Making chases on foot more interesting?

[Inconsequenti-AL]

I'll have to unpack my spycraft book and have a look... got one, liked it but never ran anything, havn't looked in it for far too long.

See what you mean about the Deus Ex chase - the rooftop aspect of it is pretty cool! I really like all the support Green Ronin offers - had some great extras for some of their games.

Edit: Although D6 damage per story for falling could be a bit too fatal for a 1st level party! Nearly as lethal as a goblin with a pointy stick.


Running as a skill? Would seem to make sense!

 

[jgsugden]

Lay out the enemy's expected path in advance. Have her take the long, bt safe route that winds through the city.

Then, give PCs a chance to narrow the gap by taking short cuts that require skill checks.

Examples:

1.) She enters a street that forms a large S. The PCs can either chase after her along the street, or cleverly climb a fence, run through a bay yard and hop another fence to cut down the length of their trip.

2.) She runs along the edge of a river, crosses a bridge and cuts back towards the party, but on the other side fo the river. The PCs can try to leap the river if it is narrow or can dive in and swim across if it is wide.

3.) She begins to run down a street where someone is using a pully to lift a piano up to the top floor of their home. The piano is suspended bya sturdy rope. If the PCs destroy the rope, they can drop the piano and block her path, forcing her to backtrack towards the party before taking another street. (If possible, let the PCs see the piano before the chase, perhaps by placing an encounter outside the home while the PCs are passing by there earlier. That way it will not be so obvious when you mention that she is running past 'the house where they're lifting the piano' during the chase.)

4.) She can climb a wall using the normal climb rules. The wall is a bit slippery, so the PCs can either follow carefully and make it up with little risk of falling, or take the penalty to move faster and risk falling to their doom!

5.) Give the PCs a chance to catch up, but don't make it look too easy. She should do a few things to slow them down, too. Tip over a barrel of ball bearings, go across a narrow balance beam, etc ....

Chases can be fun if they are not done too much and if there is a give and take to them. I actually have one planned in the future of my campaign that should be very interesting ...

 

[Hand of Evil]

I look at the whole escape and chase as an event, for every 10 feet traveled a check must be made, this is handled as a trap.

 

[Inconsequenti-AL]

Some great stuff here...

Bah!

Decided on a speed reltated system and just finished designing my chase route, then I come back here and find the need to add a few more things... That piano is a definite! - will have to let the PCs see it before things kick off - problem solving in a hurry can be fun! Ball bearings, Caltrops and oil could all have a place.

The traps idea has inspired me. I think thieves might well lay out 'trapped' runs along the roofs on some choice streets, I'll have to cook up a few embarrasing but non lethal (ish!) devices...

I'll let you know how it goes when I manage to run it!

 

[Hand of Evil]

Some great stuff here...

Bah!

Decided on a speed reltated system and just finished designing my chase route, then I come back here and find the need to add a few more things... That piano is a definite! - will have to let the PCs see it before things kick off - problem solving in a hurry can be fun! Ball bearings, Caltrops and oil could all have a place.

The traps idea has inspired me. I think thieves might well lay out 'trapped' runs along the roofs on some choice streets, I'll have to cook up a few embarrasing but non lethal (ish!) devices...

I'll let you know how it goes when I manage to run it!

just to be clear the traps are people and objects moving (wagons, carts, doors openning) in front of the runner and the chasers, the object is to avoid them. IF you rogue has make trap (unskilled) she could create blockage (fly boxes, release marbels).

 

[Frostmarrow]

That's almost exactly the TF&T system.

I actually sent you a draft of these rules when you were seeking submissions for said book. I haven't seen the finished product, but hey - great minds think alike.

It is somehow unothodox, yet logical to make it a speed check for that will fit the rest of the system. It makes even more sense now in 3.5 E when speed is 4-8 squares.

 

[Coredump]

If you are using the Speed+d20 method (or similar) I would have the target take a negative modifier for creating a disturbance (ie tipping over a cart, shutting a gate, etc.). Then have the party member make a check to avoid the new obstacle. The trick is if they succeed in overcoming the obstacle, they will have a net gain on the target, if they fail, a net loss.

So the target takes a -10 to stop and close a gate. The party member tries to jump the gate, if successul, no slow down, and has 'gained' 10 on the target. IF failed, falls and is now 30 farther back by the time he gets up.

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