I'm planning to introduce a villain who sets up an ambush for the PC's they'll have to evade as they rush to rescue their own HQ, and then follow a fey "friend" to a park, still being chased, so he can take them into the Feywild. (Wanted to be specific because I'm excited. ^_^) It's going to be in a large city, and I'm considering giving them the option to flee through the sewers instead of the streets. How would I handle chases over large territories? Especially, how do I introduce obstacles? Do I improv them? Put them on the map? Do I use a map? Thanks!
So back in the 4th Ed era, they had these things called "Skill Challenges" that were basically ongoing skill rolls that pushed the narrative forward. There was an Urban Chase example that might be helpful to you:
Urban Chase Merchants scream and shoppers yell as your quarry shoves her way through the market. You’re not exactly sure what’s at stake yet, but you know you have to move faster than she is and catch up to her before she gets away.
The PCs are hot on the heels of the only woman who can tell them what they need to know. Or the PCs try to escape as their enemies chase after them. A typical chase plays out in rounds, but it could take from minutes to hours in the game world.
Setup: To catch up with or to escape from the NPCs, you have to navigate the cityscape faster and smarter than your opponent. Level: Equal to the level of the party. Complexity: 5 (requires 12 successes before 6 failures). Primary Skills: Acrobatics, Athletics, Perception, Streetwise.
Acrobatics (moderate DCs): You dodge past an obstacle, vault over a crowd, or cross a narrow passage to close or lengthen the distance between you and your opponent. A failed check indicates that you take a spill and lose one healing surge, in addition to counting as a failure for the challenge.
Athletics (moderate DCs): You run fast, scale a wall, leap a fence, or swim across a canal to gain an advantage in the chase. A failed check indicates that you get banged up and lose one healing surge, in addition to counting as a failure for the challenge.
Perception (easy DCs): You spot a shortcut, notice a hiding space, or otherwise aid your cause. Using this skill doesn’t count as a success or failure for the challenge, but instead provides a +2 bonus or a –2 penalty to the next character’s skill check.
Streetwise (hard DCs): You know enough about the layout of urban settlements to use the environment to your best advantage during a chase.
Success: If the PCs are chasing a quarry, they catch up to their quarry (who might be carrying a monetary reward); this could lead directly to a combat encounter. If the PCs are being chased, they evade pursuit or lead their pursuers into an ambush (which leads directly to a combat encounter).Failure: The PCs lose sight of their quarry and have to work harder to find her later. She might take refuge in a den of thieves before they catch her, forcing them to deal with cutthroats or a crime boss to get back on the track of the adventure. If the PCs were being chased, their pursuers catch up with them, and a combat encounter starts immediately.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"The mongoose blew out its candle and was asleep in bed before the room went dark." —Llanowar fable
So back in the 4th Ed era, they had these things called "Skill Challenges" that were basically ongoing skill rolls that pushed the narrative forward. There was an Urban Chase example that might be helpful to you:
Urban Chase Merchants scream and shoppers yell as your quarry shoves her way through the market. You’re not exactly sure what’s at stake yet, but you know you have to move faster than she is and catch up to her before she gets away.
The PCs are hot on the heels of the only woman who can tell them what they need to know. Or the PCs try to escape as their enemies chase after them. A typical chase plays out in rounds, but it could take from minutes to hours in the game world.
Setup: To catch up with or to escape from the NPCs, you have to navigate the cityscape faster and smarter than your opponent. Level: Equal to the level of the party. Complexity: 5 (requires 12 successes before 6 failures). Primary Skills: Acrobatics, Athletics, Perception, Streetwise.
Acrobatics (moderate DCs): You dodge past an obstacle, vault over a crowd, or cross a narrow passage to close or lengthen the distance between you and your opponent. A failed check indicates that you take a spill and lose one healing surge, in addition to counting as a failure for the challenge.
Athletics (moderate DCs): You run fast, scale a wall, leap a fence, or swim across a canal to gain an advantage in the chase. A failed check indicates that you get banged up and lose one healing surge, in addition to counting as a failure for the challenge.
Perception (easy DCs): You spot a shortcut, notice a hiding space, or otherwise aid your cause. Using this skill doesn’t count as a success or failure for the challenge, but instead provides a +2 bonus or a –2 penalty to the next character’s skill check.
Streetwise (hard DCs): You know enough about the layout of urban settlements to use the environment to your best advantage during a chase.
Success: If the PCs are chasing a quarry, they catch up to their quarry (who might be carrying a monetary reward); this could lead directly to a combat encounter. If the PCs are being chased, they evade pursuit or lead their pursuers into an ambush (which leads directly to a combat encounter).Failure: The PCs lose sight of their quarry and have to work harder to find her later. She might take refuge in a den of thieves before they catch her, forcing them to deal with cutthroats or a crime boss to get back on the track of the adventure. If the PCs were being chased, their pursuers catch up with them, and a combat encounter starts immediately.
So do I plan the challenges, placing them on the map? What if the PC's don't go that way?
Just put the challenges wherever the PC's go. All the challenges that exist in areas they don't go effectively don't exist as far as they are concerned. Instead of littering the map with possible challenges, instead consider just making a list of possible challenges and sprinkling them into the game in real-time as the party is doing the chase scene. That way all of your challenges remain somewhat relevant no matter which direction the PC's run.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"The mongoose blew out its candle and was asleep in bed before the room went dark." —Llanowar fable
Skill challenges, just drop them in, it really doesn't matter where. If they're running in the alleys, have a bunch of partiers stumble into the alley, skill check to dodge the mess. Barreling through the sewers, skill check to figure out which tunnel to take on the fly. Trying to navigate the farmers market, skill checks to avoid wagons, carts and people.
I'm planning to introduce a villain who sets up an ambush for the PC's they'll have to evade as they rush to rescue their own HQ, and then follow a fey "friend" to a park, still being chased, so he can take them into the Feywild. (Wanted to be specific because I'm excited. ^_^) It's going to be in a large city, and I'm considering giving them the option to flee through the sewers instead of the streets. How would I handle chases over large territories? Especially, how do I introduce obstacles? Do I improv them? Put them on the map? Do I use a map? Thanks!
So back in the 4th Ed era, they had these things called "Skill Challenges" that were basically ongoing skill rolls that pushed the narrative forward. There was an Urban Chase example that might be helpful to you:
https://www.dndbeyond.com/compendium/rules/dmg/running-the-game#Chases
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both" -- allegedly Benjamin Franklin
Tooltips (Help/aid)
Just put the challenges wherever the PC's go. All the challenges that exist in areas they don't go effectively don't exist as far as they are concerned. Instead of littering the map with possible challenges, instead consider just making a list of possible challenges and sprinkling them into the game in real-time as the party is doing the chase scene. That way all of your challenges remain somewhat relevant no matter which direction the PC's run.
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both" -- allegedly Benjamin Franklin
Tooltips (Help/aid)
DMG has some chase rules in it.
Skill challenges, just drop them in, it really doesn't matter where. If they're running in the alleys, have a bunch of partiers stumble into the alley, skill check to dodge the mess. Barreling through the sewers, skill check to figure out which tunnel to take on the fly. Trying to navigate the farmers market, skill checks to avoid wagons, carts and people.
Thanks, all.