How to GM an chase scene

[Blackivarr]

My players will soon be in a densly packed city, a good portion of it is nothing more than open air houses and shanties. I'd like to take them on some sort of chase scene through crowded alleys, across rooftops etc.... I havent seen any rules for it anywhere. Anyone have any ideas?


-Blackivarr

 

[Salad Shooter]

Explain in detail what's going on. Periodically have them roll to make sure they're keeping up. If they're leaping rooftop to rooftop, don't make them check every roof, just roll occasionally to see if they fall down and go boom, or slip and slide but catch themselves, or whatever. Have them make an occasional check to see how much they've gained (or lost) on the quarry. When they get close enough, grapple!

 

[Starman]

Spycraft is what you need. It has the best chase system ever. It's core use is for vehicles, but you can easily use it for chases on foot without a problem. The rules really are fantastic.

Starman

 

[The Other Librarian]

There was an adventure in Dungeon that started with a rooftop chase, and had some neat things to throw at the players. Damned if I can remember what it was called though, or which issue. Maybe someone else here will know.

 

[ThoughtBubble]

Talk in a really excited voice.
Also, make sure that, if they fail a roll, you give them a chance to make it up with another. "Oh, you jump across the gap between the buildings, legs windmilling but you're not going to make it. Quick! Make a reflex save to grab the windowsill."
Generally, determine how open the area is, and how easy it is to lose someone, and use that as a guide of how close he is to escaping.

 

[Kid Charlemagne]

The Grim Tales chase rules are based off Spycraft, as well. However, I don't know that anyone has done much for foot chases or more D&D-standard chases (let's see you do a bootleg reverse in a horse-and-carriage!)

 

[Inconsequenti-AL]

Talk in a really excited voice.
Also, make sure that, if they fail a roll, you give them a chance to make it up with another. "Oh, you jump across the gap between the buildings, legs windmilling but you're not going to make it. Quick! Make a reflex save to grab the windowsill."
Generally, determine how open the area is, and how easy it is to lose someone, and use that as a guide of how close he is to escaping.

I'd even go a step further than this... if they miss the jump check, then they automatically grab a ledge... stops messy falling deaths and encourages them to try more stunt kind of stuff... the penalty of failing is that they fall further behind their prey.

 

[ThoughtBubble]

I'd even go a step further than this... if they miss the jump check, then they automatically grab a ledge... stops messy falling deaths and encourages them to try more stunt kind of stuff... the penalty of failing is that they fall further behind their prey.

Ah, see, for me the trick is to have more rolls going on, so it doesn't feel like the chase is dependant on failing or making one roll. On something like grabbing the ledge, slowing a fall (and avoiding death) would be a low roll (ie: 5 or so), grabbing the ledge would be in the 7-10 range. The rolls keep things up and moving, and keeps players in the action.

 

[Hand of Evil]

This has come up before, let me search for the thread as it had some good stuf in it...

Not the thread I was looking for but...

http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=64975&highlight=chase

 

[The_Gneech]

"The Mad God's Key" in Dungeon #114 (the first with the new masthead) has a chase in it; haven't read it in detail, but it might be worth a look.

-TG