Let's Build: Survivorman and Man vs Wild

[dysprosium]

My wife and I have been watching a lot of Suvivorman and Man vs Wild lately. So I thought it would be neat to have Les Stroud and/or Bear Grylls appear in a future game I run for her.

So I was thinking that Les is more or less an Expert with max ranks in Survival and Knowledge (nature). He should have some ranks in Perform (harmonica) too. Maybe the Endurance feat? Level 4 or 5? Charisma > Wisdom -- He's likeable but puts himself in terrible situations even while surviving. What else seems appropriate?

Bear, at least to me, might have Factotum levels -- at least to level 3 for brains over brawn to allow some of the crazier stunts he does. Expert for the other levels. Max ranks in Survival, Knowledge (nature), Climb. Is there a cast iron stomach feat? Endurance and Run for him?

So obviously these guys aren't going to be optimized for a standard setting or in the standard sense. I was hoping for some suggestions from the Playground.

[prufock]

I don't know a lot about Bear, but from what I read he should have ranks in bluff and maybe some illusion spells to simulate "TV magic."

Les is likely an expert or possibly ranger. I don't think he's ever shown any real tracking ability, actually; he can recognize sign and find tracks, but you can do that without the Track feat.

I don't think either of them would be more than level 2 or maybe 3 for the extra feat and skill points. Les only needs to be able to reliably make DC 15 survival checks to emulate what he does on TV, which can be done at level 1. He's just got some good skills and a couple of useful feats.

[Hand_of_Vecna]

Ya I'll second Bear having casting, because so much of what he does is set up for him. I stopped watching after I saw him rappel into a ravine when he hadn't been carrying equipment in the previous scene and didn't retrieve his line. So Sword of the Arcane Order Mystic Ranger might be appropriate.

I also agree that Les Stroud is just an Expert or whatever. He probably has a touch of herbalism (1 or 2 ranks not professional) and heal (maybe 4 above red cross certified CPR/first aid, but below EMT), max survival and knowledge nature and a little knowledge local for a lot of areas. He probably has decent Diplomacy in addition to a decent Charisma; in Beyond Survival he interacts with various indigenous peoples and seems to get along well. I wouldn't make his Wisdom low, most of the dumbest stuff he does he explains he's doing it because it's what a lost/panicked/confused survivor might do.

He's proficient in: Spear, Throwing Stick (boomerang is closest), Dagger and Rifle (replace with Long Bow) so maybe a custom regional feat to grant all these proficiencies.

Oh, he probably has Improved Grapple, he won a wrestling match with the biggest guy in a fishing village, even assuming the guy went easy on him Les probably would have lost without Improved Grapple.

[dysprosium]

I never heard of the Beyond Survival show so that would be an interesting take on things. Then again, we've only starting watching Survivorman on Netflix in the past couple of weeks.

But I definitely agree with the assessments you both have made. Thank you.

I get that what Les does is to simulate the panicked survivor. It just seems like the guy has no luck on his show.

[Hand_of_Vecna]

Oh two more quick notes.

Les Stroud is also proficient in Machete.

Bear Grylls's parents are English Noblity, so his first level might be Aristocrat or he could have one of those feats that reflects nobility or just give him extra money which he can spend on magic items that make survival a breeze like a rope that unties itself, a bedroll that cuts sleeping time and a Hewards Handy Haversack to carry a ton of masterwork items.

[TroubleBrewing]

I was going to jump into this thread to make some disparaging remark about Bear Grylls being a fakey fake master of fakery, but somebody beat me to it! :smallbiggrin:

[Vizzerdrix]

If bear has any casting, it sure the heck isn't based off Wisdom or intelligence.

[DR27]

I was going to jump into this thread to make some disparaging remark about Bear Grylls being a fakey fake master of fakery, but somebody beat me to it! :smallbiggrin:For balance, I'll jump in and say Les' greatest skill is the ability to sit in one spot without food or water for a week without starving. Survival yes, survival skill no. Endurance only.

I'd give bear a lot of climbing ranks at least, factorum sounds right for a stuntman - I always thought of the guy as a stunt artist.

[TroubleBrewing]

For balance, I'll jump in and say Les' greatest skill is the ability to sit in one spot without food or water for a week without starving. Survival yes, survival skill no. Endurance only.

Warforged, then? :smallwink:

[Platymus Pus]

If bear has any casting, it sure the heck isn't based off Wisdom or intelligence.

cha based then

[Zonugal]

I think you guys are really low-balling Bear Grylls.

He'd be a high-level ranger.

[prufock]

I think you guys are really low-balling Bear Grylls.

He'd be a high-level ranger.

What has he done that indicates he'd be above level 2 or 3?

[Gavinfoxx]

Well, Bear's a British Commando.

So there's that to remember...

[Zonugal]

What has he done that indicates he'd be above level 2 or 3?

He was in the British SAS for three years.

In 1996, he suffered a freefall parachuting accident in Zambia. His canopy ripped at 4,900 metres (16,000 ft), partially opening, causing him to fall and land on his parachute pack on his back, which partially crushed three vertebrae.

On 16 May 1998, Grylls climbed to the summit of Mount Everest, 18 months after breaking three vertebrae in a parachuting accident.

In 2003 he led a team of five, including his childhood friend, SAS colleague, and Mount Everest climbing partner Mick Crosthwaite, on an unassisted crossing of the north Atlantic Ocean, in an open rigid inflatable boat. Grylls and his team travelled in an eleven-metre-long boat and encountered force 8 gale wind with waves breaking over the boat while passing through icebergs in their journey from Halifax, Nova Scotia to John o' Groats, Scotland.

[Hand_of_Vecna]

He was in the British SAS for three years.

In 1996, he suffered a freefall parachuting accident in Zambia. His canopy ripped at 4,900 metres (16,000 ft), partially opening, causing him to fall and land on his parachute pack on his back, which partially crushed three vertebrae.

On 16 May 1998, Grylls climbed to the summit of Mount Everest, 18 months after breaking three vertebrae in a parachuting accident.

In 2003 he led a team of five, including his childhood friend, SAS colleague, and Mount Everest climbing partner Mick Crosthwaite, on an unassisted crossing of the north Atlantic Ocean, in an open rigid inflatable boat. Grylls and his team travelled in an eleven-metre-long boat and encountered force 8 gale wind with waves breaking over the boat while passing through icebergs in their journey from Halifax, Nova Scotia to John o' Groats, Scotland.

Falling. Are there rules anywhere for how much a partially opened chute reduces fall damage by?

Arbitrarily I'll say it reduces fall damage from 20d6 cap to 10d6.

DC 15 Tumble to reduce to 9d6 (32 damage average).

Assuming he was disabled, but concious; Bear Grylls has 32 hp. Level 3 Ranger with 16 Con and toughness or 14-16 Con and good rolls.

Three years in SAS. Why does this mean above level 3?

Mountain climbing with modern equipment just isn't the feat you think it is. Sir Edmund Hillary was a bonafide badass well into E6 feats, modern climbers are hobbyists with some skill ranks.

Boating in a storm. He has max ranks in Profession Sailor and maybe a feat or class ability that boosts it.

I don't think that anyone is actually saying that Les Stroud is more badass than Bear Grylls. They're something like Expert 2-3 and Ranger 3-5.

[DR27]

I don't think that anyone is actually saying that Les Stroud is more badass than Bear Grylls. They're something like Expert 2-3 and Ranger 3-5.I think overall, it speaks more to the supernatural feats that PCs perform more than it speaks to the deficiencies of real human beings.
Mountain climbing with modern equipment just isn't the feat you think it is. Sir Edmund Hillary was a bonafide badass well into E6 feats, modern climbers are hobbyists with some skill ranks.If anything, Hillary was probably a lvl. 1 Expert with the endurance feat - Everest is a class 3 route, requiring no actual technical ability, and he had oxygen to aid his ascent. You could even make a case for him gaining the benefit of the aid another action all the way to 27,000ft. His feat was easily the most significant in the history of high-altitude mountaineering, but was mostly psychological, not physical.

Modern mountaineers like Ueli Steck are probably entering the supernatural realm of level 5, while Sharma and Ondra are breaking the climb skill at low elevation.

[prufock]

He was in the British SAS for three years...

No doubt he's pretty tough and skilled, but others have pointed out how the skill DCs and so on required for the feats you mentioned can be met at low levels. I'm of the opinion that "real life" is more like an E6 world anyway. He might be high level by that standard, but not in a standard 20-level progression.

[atomicwaffle]

make it a full party by adding Frank (Jason Statham in the Transporter) and MacGyver

Bear - Sorcerer
MacGyver - Ranger
Les - Expert
Frank - Barbarian

[dysprosium]

Bear - Sorcerer
MacGyver - Ranger
Les - Expert
Frank - Barbarian

I'll admit I don't know much about the Transporter series of movies other than Jason Statham driving and beating up baddies.

But I thought MacGyver was the quintessential Factotum.