iserith
Magic Wordsmith
I think what works best is for the DM to determine whether a detailed chase suits their theme or they don't really want to play that out and have a simpler method to resolve it. I propose the latter upthread here. Always choose options and adjust rules to suit your theme and setting, I say.I don't understand the humiliation angle or the mounting resentment that you mentioned. In my experience, the only people who are going to mock or punish a player for running (or anything else, really) are their fellow players.
You're right about the clunky chase system, though. Someone needs to fix it.
For something more like the DMG rules, but less clunky in my view (since it does away with tracking distance) is something like this:
The Chase Begins
If a creature leaves the area shown by the map and another creature pursues, move to the Chase screen. The quarry is placed in Zone H. The hunter is placed in Zone C.
If the quarry has a faster speed than the hunter, the quarry can automatically escape if they so choose.
Fly, You Fools!
The quarry goes first, moving from its current zone to the next one, but not before encountering a random wilderness complication that may impede progress.
The hunter goes next, moving from its current zone to the next one, encountering the same complication.
A Complication Ensues
The DM presents the complication. The hunter and quarry must describe how it is dealing with the complication and make any relevant ability checks. If there is more than one hunter or quarry, the creature dealing with the complication cannot have already dealt with a complication (unless all hunters or quarry have done so already).
Hide!
If the quarry was successful in dealing with the complication, the quarry may attempt to hide, making a Dexterity (Stealth) check against the hunter's passive Perception score. If the hunter failed at dealing with the complication when moving into the current zone, this check is made at advantage.
If the attempt to hide is successful, the quarry escapes and is safely away from the hunter, but cannot help other quarry. If the attempt to hide is not successful, the chase continues (repeat, starting at Fly, You Fools!). Failing by 5 or more can sometimes carry additional consequences.
No Place Left to Run
If the quarry fails to hide in or before Section E, the hunter catches up to them and an encounter follows, starting at a range of 1d6 x 10 feet.