Survival is the skill of not dying when the ship leaves you behind. It
covers foraging (finding edible or potable resources on alien worlds),
shelter construction (against radiation, storms, predators), weather
prediction (reading atmospheric and geological cues), hazard recognition
(toxins, parasites, unstable terrain), and navigation by natural features
when nav-systems are dark. In the verse, Survival is the Scout's bread and
butter, the Chaplain's pastoral duty on frontier missions, and the reason
Rim-born crews laugh at Core spacers who cannot start a fire without a
plasma lighter.
Rules Reference
Field
Value
Armor Check Penalty
false
Key Ability
WIS
Trained Only
false
Untrained Use
Key Ability
WIS
Notes
Special: A successful Survival check (DC 15) lets a party move through hostile
terrain without a forced-march check. Survival is also used to avoid
getting lost when nav-systems are unavailable.
Special: A successful Survival check (DC 15) lets a party move through hostile
terrain without a forced-march check. Survival is also used to avoid
getting lost when nav-systems are unavailable.
Untrained: May attempt basic foraging and shelter finding at -2 penalty. Cannot
navigate off-chart or predict weather. No hazard identification beyond
obvious visual cues.
Descriptors
dc: 10
Field
Value
dc
10
task
Forage for food in a temperate biome
dc: 15
Field
Value
dc
15
task
Find safe shelter before a storm
dc: 18
Field
Value
dc
18
task
Predict a hostile world's weather cycle
dc: 20
Field
Value
dc
20
task
Navigate off-chart wilderness
dc: 25
Field
Value
dc
25
task
Identify a toxin or environmental hazard
dc: 30
Field
Value
dc
30
task
Survive unaided on a lethal-class world
Synergy
bonus: 2
Field
Value
bonus
2
from
Tracking
threshold
5
bonus: 2
Field
Value
bonus
2
from
Xenology
threshold
5
Synergies
bonus: 2
Field
Value
bonus
2
ranks
5
skill
Tracking
bonus: 2
Field
Value
bonus
2
ranks
5
skill
Xenology
bonus: 2
Field
Value
bonus
2
ranks
5
skill
Perception
Uses
application: Forage for food in a temperate biome
Field
Value
application
Forage for food in a temperate biome
dc
10
failure
Nothing edible found; must try again or go hungry.
success
Enough food and water for 1 person for 1 day.
application: Find safe shelter before a storm
Field
Value
application
Find safe shelter before a storm
dc
15
failure
No shelter; party exposed, Fortitude save vs. fatigue.
success
Shelter found or built; party protected from elements.
application: Predict a hostile world's weather cycle
Field
Value
application
Predict a hostile world's weather cycle
dc
18
failure
Incorrect prediction; party caught unprepared.
success
Accurate forecast; +2 to next Survival check in this biome.
application: Navigate off-chart wilderness
Field
Value
application
Navigate off-chart wilderness
dc
20
failure
Lost; add 1d4 hours to travel time.
success
Arrive at destination without getting lost.
application: Identify a toxin or environmental hazard
Field
Value
application
Identify a toxin or environmental hazard
dc
25
failure
Hazard missed; party exposed, Fortitude save required.
success
Hazard identified and avoided; party warned.
application: Survive unaided on a lethal-class world
Field
Value
application
Survive unaided on a lethal-class world
dc
30
failure
Condition deteriorate; 1d6 non-lethal damage per hour exposed.