  • Friend (DC 15). You indicate a creature that the animal should treat as a friend for the purpose of the Guard command. If you are unavailable, the animal might take commands from any designated as Friend with a successful Nature check. A Friend command can be overwritten with a command to Attack the former friend.
  • Guard (DC 20). The animal guards a location you indicate, attacking any creature that enters the area except yourself or anyone designated friendly through the Friend command. Come commands end a Guard command.
  • Heel (DC 15). The animal follows you closely. If this would make the animal walk through an area it does not like, the DC increases by 5.
  • Perform (DC 15). The animal does tricks such as lie down, roll over, stand up, making noise, and so on. A Perform action can be ended with a Down command.
  • Seek (DC 20). The animal moves into an area to search for anything alive or dangerous. This can be ended with a Come command.
  • Stay (DC 15). The animal stays when you indicate. While it does not defend the area, it can still defend itself if provoked. Stay can be ended with a command to Come.
  • Track (DC 20). The animal tracks a scent, if it is capable of this, that you provide. This command can be counteracted with a Come command.
  • Work (DC 15). The animal pulls or pushes loads as you indicate. This can be ended with a Down command.