Topic: Pursuit rules

[Blakkrall]

How do you deal with PCs chasing NPC(s) ?

[janpmueller]

Had the situation some time ago. Both were on horseback. I let them make Riding rolls, looking up the result on the percentage column. If the player was able to be faster (higher percentage) he would close in on the foe. Same would apply on foot, but with (Easy) Agility maneuvers.

I didn't make it too exact, because players were out of combat. The player was faster three times in a row, so I ruled she'd got him.
If exactness is needed, determine appropriate number of hexes (say, both are running with 12 hexes per round usually - I'd always round up the following values to avoid rounding gains for anyone), so if the foe flees with 120% (14.4 [15] Hexes) and the player follows with 140% (16.8 [17] Hexes), he will reduce the distance by 2 Hexes that round.
I admit this involves some calculating.

Alternatively (didn't try this, just working from the top of my head), use the bonus column (+40, as running is quite easy) and divide by 10. So, a roll of 73 would mean a 113 > +10. This I'd interpret as having gained 1 hex in addition to Move Rate (in the above example, 13 instead of 12 hexes).

My 2 cents.

[Dr_Sage]

It had happened in my game a couple of times. I have 2 scenarios:

1) By horse:

* Resolved by skill: lots of ride checks round by round to see who rides faster considering terrain.

2) By foot:

a) Complicaded terrain, like over the roofs, rope bridges and the like: Acrobatics tests or similar skill tests.

b) Plain terrain: its the only case I actually use the base movement speed and emcumbenance rules.

Best regards,

Andre

[Blakkrall]

   [...]   

Seems to be quite the way I wanted to do it.
I use the character's pace, and I do a Maneuver Roll in the percentage column (But I don't apply any skill bonuses, for I don't know which to) .
A character has a number of Hexes he can cross each round, depending on his pace. I apply the %age on this number of hexes. Gives me the number of hexes that were crossed during that round.
Encountering an obstacle, I make a Maneuver Roll, applying the appropriate skill bonus and the difficulty given in the pace table (p26).
Ex: Bob is running after Bill (he, guys, what good fantasy names, don't you think ?). There's a stall on the way. They have to jump over it. They're both sprinting. So they've to make a jumping roll (all or nothing). If it succeeds, they can make their %age Roll, if it fails, they couldn't go over it (because of the pace, I would say the character got hurt too...)
The jumping roll difficulty is extremly hard, because of the pace, and you can make it more difficult because of the size of the stall.

Does all of this make sense to you ?

[janpmueller]

Yeah, makes perfect sense. Sounds like you're in favor of greater detail than I usually am, but the method is fine, I'd say. Wish you a good pursuit!
By the way, "Extremely hard" always has the sound of "I actually don't want the players to succeed". So, if you want an exciting pursuit, I'd make it Hard, maximally.

[Blakkrall]

Yeah, makes perfect sense.

Fine, then.

Sounds like you're in favor of greater detail than I usually am, but the method is fine, I'd say.

Yeah, I should probably take care of it, or I'll have to master RM instead of HARP!!!

Wish you a good pursuit!

Thanks, but last one was fouled up by a sleep spell 

By the way, "Extremely hard" always has the sound of "I actually don't want the players to succeed". So, if you want an exciting pursuit, I'd make it Hard, maximally.

Ok, will try it