Chase Rules: First Draft

[Sir Brennen]

This was my initial approach, but then I tried to play out a theoretical footrace with a half-dozen participants, with the lead changing hands. It became very tough to figure out how to figure that. Also, using the PC's actual move score helps to allow Monks, horses, any kind of being to participate without needing to figure out modifiers. A Monk should always have an advantage over a regular person by virtue of his increased move score, and if you just make it an opposed check, you need to add modifiers to the system to make it work.

Sorry. I was thinking of most of this from chase perspective, not race. I could see a footrace between a gnome in leather, a gnome in plate, a normal human and a monk with 40' move getting confusing. And opposed rolls between multiple contestants kinda breaks down, too. Hmmmm... have to think about that.

Using the move score as part of the check, you don't need to create a modifier for load or armor; it's built into the system by dint of reduced movement for heavy load.

Then you don't need to use Armor check penalty as a modifier then, either, do you? Otherwise, it's sort of a double penalty.

With your system, at least with the Run option, you could simply adjust the multiplier to be the same as it is for the Run feat and Heavy Armor/Load (x5 or x3). Proportionaly, it could work for the double-move option as well (1.5 and 2.5 multipliers), but not as quick-math-in-head friendly.

In ordinary combat you can grapple from 5' away, so I see no reason to change it here. I agree that you'd have to use a standard action to do either, effectively falling a full move behind if you fail - and likely losing the chasee. You'll probably only get one chance at that flyign tackle!

Actually, I was thinking of doing these actions while running, thus the -4 penalties. It's just that, if A is chasing B, B can't attack A unless he turns around, meaning he's not running anymore. A could swipe at B's back while running, but taking a penalty on his Chase check, risking throwing himself off balance and falling. And as for the Grapple, I see that as also being a on-the-run action, not really a standard (and lose movement) action, though it's somewhat moot. Either a grapple is started and both characters stop running, or the grapple fails, and the grappler is lying in his face in the dust! But this consequence would be the same as falling - just a standard action to get up.

Grapples provoke AoO's. Do you get AoO's when you're running?

 

[Kid Charlemagne]

Then you don't need to use Armor check penalty as a modifier then, either, do you? Otherwise, it's sort of a double penalty.

Good point. Ni the armor penalties, then. They'll still come into play if any jumping or climbing needs to be done.

Actually, I was thinking of doing these actions while running, thus the -4 penalties.

Grapples provoke AoO's. Do you get AoO's when you're running?

Right - that makes sense. Definitely a penalty to the next chase check, though. Essentially, I think that in most cases, a pursuer should only get one shot at stopping an equally fast prey.

I'd say that the AoO's are still provoked. In most cases the prey won't have a weapon handy to use for the AoO, I'd imagine.