4.5 KiB
Absolutely—let’s formalize Pursuit & Evasion so it’s clean, tense, and hooks into Evasion, Tracking, and related skills. This drops neatly into the Base Rules or Combat section as a dedicated subsystem: Pursuit & Evasion "A chase isn’t just about who’s faster—it’s about who’s smarter, luckier, and willing to risk more." When to Use This system is used when one party is actively fleeing and the other is actively pursuing—whether on foot, horseback, or through crowded streets. It creates a structured skill contest with stakes, rather than defaulting to a single roll. The Chase Clock • A pursuit is resolved through a Chase Clock, a track with 5 segments by default. • The fleeing party wins if they fill the clock before the pursuers catch up. • The pursuing party wins if they close the gap (reach melee/contact range) before the clock fills. You can adjust the clock length based on scale: • 3 segments for short pursuits (across a building). • 5 segments for standard urban/rural chases. • 7+ segments for extended wilderness hunts. Chase Rounds Each “chase round,” both sides act simultaneously: • Lead Rolls: • Fleeing party rolls Evasion or an appropriate skill (Navigation in wilderness, Athletics for climbing, Subterfuge for hiding in crowds). • Pursuing party rolls Tracking or an appropriate skill (Observation, Streetwise, Ride, etc.). • Roll pools: Attribute + Skill, using penalties/bonuses from terrain and Speed differences. • Compare Results: • If the fleeing party gets more successes, advance the Chase Clock by 1 segment. • If the pursuers get more successes, reduce the gap: • If the gap is already “Close,” they catch the target. • Otherwise, close the gap and mark it as “Close” (final segment before capture). • If the rolls tie, the chase continues with no change to the clock or gap. • Complications: Each chase round, the GM may add 1 obstacle or complication: • Crowds, barriers, alarms, weather, collapsing roofs, panicked livestock… • These are handled as additional rolls or cost trade-offs (e.g., take 1 Fatigue to smash through, or detour and lose a segment). End Conditions • Fleeing Party Wins: The Chase Clock fills → they slip away, vanish into cover, or gain enough distance to hide. • Pursuers Win: They close the gap in the final segment and catch or corner the fleeing party. • Abort: Either side can choose to abort the chase at any time (stop fleeing or stop pursuing). Modifiers • Speed Advantage: Each point of Speed advantage = +1 die. • Fatigue: Each Fatigue point = –1 die. • Preparation: If either party had time to prepare (ambush, planned escape route), they start with 1 automatic success. • Environmental Edge: • Fleeing in dense urban or wilderness terrain = +1 die to the fleeing party. • Fleeing in open terrain = +1 die to pursuers. Using Skills This system rewards creative skill use: • Fleeing: Evasion, Stealth, Subterfuge, Athletics, Navigation, Ride, Smuggling (hidden routes). • Pursuing: Tracking, Observation, Streetwise, Tactics, Ride, Mechanics (disable escape options). • Allies can support by making Setup Rolls (using social, magical, or environmental skills) to give +1 die or auto-successes. Optional: Corruption & Risk • You may mark a die as Risky to take dangerous shortcuts; failure = Injury or Fatigue. • You may mark a die as Corrupted (if applicable) to gain supernatural aid (e.g., void-fueled burst of speed). Failure = extra Corruption die. Example Flow • The Myou rogue tries to flee the city guard through a marketplace. • The GM sets a 5-segment clock and notes the gap is currently “Medium.” • Round 1: Myou rolls Evasion vs Guards’ Tracking. Myou wins by 2 successes → Chase Clock +1. • Round 2: Guards add a complication: a cart blocks the alley. Myou smashes through (takes 1 Fatigue) and still wins → Clock +1. • Round 3: Guards tie → no change. • Round 4: Guards win → gap closes to “Close.” • Round 5: Myou wins → Clock fills, they vanish into the sewers. Why It’s Fun • The clock creates visible tension. • The structure rewards both Evasion and Pursuit specialists, but doesn’t lock out others. • Creative use of skills, gear, and abilities can change the chase dramatically. 🔥 Do you want me to write a matching subsystem for Extended Hunts (multi-day pursuits, big wilderness hunts) that plugs into Tracking, Survival, and Fatigue? Or should we jump straight into Species Trees now that the universal skills and core subsystems are complete?