Ymdar
Explorer
Thoughts?
If you allow the monsters to do this I think it is reasonable. Might change the dynamic of combat but cold work.
Thoughts?
I recently DM'd a session that resulted in PCs dashing to and fro around an airship looking for intruders and/or missing crewman after spectral undead attacked their vessel.
I dawned on me that the PHB (p.190-192) rules, covering moving up to a characters Speed and taking Dash actions, provide for consistent reliable movements rates but make no allowance for characters willing to push themselves at the risk of failure or some kind of disadvantage.
Instinctively I allowed Athletics or Acrobatics checks for characters to sprint or parkour their way around the vessel at faster movement rates and in the time since I have tried to devise a balanced homebrew rule I can use consistently, while wondering if anyone else already has something similar they use.
The travel pace rules seem more appropriate. They let players choose a fast pace of 400 feet per minute as opposed to the 300 feet per minute PCs can normally move, in exchange for accepting a penalty to passive Perception...
If timing is so critical
that round by round resolution is required, you might want to have a look at the chase rules in the DMG. Under those rules, you can only use the Dash action a number of times equal to 3 + your CON modifier, after which you must succeed on a DC 10 CON check each additional time you take the Dash action or suffer a level of exhaustion. Personally, I set the same limit on the use of Dash in normal combat.
If you allow the monsters to do this I think it is reasonable. Might change the dynamic of combat but cold work.
Because if there's not a super real risk, many players would try this move constantly.
So, summarising what the feedback makes me lean toward so far, for characters with a base/"walking" Speed of 30...
You can "hustle" for an extra 10' at a cost of -5 to Passive Perception and no other penalty; or
You can "jog" for an extra 15' at a cost of -5 to PP, provided you make a DC15 skill check (Athletics over open ground or Acrobatics over difficult terrain/obstacles), but if you fail by 10 or more you fall prone; or
You can "run" for an extra 30' at a cost of -5 to PP, provided you make a DC20 skill check (Athletics over open ground or Acrobatics over difficult terrain/obstacles), but if you fail by 10 or more you fall prone; and
If you "jog" or "run" during your turn you grant advantage on melee attacks (ranged attacks vs faster targets don't seem like they'd get easier) against you until the beginning of you next turn.
Defcon1's double/triple Dash idea is quite cool but I still like the option of characters pushing themselves at the risk of failure, for extra drama.
If you keep all of this in mind when trying to keep action moving, then I would be amazed. I would use the two rules as mentioned before.
1) Acrobatics or athletics to move across difficult terrain (i.e. parkour) more easily at a value based on DM fiat describing the terrain.`
2) Chase scene rules where Dash can be used only so many times.
There is one class feature in the druid and ranger that allows movement through difficult terrain as though it's normal terrain depending on the vegetation. These features could come into play in your next chase or search scene.