2.6.0 Chases And Pursuit

Adventurers have a habit of chasing after others and being chased in turn. The specific rules used vary depending on whether it’s a foot chase or mounted pursuit.

2.6.1 Foot Chases

The group member in the fleeing party with the best Dex/Exert or Con/Exert total rolls a skill check. Their result is the fleeing group’s pace, as they help and encourage the slower members.

Other fleeing group members then hinder pursuit in whatever ways they think are helpful. Sometimes a skill check is needed, while other times a GM will simply decide it works. Each successful effort adds a +1 bonus to the pace, up to +3 maximum. Botched efforts are either unhelpful or apply a -1 penalty if they’re actively harmful. If the fleeing group is made up of NPCs, it’s the GM’s judgment as to whether any of them try to do something clever to stall the PCs.

The pursuing group then makes a single Dex/Exert or Con/Exert skill check, modified by the table below. If they beat the fleeing group’s total they catch up to them, and if they tie or roll less the fleeing party has escaped immediate pursuit.

Situation	Mod
There are more pursuers than pursued	-1
The pursued have no head start at all	+2
“ have one round’s head start	+1
“ have less than a minute’s head start	+0
“ have more than a minute’s head start	-2
Who knows the local terrain better?	-2 to +2
The pursuit is half-hearted or obligatory	-1
The pursuers are enraged or vengeful	+1

2.6.2 Mounted Chases

For mounted or vehicular chases, the fleeing rider makes a Ride skill check, usually modified by Dexterity. This is the fleeing mount’s pace.

Each pursuer then makes its own Dex/Ride skill check to catch up with the quarry, modified by the table below. Any of them who don’t equal or exceed the fleeing mount’s pace fall behind and are lost from the pursuit. Any of them who do make the roll catch up to the mount, and it usually becomes a matter of combat until the quarry can make another escape attempt or win the ensuing battle.

Unmounted pursuers cannot generally hope to catch up with mounted evaders over a short-term chase.

Situation	Modifier
The pursuer can’t directly see the pursued	-2
The pursuer is flying but the pursued isn’t	+3
The pursued is flying but the pursuer isn’t	-3
A spotter is relaying the target’s position	+1
Who knows the local terrain better? -2 to	+2
The pursuit is half-hearted or obligatory	-1
The pursuers are enraged or vengeful	+1