Sprint Skill (also adds a chase mechanic)

[Primitive Screwhead]

I woudl echo the support for Hot Pursuit

However, if I were to look at your method I would make some radical changes for simplicity sake.

Sprint Skill: Cross class only, usable untrained.
{this keeps down the insane movement rates somewhat}

Sprint: Move action
Roll a Sprint Skill check and add your Move score minus 10, you can move up to this distance. You take 1 point of non-lethal damage every 5' you move beyond yoru normal movement rate. You may gain a penalty of to AC in order to gain a bonus to opposed checks for BullRush and Overrun manuevers. These modifiers last until your next normal movement and cannot exceed your BAB or ranks in Sprint (whichever is less)

A Balance check is required to cross difficult terrain without stumbling, just like with charging. Failure by 5 or more points results in falling prone in the square with the difficult terrain.

Special: You can Sprint in any normal movement mode for which you have a Speed in.
Characters with the Run feat can move up to thier skill check plus thier Move score minus 5.


-- or something like that... this way its not a 'but you can only use this rule in a chase' mechanic and can be used in normal combat.

 

[HeavenShallBurn]

There was a mechanic sort of along similar lines in the Oathbound: Wildwood setting book. It was used more for hunting, but had new rules for chasing and running. I'll need to dig that back out and look at it again.

 

[Slapzilla]

I always figured that the double move was the sprint. Since the turns come in order and all move one at a time, the speed of movement doesn't matter as much as distance during the same amount of time. (A speed thing, but in the battlemap mechanics, it is different) While I like the idea of a burst of extra movement, I think it is already in the movement mechanics.

 

[Lord Zardoz]

Post immediately above this.

The primary motive in creating this skill was to provide a chase mechanic that would allow for two people with similar movement characteristics to either evade / catch up over time. The existing movement rules make conducting a chase within the rules as written impossible (it just ends up too static).

Use within combat is a secondary consideration, but I do like the idea of providing a stat derived means for non magic users to gain extra movement. Tactically, it is potentially very useful, since it can make the difference between either getting not quite close enough to attack, or actually getting an attack in on a given round.

I am convinced that this skill will only unbalance combat if at low and medium levels, a player is able to use the Sprint at will with out any real fear of penalty. At higher levels, even if someone can trivially make a DC 40 or greater check, I hardly see an extra 20 movement as being of great consequence at a time when the to hit and damage rolls are so overwhelming.

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[Li Shenron]

The most brilliant rules are always the simplest!

I'll take in use your first idea, but now with the additions is getting too complicated already. I certainly wouldn't want to spend so much time during a battle checking all those things...

The DCs and one simple limitation on how many times you can use the skill are enough.

 

[Sound of Azure]

Hmmm, with this I could temporarily boost my Jump check by significant amounts (+4 per 10 feet boost above 30', if I recall correctly). Is this intended?

 

[Lord Zardoz]

That was not my intent. I have been more concerned about the skill being balanced in its own context first. So yeah, I missed that one.

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