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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Janx" data-source="post: 5722658" data-attributes="member: 8835">There are many different ways to use the rules to resolve it.My theory is, the DM should not fiat that the NPC is ACTUALLY taking the fastest route.  Obviously, the NPC intends to.If the GM is like me and didn't THINK of that possibility and just decided the NPC is going from point A to point B as fast as he can, the details do not matter until it intersects with the PCs interests.At that point, if the roles were reversed, and the NPC was chasing the PCs, then the GM would probably do skill checks, etc.In both cases, PCs would try to use their skills (running, navigation, streetwise) to get the best result they could.Since the GM likely skipped that step for the NPC, when it collides with the player's, he's obligated to find a fair ruling to determine those details.But ruling that the NPC has perfect knowledge of the city and therefore chooses perfect routing, whereas the PC has to roll for it smacks of unfair arbitration.  Especially if the NPC's background reflects less mastery of the subject than the PC.Jameson seemed to advocate that his NPC has perfect knowledge and perfect routing.  Therefore, the best the PCs can do is to keep the pace with the NPC.That does not sound like a fair chase.  And by fair, I mean one that actually applies the same rules to both parties.  It enforces the outcome that if the NPC is 3 rounds ahead of the PCs, the PCs can, at best, arrive 3 rounds after the NPC.  That is a predetermined outcome, one which reality may not reflect.In reality, if I am 18 seconds behind you, chasing you down city streets and I know where you are headed, there are numerous factors that might slow me down or slow you down.  You might get stopped by a waggon for a few seconds.  One that has passed by the time I get there.  I might have better endurance and keep pace better.  I might be able to cut corners better, whereas the flow from 12 seconds ago forced you into heavier congestion that wasn't obvious as you rounded the corner.The point is, the moment 2 sides contest the outcome (a race), both sides should follow some rules to determine who wins.  Even if the one side has an advantage or head start.  Predetermining that the NPC side makes no mistakes causes an unfair standard that even when directly opposed, NPCs don't follow the same chance of failure rules.What happens off camera or is uncontested is a different matter.  Namely because it's like the NPC took 20.  It can be assumed the NPC is successful because the PC isn't there taking steps to thwart it or react to it.  Additionally, it'd be a pain in the butt to role play your NPC against yourself as GM to verify he did everything he did.Why does this matter?  It comes down to that if you have an 18 second lead to run through the city for 12 blocks, that you might beat me, even if we have the same stats.If the NPC does not earn that victory by rolling for it like the PCs have to, you are cheating your players and in effect railroading an outcome.Note, I concede that at the macro level, if 1 party has a head start over the other, the details may be glossed over and logically, the head start party will get there first by the same margin he started.But once the players start drilling in, getting details, then those details matter and both parties are subject to the same possibilities.</blockquote>

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