Tracking in Combat
Rangers are skilled at recognizing patterns in terrain; whether picking out the best path up a mountainside or noticing the passage of others by tracks left behind. Some rangers hone this skill to almost supernatural levels such that they can quickly assimilate subtle aspects in terrain with actions they have seen enemies take to gain an advantage in combat.
You may use an action to make a Wisdom (Survival) check. Your advantage to Wisdom (Survival) checks from your favored enemy class feature applies to this check. The DC for the Wisdom (Survival) check is equal to the tracking DC for the ground surface + the observed creature’s proficiency bonus − the number of complete rounds you have observed that creature in combat. The check can be retried on subsequent rounds if failed.| Ground Surface | DC |
|---|---|
| Impressionable surface: leaf covered, mud, fur rug, snow | 10 |
| Average surface: dirt, grass, woven rugs | 15 |
| Hard surface: brick, rock, wood floor | 20 |
For example, a Peerless Scout is startled to see a burly orc run down a rocky hillslope to attack his friends. Fearing a rockslide, he spends his first round getting his horse under control and moving away from the slope. He keeps the orc in sight that entire round. In round two, they try to help their friends by making a check for Tracking in Combat. The DC for their Wisdom (Survival) check is 21: 20 (rocky terrain) +2 (the orc’s proficiency bonus) −1 (the number of rounds completed since the start of the combat). Their player rolls a 10 and adds their bonus of +4 for a total of 14. The terrain is too hard and the orc too unpredictable for them to get a useful read this time.
If you succeed on a Wisdom (Survival) check to track in combat, you grant one benefit of your choice from this list below to yourself and a number of allies that can hear you up to your proficiency bonus.
- Be Not Where They Are. Gain +1 AC the target for a number of rounds equal to your proficiency bonus.
- Rallying Cry of a Thousand Screams. Gain temporary hit points equal to your proficiency bonus. Any remaining temporary hit points are lost if the creature is defeated or the combat ends.
- Strike Where They Will Be. Gain +1 to hit the target for a number of rounds equal to your proficiency bonus.
- Swift as the Wind, Hard as a Thunderbolt. If the target attempts to move away from you, you may spend your reaction to move up to your speed towards them. This benefit ends if the creature is defeated or the combat ends.
- Slip the Grasping Hand. You gain a +1 bonus on Escape checks against the target for a number of rounds equal to your proficiency bonus.
- Walk Unseen. You gain a +1 bonus to Dexterity (Stealth) checks made against the target for a number of rounds equal to your proficiency bonus.
- What Will Be. You gain a +1 bonus to Wisdom (Insight) and Wisdom (Perception) checks made against the creature.