The Chase

[fusangite]

In the suspension of disbelief thread, Afrodyte just observed

You know, sometimes I wonder if a combination chase/fight sequence would be more interesting. You know, as in somebody fighting to get away. You'd probably have to houserule things a lot, though. To keep the chase from being a series of 5-foot backward steps.

How do people feel about the rules' treatment of chases? Are the dramatic possibilities of chases curtailed by the way D&D handles movement?

I'm struggling with this in a D20-BRP hybrid game I'm running now. Both BRP and D20 assume that every member of a species moves at an identical speed and that the only attribute that comes into play in a chase in Con. It seems like the agile and nimble are kind of short-changed by the rules that govern chases. What do people think?

 

[Tonguez]

I hate the DnD movement rules and so I combined Run and Balance to make a Movement skill which is more useful
Move Skill is a dex based and relates to how effectively a person moves.

Walking of course is DC 0 but uneven surfaces, running etc increases the DC. Making various 'manouveres' whilst running (like leaping a hurdle, changing direction, dodging through a crowd etc) all require skill checks. If the creature has a different movement type (eg fly) it applies the Move skill to that too (with DCs set for each manouvere)

Foot races are resolved as opposed move checks (with 1 ft added for every 5 pts of difference), I've not done a fighting chase but I suppose that isn't too hard (perhaps roll D20+Move skill+ AC mod) to set the 'moving target AC'

 

[derbacher]

My answer to all chase questions: http://www.adamantentertainment.com

Corey Reid's Hot Pursuit. It is everythung you need in a chase supplement, cheap (but worth it at any price, I say! ) and very understandable. I've used it for about six months, and I'll never use anything else.

 

[Psion]

Yeah, I started a thread about chase rules in general and evolving into a thread about hot pursuit:

http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=140586

 

[fusangite]

Thanks for the referrals guys. Any advice that doesn't entail me buying new stuff?

 

[Geron Raveneye]

I'd say if you keep it a little freeform, the movement system in D&D 3E doesn't really constrain much concerning chases. Assume that both participants run at the same speed if there's no contradicting info (like one having the Run feat, or being loaded down with gear), remember how far they were apart when the chase started, and then let them have at it. Throw a few obstacles in for the challenge and fun of it, and if one fails the necessary skill check, adjust the distance as fit.

Right now I'm running a chase in my play-by-post game, and the half-orc fighter is chasing an assassin through the streets. After her quarry cleared a horse cart with a somersault, she followed suit by jumping nearly over it...in full gear. Strength 18 can be impressive for Jump checks, especially with a rolled 18. Right now, it's plenty fun. Am looking forward to see her reaction when the assassin brings out the good old fog bomb and caltrops.

When you're counting it out on a battlemap, it might get a bit more constraining, but usually a chase isn't really like combat, so unless somebody really insists on shoving his mini around on the map, it should work out there, too.