Getting Access to Scent (Without Spells)

[7th son of sons]

I am playing into a tier 3 (or so), medium OP campaign, and I'm looking into playing some type of hunter, or detective, or similar role in the group. I figured track would be a good start, but as I thought more and more about it, I realized I really wanted the Scent ability.

So what ways can a mundane, non-ToB gain access to the scent ability? 3.0, 3.5, and some homebrew are mostly fair game, but no Psionics or ToB, as the DM is still learning these systems and would prefer to not incorporate them.

[Xerlith]

Wild Cohort.
Obligatory link. (http://community.wizards.com/forum/previous-editions-character-optimization/threads/1068066)

[Vizzerdrix]

You could take Divine Minion and get scent through your animal shape.

Also the Nezumi can get scent as a feat.

[Jeff the Green]

For things like this I always check the Lists of Stuff (http://community.wizards.com/forum/previous-editions-character-optimization/threads/1068066) and, lo and behold, it's on there. There are two there that are useful. The first is Serpent's Tongue, a warlock least invocation, which means you can get it with a 1-level dip in warlock (or pick up another useful invocation with another level). The second is the Bestial domain power, which you can get through the Planar Touchstone (Catalogues of Enlightenment) feat.

[lytokk]

Level 5 Primeval will do it. A good way to get into it would be wildshape ranger. Granted, you'd be level 13 before you got scent, but you'd get it.

[cojiro7]

Level 3 of the Fist of the Forest prestige class (Complete Champion p80). The whole wild warrior feel of the PrC should fit nicely with the "hunter tracker" thing you're going for, too.

[Wacky89]

level 1 of swordsage or warblade.

Tiger Claw Stance called Hunter's Scent at level 1 that grants scent

[cojiro7]

OP specified non-ToB means of getting Scent.

[Larkas]

Are you playing a Ranger? If so, Scent is a 2nd level Ranger Spell with a duration of hours/level.

That's hardly mundane, though, but people usually consider the Ranger "mundane" for this kind of discussion.

[Piggy Knowles]

Two levels of totemist will do the trick as well - bind Hunter's Circlet to your totem chakra.

[Amphetryon]

Scent
Animal Lord (wolflord) 3, ecl 8, Complete Adventurer, improves at level 7, see text
Beastmaster 8, ecl 13, Complete Adventurer
Bloodhound 9, ecl 13, Complete Adventurer
Bear Warrior 3, ecl 10, Complete Warrior
Wildrunner 2, ecl 7, Races of the Wild
Ardent Dillitent 5, ecl 10, Planar Handbook
Weretouched Master 3, ecl 8, Eberron Campaign Setting
Ardent Dilettante 5, ecl 10, Planar Handbook
Primeval 5, ecl 13, Frostburn
Geomancer 7 (stage 4 drift), ecl 13, Complete Divine, 30'
shifter w/Wildhunt trait, race, Eberron Campaign Setting
Scent, wild feat, Complete Adventurer, limited duration
Hunter's Circlet, soulmeld, Magic of Incarnum
Zagan, vestige, ecl 12, Tome of Magic
Serpent's Tongue, least warlock invocation, Complete Mage
Hunter's Sense, stance (Tiger Claw), ecl 1, Tome of Battle
Bloodclaw Master 5, ecl 11, Tome of Battle
Imbued Healing (w/animal domain), metamagic feat, Complete Champion, see text
Fist of the Forest 3, ecl 7, Complete Champion
Lion of Talisad 2, ecl 7, Book of Exalted Deeds
Stalker of Kharesh 1, ecl 6, Book of Exalted Deeds, for evil creatures only, see text
Beastial, domain, Book of Vile Darkness
Crimson Scourge 10, ecl 15, Cityscape

Special Mention
Dragonstalker 5, ecl 11, Draconomicon, hide scent

[Larkas]

Note that the Lists of Stuff is useful as a starting point, but very incomplete. It doesn't mention the spell I talked about, for example.

I've also found stuff that didn't work as advertised, but I can't remember what it was now.

[Amphetryon]

Note that the Lists of Stuff is useful as a starting point, but very incomplete. It doesn't mention the spell I talked about, for example.

I've also found stuff that didn't work as advertised, but I can't remember what it was now.

Given the thread title includes "Without Spells," I'm not sure how easy it will be for the OP to use that particular spell.

The list from Lists of Stuff will, in most cases, provide one or more appropriate methods to gain the ability under a given header (like Scent).

[Larkas]

Given the thread title includes "Without Spells," I'm not sure how easy it will be for the OP to use that particular spell.

The list from Lists of Stuff will, in most cases, provide one or more appropriate methods to gain the ability under a given header (like Scent).

Oh, but of course, I covered that when I talked about the spell earlier. I'm just pointing out that the Lists of Stuff is useful, but far from perfect. I've had a couple of players once who were building characters with only it in mind, and I knew a more elegant solution for both their problems by heart. Mind, I don't exactly consider myself a "rules savant". What I mean to say is: it's good, but it needs some maintenance.

[Troacctid]

You can train a dog to track with a DC 20 Handle Animal check.

[Amphetryon]

Oh, but of course, I covered that when I talked about the spell earlier. I'm just pointing out that the Lists of Stuff is useful, but far from perfect. I've had a couple of players once who were building characters with only it in mind, and I knew a more elegant solution for both their problems by heart. Mind, I don't exactly consider myself a "rules savant". What I mean to say is: it's good, but it needs some maintenance.

If you could show where the Lists of Stuff was called "perfect" - or even "exhaustive" - in anyone's posts (aside from your pointing out that it's not perfect), I'd be appreciative.

[Larkas]

If you could show where the Lists of Stuff was called "perfect" - or even "exhaustive" - in anyone's posts (aside from your pointing out that it's not perfect), I'd be appreciative.

Wait, did I say anyone called it perfect? :smallconfused: Don't put words in my mouth. I'm merely recommending diligence when using it, for a user new to it might think it's exhaustive, like my players did. :smallannoyed:

[lytokk]

Oh, there's also the warforged tracker mask. I think its in races of Eberron. Not sure if this qualifies as mundane or not. And you have to be a warforged.

[Thurbane]

Lupin is an LA+0 race that gets a watered down version of scent...definitely not as useful as proper scent though.

[magwaaf]

side quest, have your dm have you go on some side quest where you get some special training or something like that

[Amphetryon]

Wait, did I say anyone called it perfect? :smallconfused: Don't put words in my mouth. I'm merely recommending diligence when using it, for a user new to it might think it's exhaustive, like my players did. :smallannoyed:

You specifically said it was NOT perfect; there was no claim, by anyone, otherwise, which made your claim read as a refutation of something NOBODY said (in other words, 'don't put words in my mouth,' either), and an indictment of anyone who referenced it.

[Larkas]

You specifically said it was NOT perfect; there was no claim, by anyone, otherwise, which made your claim read as a refutation of something NOBODY said (in other words, 'don't put words in my mouth,' either), and an indictment of anyone who referenced it.

Yeah, see, that's not how language works. To say that something "is not perfect" doesn't need someone saying that "it is perfect" in the first place. It's just a combination of words that means - you guessed it - that something is not perfect. It doesn't mean that something is bad, that something shouldn't be used, it just means that something is not perfect.

Now, do you have anything else of use to add to the thread or are you going to just keep picking on the way I phrase my sentences? :smallannoyed:

Anyways, Thurbane brought up the Lupin and it made me remember something! The Tibbit race from the same book (Dragon Compendium) also has the Scent ability when in cat form! All that at at LA +0, as far as I can tell. It does involve some shapeshifting, though, so I'm not too sure if this fulfills the OP's needs. Hmmm...

Thinking a little out of the box, Pathfinder has the Keen Scent (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/advanced/advancedFeats.html#_keen-scent) feat, available for orcs and half-orcs with a minimum of Wis 13. That's it. It's just a feat, available at the start of the game, and pretty mundane as far as I can tell. It does require access to Pathfinder material, though.

[Ralcos]

If I remember correctly, you could be a Nezumi (Oriental Adventures) and get the ability to gain Scent as a feat.
That's one way...

[Shining Wrath]

I think the elegant solution has been mentioned: buy a dog, hire someone to train it. Scent is NOT that useful in combat, unless you're fighting slow-moving invisible creatures. In which case a bag of flour is cheaper than the dog. Outside of combat, why not a bloodhound?

Plus bloodhounds are basically very flavorful. Have you ever heard one bay? Chills down the spine.