Easy-Cheesy Chase Rules

[Water Bob]

I like to run chases in my games, and I've been searching for a good set of Chase Rules. I looked at the Pathfinder card system, and I wasn't completely sold on it. I bought Hot Pursuit On Foot, and I think it a good, interesting system, but also overly complicated. I even came up with a pretty easy system of my own, but now, I've thought of something so easy, I think it more suitable for an impromptu race in a d20 game.

Here are my Easy-Cheesy Chase Rules

(...and, it ain't easy being cheesy.)



1. When you have a chase break out, and the characters or beasts have different Speed ratings, you don't need any rules. Just run movement normally.

2. When you need these Easy-Cheesy Rules is when racers have the same Speed rating (because it is unbelieveable that one will not be even a little bit ahead of the other).

3. When using the Easy-Cheesy rules, simply roll an opposed CON check between the chase particpants (with the same Speed rating). If the difference of the result is 5 or less, then both characters move at their Speed ratings. If one of the characters throws at least 5 points higher than the other, then that character moves at full speed while the other moves 5' less than the race leader.

In this way, the race is excting, with the participants changing places. It takes several rounds and several CON check wins to have one character pull ahead of the other (which makes sense since all have the same Speed rating).

4. If more than two characters are racing each other, always compare the runner's CON throw to that of the race leader--not each other--determine position in the race.

5. Use DEX instead of CON if the terrain calls for agility.

6. The GM should throw in obstacles that test skills like Jump, Swim, Climb, Balance, as appropriate, during the chase.

 

[Water Bob]

EXAMPLE:

Caelis grabs Silaigne's favorite whetstone and takes off running. Silaigne chases him.

Caelis: CON 10 (+0); DEX 13 (+1). Speed 30.

Silaigne: CON 16 (+3); DEX 14 (+2). Speed 30.



The GM decides to use DEX for the opposed check instead of CON because the first part of the chase is more about Caelis avoiding Silaigne and less about either character's endurance. The GM decides to run the chase with the first ten rounds using DEX, then move to CON for the remainder of the race (figuring that keeping away from Silaigne is most important until after a minute, the character's endurance becomes a bigger factor, in the chase).



Round 1: Caelis' roll of 18 bests Silaigne's total of 10, so Caelis moves 60 feet (Hustle), and Silaigne is right behind him, having moved 55 feet.

The GM reasons that 5' difference is Silaigne's slower reaction to Caelis grabbing the item out of his hands and running away with it.



Round 2: Caelis rolls a 15, and Silaigne rolls a 12, but this isn't a 5 point separation in totals. So, the two do not change positions.

Caelis has now crossed 120 feet, and Silaigne has maintained his position right behind him, in the following square.



Round 3: Caelis rolls a 4, but Silaigne rolls a total of 3. Same as above. Now Caelis has crossed 180 feet, and Silaigne is right behind him, one square back.



Round 4: Silaigne finally wins a toss. This round, Silaigne catches up. They're running side-by-side. One character or the other could attempt some action, like a unarmed attack (elbow jab) against the other character, delivering non-lethal damage. Or, the players may decide to do something else, like Silaigne attempting to tackle (grapple) or trip Caelis. The GM will govern this as it comes up.



Round 5: Silaigne wins this toss, too. If racing, he can pull ahead of Caelis by five feet. But, since Silaigne is chasing Caelis, Silaigne may not want to increase his speed--he may want to stay even with Caelis, attempting to stop him somehow. Maybe he'll attempt to trip his opponent.



Round 6: The GM throws in a little obstacle in the PC's way. In order for the race to continue, all must able to jump a 4' tall fence. Insted of an opposed DEX check, the GM will have the racers make a Jump check to jump fence. The result of the Jump throw will serve as the Move Action this round.

And so on...