Random herb search table(s)

Printable View

July 10th, 2020, 21:31
swest

Random herb search table(s)

Greetings,

I've searched the Armory, and the 3.5E/Pathfinder forum, and the entire Forum for this, and... nothing.

So, here's the question: Has anyone put together a table (or, more likely, a collection of tables) that can be used by an herbalist for randomly finding interesting/useful herbs in his/her profession?

I thought that Ultimate Wilderness might have something along these lines, but, alas, no. It contains instructions for adjudicating the search for a specific herb, but not for simply grazing or browsing for any herbs that might be growing in the area.

Out on the web, there is a document on herbs that a gentleman named Shaun Hately put together (circa 1997??) called The Guide to Herbs for RPG's, 5th Edition [sic] and it contains adaptable stat blocks for over 200 herbs, but no randomizing method or principle.

Then there is a document by Frank Helle Hansen, et al., called Herb Encounter List, presented as a supplement to The Guide to Herbs for RPG's, 5th Edition, in which the author has used the original author's organization of the herbs into groups (based on climate, locale, etc.) to create a randomized strategy (which is a little labor-intensive) for giving an herbalist the ability to simply go out for a predetermined period of time searching for 'herbs', rather than only searching for 'a particular herb'.

So, the first document is an organized collection of herbs, while the second applies a randomizing formula to the act of an herbalist searching in a particular area for any herbs that might be available.

The second document might be adaptable to multiple tables in FG... but it's going to be some work.

Any guidance on this from anyone that has been down this road? I have a player in our current campaign whose herbalist character is very active in his profession, and takes it very seriously. I would like to reward him with a streamlined mechanism for herbal searches so that his character can always be on the lookout for ingredients for his specialty.

Thanks,

- s.west

p.s. If I end up creating something on my own, I'll be sure to 'module'ize it and submit it.
July 11th, 2020, 00:21
damned

I dont have one but Shaun played in my Castles & Crusades campaign for a while :)
July 12th, 2020, 03:56
dellanx

I saw this on d20pfsrd, alternate rule for herbs.
July 13th, 2020, 16:28
swest

Thanks!
July 13th, 2020, 16:58
dellanx

Quote:

Originally Posted by swest

Thanks!

Your welcome. As far as randomizing, I am sure a GM could make a random table can be made to fit almost any situation.
July 13th, 2020, 18:35
Marquis_de_Taigeis

i have been using https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-LZZ_rmIIa2wOfnTle6v for my herbalist / foraging list, and im currently trying to turn it into a module for distribution with approval from the original creator. i also use https://www.dmsguild.com/product/289...hor_of_product for what they might be able to recover from monsters
July 13th, 2020, 18:54
swest

Quote:

Originally Posted by dellanx

I am sure a GM could make a random table can be made to fit almost any situation.

Definitely do-able... but, any time I can skip the development step and go straight to using someone else's work... I'll do it : - )

And, this:

Quote:

Originally Posted by feelej25

i have been using https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-LZZ_rmIIa2wOfnTle6v for my herbalist / foraging list, and im currently trying to turn it into a module for distribution with approval from the original creator. i also use https://www.dmsguild.com/product/289...hor_of_product for what they might be able to recover from monsters

looks VERY promising! Thank you, so much, for posting. I'll be very interested in your progress. Have you started a thread on your conversion/adaptation? Something I can bookmark?

In any event, I'll be checking back with you in the near future.

Thanks,

- s.west
July 13th, 2020, 18:57
Marquis_de_Taigeis

[QUOTE=swest;525998

looks VERY promising! Thank you, so much, for posting. I'll be very interested in your progress. Have you started a thread on your conversion/adaptation? Something I can bookmark?

In any event, I'll be checking back with you in the near future.

Thanks,

- s.west[/QUOTE]

I have yet to start a thread, making it for my own personal use is one thing, but i have message the original creator and once they respond, if its positive ill create a post.

its mostly trying to get it to format properly to begin with that has slowed me down with progressing to quickly at the moment
July 13th, 2020, 23:41
dellanx

Would be awesome alternative for magic.
December 28th, 2020, 18:56
Bossmitch

I just found this thread. Your post was specifically about Pathfinder or 5e, but this may be helpful. The Rolemaster Classic system uses herbs as one of the primary healing mechanisms for the game. The herbs available in game and in the Shadow World setting specifically include data for climates/locations most likely found, frequencies, and rules for finding herbs in searches. These are probably in several of the Shadow World books, but one place is in Shadow World: Master atlas 4th Edition written by Terry Amthor and published by Iron Crown Enterprises (I.C.E.), pages 214 to 219. I have toyed around with the idea of developing an Excel spreadsheet that would use the data to generate results of a random search in a given locale at a given time of year. But I think the job would be more than my knowledge of Excel would allow. A similar system could be devised for any system or any world I believe.

If I make progress on the idea, I will make it available if it wouldn't infringe on any copyrights.