ᚹᚫᚪᚱᛞᚳᚣᚾᚾ (Weardcynn) Character Classes: Hunter

I've been tinkering around with this system for a while, with little publicly to show for it. But now I want to give a glimpse of the schematic for a character class in Weardcynn. The aim here is to show how I'm thinking about classes, and how I want them to function. I owe some of this schema to Pathfinder 2e, even though it is mechanically quite different. Whether this ends up being a final product or not, I can't say.

One thing to note about classes in Weardcynn is that they are fonts of specific expertise. Like characters in many other OSR and NSR systems, Weardcynn characters have a base set of adventuring competencies: they can fight, they can camp, they can walk long distances, they can climb stuff, they can use ropes, and they know a bit about assessing treasure, plants, animals, other peoples, and typical structures. They only need an appropriate Action to deal with these if the situation requires it. But character classes take those adventuring competencies and dial up the expertise. Anyone can fight, but a Fighter is an expert at it, trained to help his companions focus their attacks on a foe's weaknesses, or bring a fight to more favorable terrain, etc. Likewise anyone can hunt game, but a Hunter can doggedly track down even the most elusive prey, including other people if necessary.

Hopefully what I've written below captures the essence of a character class so that you can tell quickly what its expertise is, and how you might play it at the table. Don't worry too much about the mechanics for the one Action that's detailed here. The Action is included to help convey that expertise, and while the mechanics do matter, they aren't the focus here. That said, I am interested in what impressions people have of how the Action works.

Wynflæd examined the tracks on the ground. They would be nigh invisible to her companions, she knew. Lucky for them, she was here. “Three wuducynn passed through here less than an hour ago. The sæp indicates they were wounded. I think we're back on the trail of our quarry.” She could tell where they were going, but knew it would take everything she had to keep them in sight. With luck, they could catch up to the wuducynn before she lost the trail entirely.

As a Hunter:

You are a master of tracking, hunting, and wilderness survival. You possess an unparalleled ability to read the subtle signs and traces left behind in the natural world. You can track prey, identify edible plants, locate water sources, and navigate through even the most challenging terrain with ease. Your knowledge of the wild allows you to thrive in environments that would challenge others.

In Combat

While you may not be as heavily armored as a Fighter, your agility, knowledge of the terrain, and proficiency with ranged weapons make you a formidable opponent. You use your understanding of the environment to your advantage, setting traps, ambushing enemies, and exploiting the natural world to secure victory.

Around Others

You may appear quiet and observant, preferring the company of nature to the bustle of civilization. Your skills and knowledge, however, make you an invaluable asset to any group venturing into the wild. You provide food, guidance, and protection, ensuring the survival of your companions.

In the Wild

You are in your element, moving silently through the undergrowth, reading the signs of the land, and using the resources of nature to your advantage. You find peace and solace in the wilderness, drawing strength from its untamed beauty.

In Downtime

You maintain your hunting gear, practice your skills, and scout the surrounding lands. You share your knowledge of the wild with others, teaching them how to track, hunt, and survive in the wilderness.

You Might

Others Might

Things You Can Do

You can spend EP and use an Action to make a check for any of the following:

Track

(1 EP/x) Track a creature through any terrain, no matter how faint or obscured the tracks or how long the trail is. Spend 1 EP from Body for each level of faintness to detect and then follow the tracks. The level of faintness is determined in secret using the faintness table below. For each distance interval passed, a new faintness determination is required, as well as a new point spend. Note that spending too few points for the faintness means you lose the trail or never find it in the first place, as circumstance dictates.

Faintness (d4)

  1. Clear. Tracks run through soft ground, mud, or some other easily readable medium. Tracks are not mixed with other tracks. Other clear signs abound: blood, spoor, fur/feathers/scales, etc.
  2. Accidentally Obscured: Tracks pass over harder ground, rocks, etc., as well as softer ground. Tracks may be mixed with other tracks. Other signs aid in keeping the trail: blood, spoor, fur/feathers/scales, odors, etc.
  3. Deliberately Obscured: The tracks are occasionally still visible, but pains have been taken to obscure them. They have been brushed over, or they deliberately pass over hard ground. Other signs are occasionally useful in finding and keeping the trail.
  4. Expertly Obscured: Only the faintest signs remain: blood, spoor, broken or disturbed plants, faint odors, etc. The tracks are completely erased or keep to hard ground, travel through flowing water, or otherwise are nearly imperceptible.

Success: Only one success is required. A success means you are able to pick up the trail. Check again: At each distance interval (usually a hex), and after each rest. Faintness determination: After the first determination, changes in faintness can be communicated to provide an indication of how many points may be required to continue.

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