D&D 5E good vehicle chase rules?

[GlassJaw]

I have a potential encounter coming up next session that will involve a wagon chase, specifically the PCs helping a group of wagons to escape.

The DMG chase rules are fairly rudimentary and don't really apply much to vehicles. I could wing it of course but I'd like something a bit more substantial if possible.

Any recommendations for good vehicle chase rules?

 

[Morrus]

I don't recall what the DMG rules are but here's my off-the-cuff rules out of my head.

Each round opposed checks for a new obstacle/situation create by the GM (or rolled on a random table). Or, better, the escapee chooses between two options, and the chaser must follow.

Count number of wins. 3 wins ahead means escaped or caught.

Assuming you just want a straight chase. You could make it more cops by allowing passengers in the vehicle to exchange bowshots and stuff.

Quick and dirty!

 

[nomotog]

Have them fight on the wagon.

 

[robus]

The key is to have some way to measure the progress of the chase. What can the PCs do to catch up and what can slow them down? As Morrus says have some way to determine success or failure. You don’t need to bog it down in rules, just adjudicate successes and failures and show the resulting progress.

 

[Coroc]

Use some grid with a fitting scale, if you use a map print out some grid on some transparent foil or so.
If you do not have the means to do so use a Halma board (the checkered side) and some token figures to display velocities / distances etc. Keep in mind that your cart goes faster (maybe, but I assume you want this to be speedy somehow) than your usual 30' per round but slows down in bends and in front of obstacles, I suggest something like 60' so a player dropped off would have a chance to get on again.

Make checks in front of obstacles (also for the obstacle e.g. dex save / check to jump out of the way or some other check to see if something breaks for the nonliving objects in the carts way), also before bends, or when the player declare any other unconventional movement.

If things get out of hand, e.g. the players might successfully run from the encounter, bec. they have better dice luck then just shoot at the horses or whatever is pulling the wagon. Enemy snipers on rooftops/in the bushes or up the trees beside the road along the way seems like a good idea to me.

Edit: Checks for animal handling for controlling the horses, use passive or active perception for other things (estimating bends, recognizing and estimating obstacles)

 

[Horwath]

I would use animal handling or tools(land vehicles) check.

vagon speed is 20ft per round.

set DC as you wish:
maybe;
DC 5 for clear often used trail,
DC 10 for turns or slightly rough terrain,
DC 15 for somewhat difficult terrain.

if they fail DC by 4 or less they move half speed
if they fail DC by 5 or more, they do not move this round

if they beat DC by 5 they move 30ft
if they beat DC by 10 they mvoe 40ft

 

[Dioltach]

Here's a rough system I've been working on.

The chaser and chasee's movement and manouvres are relative to each other, not the surrounding terrain. So allow whoever has initiative to say how difficult they want their action that round to be: DC 10+ a modifier that goes 2-4-8-16. The other party can then match that, or bid for a higher modifier. Apply modifiers as appropriate.

Example 1: If the PCs are escaping, but trying to act casual and blend in with the crowd, for example, they'll select a DC of 12. The baddies want to catch them, without causing too much havoc, so they select a DC of 14. If both succeed, it means that the baddies have caught up with the PCs (but not necessarily stopped them). If the baddies roll below 14, but at least 12, they still have a tail on the PCs. If they roll less than 12, the PCs have blended into the crowd and are off.

Example 2: If the baddies are escaping in a taxi in New York, and don't care about the chaos they cause, they choose a DC of 18. The PCs just want to keep them in sight, without causing any damage to the surroundings just yet, so they match the DC of 18. But they're driving a hop-on hop-off double decker bus, so they get a +2 bonus to keep sight of the baddies' taxi. If they want to overtake the baddies, they'd have to roll DC 26, with a -4 penalty because a large bus is less manouvrable. So if the baddies roll an 18 or better, the PCs need to roll 30 or more to overtake the baddies; if they roll 16-29 they keep them in sight, and if they roll 15 or less they lose them.

You can fill in the description of the case to match the rolls.

 

[Quickleaf]

Here's my stab at chase rules: 5E - Making Chase Rules... that actually do what they're supposed to! Playtested with a sled chase. Good feedback.

 

[Fenris-77]

I like to use linked progress clocks. The escapee starts X ticks in front, and escapes if he can fill his clock before the pursuer catches up. The escapee can make a variety of skill checks to pull ahead, create obstacles, etc, while the pursuer makes skill checks to avoid obstacles and put on speed. Toss in a couple of basic descriptors - empty curving street, crowded intersection, narrow alley and the like and you have all the narrative tools you need. It works for foot and vehicle chases pretty interchangeably.

 

[GlassJaw]

Here's my stab at chase rules: 5E - Making Chase Rules... that actually do what they're supposed to! Playtested with a sled chase. Good feedback.

Ahh that's what I needed! Much obliged!