D&D 5E Melee combat on the run

[Prakriti]

In what combat or chase scenario is expenditure of time and resources inconsequential?

One that occurs at the end of the adventuring day, when the party has already used up all its resources, and/or when the party is seconds away from a long rest. Especially when I know that the chase won't last long enough for anyone to accrue more than one level of exhaustion. In such cases, the loss of time and resources is meaningless.

Again, how many rolls do you think a chase scene has?

As many rolls as I think it requires, which is usually between 0 and 1.

 

[iserith]

One that occurs at the end of the adventuring day, when the party has already used up all its resources, and/or when the party is seconds away from a long rest. Especially when I know that the chase won't last long enough for anyone to accrue more than one level of exhaustion. In such cases, the loss of time and resources is meaningless.

As many rolls as I think it requires, which is usually between 0 and 1.

I'm starting to think you're not familiar with the Chase rules at all. It's okay if you're not, but let's get it out there so I know where you stand.

 

[Prakriti]

I'm starting to think you're not familiar with the Chase rules at all. It's okay if you're not, but let's get it out there so I know where you stand.

And it matters because...?

 

[iserith]

And it matters because...?

Because then I would know how much effort I would have needed to explain to you how they work so that my point could be made clearer. But now I'll take your latest response, your incorrect call regarding exhaustion upthread, and your continued refusal to answer a simple question as an indication that you are not and leave it at that.

 

[Prakriti]

Because then I would know how much effort I would have needed to explain to you how they work so that my point could be made clearer. But now I'll take your latest response, your incorrect call regarding exhaustion upthread, and your continued refusal to answer a simple question as an indication that you are not and leave it at that.

I am familiar with the DMG chase rules, but I've never used them. I just re-read them again to see if there was something I was missing, and there wasn't. So I stand by the premise of my posts, which is this: If a player's actions are inconsequential, then the DM should resolve them with as few rolls as possible. There is no reason to draw out an inconsequential chase into a full-fledged scene, or roll 2, 5, or 10 times when you could roll once instead.

EDIT: Ah, I see I did miss the part about all levels of exhaustion being removed after a short or long rest. My apologies. Still, I stand by my points above.

 

[Asisreo]

I am familiar with the DMG chase rules, but I've never used them. I just re-read them again to see if there was something I was missing, and there wasn't. So I stand by the premise of my posts, which is this: If a player's actions are inconsequential, then the DM should resolve them with as few rolls as possible. There is no reason to draw out an inconsequential chase into a full-fledged scene, or roll 2, 5, or 10 times when you could roll once instead.

Imo, it's not your call if player's actions are inconsequential. The dice could roll favorably for the quarry and he could get away. If he does, they're taking a long rest with the feeling that they've missed useful information. If they catch him, they get to decide what to do with him. Maybe he has information you thought was useless but they come up with a brilliant way to use it. You just tell them the info.

Maybe they risk 2 points of exhaustion because it's that important to them. Now 1 long rest isn't enough to get them back.

You can't predict the players and dice. The ranger might cast longstrider just for this chase or the wizard might teleport closer, spending resources, because that's how valuable this mook is in their minds.

 

[Asisreo]

If the monster has a significantly faster rate of movement, the monster is likely to escape.

The Chase rules are serviceable with planning and custom Chase Complications.

Rogues are at a disadvantage during Chase Scenes, suddenly the person that can Dash as a bonus action every round gets winded quickly?

Sprinter vs Marathon runner. If they can catch him in 2-3 rounds of double dashing, that's all they need.

 

[Coroc]

I think it was confusing because the creature really had not much left to give, so the chase was really over before it started. It was also confusing because another PC tried to get in its way (and was grappled for his trouble) so it sort of felt like combat was still progressing.

Anyway, it was disappointing because the moment was lost and the climax dampened because of a silly debate about positioning.

Now I do not understand? The player in the way did get grappled by the mob fleeing? That is at least initiating combat once more, so your other players complained rightfully if this is the case but maybe I read something wrong?

 

[robus]

Now I do not understand? The player in the way did get grappled by the mob fleeing? That is at least initiating combat once more, so your other players complained rightfully if this is the case but maybe I read something wrong?

The combat never stopped. For the confused player I should have simply said: the creature continues its run to try and escape, what do you do. The reason I didn’t is because I’d just narrated the creature’s action and foolishly assumed the player had been paying attention as theirs was the next turn. Instead, the player, when I asked them what they were doing, responded: “where am I?” And that lead to the confusion.

I realize I screwed up, hey I’m not Matt Mercer!

 

[Ruin Explorer]

Anyway, it was disappointing because the moment was lost and the climax dampened because of a silly debate about positioning.

I feel like by not dropping combat and allowing a monster to ignore OAs you're kind of setting a dangerous precedent, because potentially anyone who moves and dashes and forces someone to come to them could claim the same you did - i.e. "I'm already running, he doesn't get OAs!".

The creature had made a last round of attacks (5 attacks!) and then decided to make a break for it when it didn’t get TPK it was looking for.

Especially given this.

It feels like you're getting into that unfortunate territory some DMs do, where they're too keen on their monsters/NPCs to let them get killed, and insist on violently bending or even breaking the rules just to deprive the PCs of a victory that they actually earned (or that you granted them by messing up your own tactics/rolls). I mean, if you wanted to flee, you should have run earlier, not when you were at such risk from OAs that you were going to get creamed by them.

Plus couldn't you just keep Disengaging then using the Dash action? That's 35'/round, nearly equal to the 40' you're quoting. If you apply the rules consistently to the PCs on this sort of thing, you need to apply them consistently to your monsters.

It's a problem with singular monsters and NPCs. Unless they can teleport or put on an extreme burst of speed or something, you just can't expect them to succeed in fleeing, and should design the encounter accordingly.