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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Water Bob" data-source="post: 5655568" data-attributes="member: 92305">I find the Hot Pursuit rules good but not easy to master quickly.  I'm running a chase in my next game session, and I just decided to use standard skill checks instead of relying on those rules. My chase is set on an slight incline in rocky, wooded terrain.  The skree makes foot purchase a risky endeavor, so I cut max distance in half (from 4x Speed to Double Speed). Each round, the runners make a Balance check on the terrain (I use different skills for different types of terrain, and sometimes straight DEX or STR checks, as alluded to in the 3.5 DMG). If a player wants to do something unexpected, I deal with it as it happens as with any game session.  If a player wants his character to catch the runner in front of him, I use opposed Balance checks (on this terrain).  If successful, the runner decreases the distance between himself and the character he's trying to catch by one "unit".  A unit is equal to the character's Speed rating. Thus, if John is chasing after Fred, and on John's turn, he wants to try to close distance to Fred, I'll have the players throw opposed Balance checks (on this terrain....could be a STR check or DEX check or some other check depending on what is most logical).  If John wins, he increases distance to Fred by 30 feet (John's speed rating).  If John fails the throw, then distance remains the same. On Fred's turn, he can try to increase distance using the same method. On some rounds, I throw obstacles into the mix.  Maybe a downed log is in the way requiring the runner to make a Jump check to clear it.  The runner also has the choice or running around the log, avoiding it, but this costs 1 unit of distance.  So, the character can either attempt the jump or lose some separation distance in the chase. Another obstacle is a tree that is growing into a "V" with two trunks sprouting from the original trunk.  This is another Jump check. If a character fails an obstacle check, he falls.  Falling does no damage to the character, but he does lose distance equal to 1.5 rounds (thus, a character with Speed 30 who falls loses 3 units or 90 feet). The rules are flexible to the situation.  Bad falls might require a DEX check, or some other sort of check, each round in order to get up, each round losing distance.  Or, maybe damage is included in the fall. Let's say theres a lot of gopher holes in the terrain.  I may require a minimum throw on the "Run" check, depending on how fast the character is moving.  For example, maybe a DC 5+ is needed on the Balance check while the character is running.  This means he can beat the roll of the character he is chasing.  He can fail to incrase distance.  Or, he might not roll the minimum, indicating that he twisted his ankle in one of the holes. Etc.    I find this easier than learning Hot Pursuit, but I will second the comment that if you do learn the Hot Pursuit rules (and there's a second book dedicated to Foot Chases, called Hot Pursuit on Foot), that you'll probably like the rule set. Again, though, I find the lose rules I've outlined above to be just as easy and appropriate for the game.</blockquote>

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