Cartography (Proficiency)

==The Complete Ranger's Handbook==
This proficiency grants skill at map making. A character can draw maps to scale, complete with complex land formations, coastal outlines, and other geographic features. The character must be reasonably familiar with the area being mapped.
The DM makes a proficiency check in secret to determine the accuracy of the map. A successful proficiency check means that the map is correct in all significant details. If the roll fails, the map contains a few errors, possibly a significant one. A roll of exactly 20 means the map contains serious errors, making it useless.
Crossover Groups: General.
==The Complete Spacefarer's Handbook==
Characters with the cartography proficiency are skilled at making maps. They can make maps to scale and can represent complex land formations through the use of perspective drawing and coastal outlines.
A successful proficiency roll indicates that the map is correct in every detail. A failed roll indicates that some details, possibly some significant ones, are in error. A roll of exactly 20 indicates that the map contains a serious error that invalidates it. The success roll for this proficiency should be made by the DM and kept secret from the player.
==Sages & Specialists==
﻿This proficiency permits a character to create maps of any kind. To do so, the character must develop an excellent sense of spatial relationships and become a good judge of distances.
When called upon to manufacture a new map, the first thing a cartographer must do is research the area to be mapped. The length of this research depends upon the size of the area. Obviously, mapping out the borders of a kingdom is a much more involved task than mapping out the streets of a small town.
While performing his research, the character may make several sketches. Once he is done with his research, the cartographer uses these sketches, along with his other notes, to construct the map. The DM then rolls the die and secretly checks the result against the mapper's cartography skill.
If the check fails, the cartographer comes up with an inaccurate and entirely useless map. The cartographer could sell the poorly made map, but his reputation would suffer, and the purchasers will certainly come looking for the seller once they discover how bad the map is.
If the DM rolls a 20 on this proficiency check, the cartographer does not realize the inaccurate nature of the map. Otherwise, the character is aware that the map contains flaws. If the DM rolls a 1 on the check, the cartographer has created an almost perfect map. The cartography community at large will use the perfect map as model from which all other maps of the area in question be based. Such a map is worth triple the normal experience points for the cartographer.
A cartographer can also use this proficiency to create a map of a specific area from memory. When making a map entirely from memory- without notes or sketches-the character suffers a-3 penalty to his proficiency check. Success, however, means that the cartographer reproduces a useful map of the area in question. The Cartography proficiency can also be used to estimate distances. In most cases, a cartographer can automatically estimate distances with 90% accuracy. The cartographer can choose to make a proficiency check which, if successful, enables him to judge distances with 100% accuracy. There is no penalty for failing this check.
This proficiency costs one slot and is based on Intelligence.
Category:The Complete Ranger's Handbook Proficiencies
Category:The Complete Spacefarer's Handbook Proficiencies
Category:Sages & Specialists Proficiencies