The Spelunker (SNS)

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The spelunker is a close cousin to the mountaineer. Instead of working on the outside of a mountain, the spelunker explores the vast underground caves and massive networks of passages that penetrate the earth below our feet. While the weather is certainly not a risk underground (except in certain magical instances), the spelunker uses a lot of the same skills as the mountaineer.
In a typical setting, the underworld is rife with all sorts of humanoid races. The spelunker can take a party to these creatures' home, or he can show them how to simply avoid them.
1st-level spelunkers must purchase the following nonweapon proficiencies (in addition to Direction Sense): Mountaineering, Rope Use, and (a new proficiency) Caving.
Consult the mountaineer description to see how Rope Use and Mountaineering affect a guide. The same skills used to climb sheer cliff faces that tower high above the earth can be applied to underground equivalents that descend into unknown depths.
The Caving proficiency is described later in this chapter. Any character class can purchase the Caving proficiency. However, it only costs a spelunker 1 slot to take it, while other classes must spend two slots for the proficiency.