[RPG] Is the Wisdom (Survival) skill used for both tracking and finding tracks

dnd-5eskillstracking

The rules mention that to follow tracks, you need to find them. It is also mentioned that it can take up to an hour outdoors to find tracks you have lost – all under tracking, which is Wisdom (Survival).

The way I read it would be to use Survival no matter the situation (for both finding and following) but I read some people would use perception or investigation to find the tracks. When looking at the table for Sylvan random encounter in DMG p. 87, in one entry it uses Wisdom (Survival) to both find and follow the tracks.

Also, I see a problem using other skills to find the tracks for a Ranger character because Ranger favored enemy feature states you have advantage on Wisdom (Survival) to track your favored enemy. Then it would be very strange for the Ranger not being able to find tracks he could easily follow due to his advantage on a check.
And what if the Ranger for some reason is not proficient in perception would never be able to find tracks so not able to follow any?

So, the question is easy but I fear the answer is not, as I was not able to find a straight answer to it.

I want to make sure that any character who want to become a good tracker (either through ranger or rogue sub-class) can do so. I feel that having to be good at 2 or 3 skills to accomplish one thing (i.e. tracking) is not the common usage of skills in 5e.

Best Answer

There are no skill checks in D&D 5e

Don't feel bad if you missed it, the Player's Handbook sucks at explaining it.

There are Ability Checks in D&D 5e

The first question to ask is which ability score is the correct one for tracking and finding tracks?

Strength, Dexterity, Constitution and Charisma don't immediately suggest themselves, although I can see circumstances where they would - tracking someone through a crowd by reading disturbances and asking questions, could use Charisma for sure. Or Dexterity if you are tracking someone across rooftops perhaps?

You are generally left with:

  • Intelligence "when you need to draw on logic, education, memory, or deductive reasoning", or
  • Wisdom "how attuned you are to the world around you and represents perceptiveness and intuition."

Now, consider the task of tracking or finding tracks in the particular circumstances: is it primarily analytic, or primarily intuitive?

There is no correct answer and different circumstances can give one answer one time and the other answer another time.

You're the DM, you make the call.

Once you've decided on the ability; is there one or more applicable skills?

If the PC has a skill that is applicable then they can apply their proficiency bonus to the roll.

For tracking: is Survival applicable? Of course, it is.
Perception? Yes.
Insight? Definitely.
Arcana? If the thing being tracked is magical, why not?
Following a wild animal? Nature is applicable.

There are no off-limits skills. If your player can convince you why it should apply; be convinced.

At my table, my call is "Make an [ability] Ability Check?" and I expect and encourage "Can I apply [skill]?"

I highly recommend these "no skill" character sheets to emphasise this.