Homebrew Chase Mechanics Guaranteed to Bring the Thrill of the Chase to Your Adventure

 

By Riley Rath 

 

© Satibalzane

 

Table of Contents

 

Intro

The Reason Your D&D Campaign Needs Chases

A DnD Chase Encounter is Exploration, Not Combat

Official DnD 5e Chase Rules (And Problems)

Goals for Our Homebrew DnD 5e Chase Rules

"Close Quarters" Homebrew DnD 5e Chase Rules

Order and Rounds ("Chase Initiative")

Movement in a D&D Chase Encounter

DnD Chase Complications + Environmental Hazards

Player Actions in a Chase

Special Rules for Chases

What About Enemy Creature Actions?

When Does a D&D Chase End?

Running a "Long Distance" DnD 5e Chase Sequence

How to Run a Chase in DnD 5e (DM Tips)

DnD 5e Chase Rules PDF

 

Chases in D&D 5e should be fun. 

 

Like... REALLY FREAKIN' FUN. 

 

They are exciting in all the adventure stories we read and movies we watch. 

 

But, unfortunately, chases are non-existent in most Dungeons and Dragons games. 

 

It's as though we avoid them at all costs. 

 

Often, the DM will narrate the high-stakes pursuit away until we just have another staged combat encounter or another skill challenge. One is tedious and time consuming... the other depends on random die rolls way too much.

 

This whole year, I thought: "There has to be a better way..." 

 

And I looked and looked... and while I found some good ones (this and this)... they didn't seem to really get the job done. 

 

So here it is, my homebrew solution for D&D 5e chases, both short and long distance, guaranteed to bring exciting new encounters into your campaigns. 

 

 

 

The Reason Your D&D Campaign Needs Chases

 

Remember playing chase as a kid? Getting out in front of your friend, racing across the playground or ducking under the jungle gym? That feeling was the THRILL OF THE CHASE. If you were chasing, there was that TANTALIZING feeling of "aaaaalmost got them!" And if you were being chased, there was the TERRIFYING feeling of "they neeeeearly have me!!!!" 

 

Or how about something more recent... have you played chase with a small child? Sure, the chase is more like a "quick-hearted follow" for you... but to the toddler, it is high-octane DELIGHT: they squeal and laugh and demand you chase them again and again and again! 

 

Consider professional racing... once in a while, a second place car will catch up to the lead for the last lap. The front two cars are neck and neck as they approach the finish line. Guess what the crowd is doing? If they aren't on the edge of their seat, they are jumping and cheering as they witness the most exciting way to end a race. 

 

Because chasing and being chased is fun. And D&D is supposed to be fun. So if you want fun in your D&D campaign, you should probably start adding them ASAP!

 

Simply put... the act of chasing/being chased is fun as hell. 

 

Ok, so clearly the GAME OF CHASE is fun; the PLAY element is a blast and a half... but what about the NARRATIVE of a chase? Is the story element of a chase also fun? 

 

Two words: ITALIAN JOB. 

 

© Paramount

 

Not a fan? What about the Blues Brothers or the Bourne movies, or Blade Runner or Terminator 2 or Casino Royale or The Matrix or Bullitt? These chases are some of the most exciting scenes in recent movie HISTORY!

 

Think The Terminator: Chases are exciting because they have HIGH STAKES. 

 

It doesn't matter that a child is being chased by their father or a driver by a fellow racer... there is a TERROR present. Joslyn Chase (no pun intended... that's just her name!) wrote: "In a chase story, the stakes are high. To the pursuer, capture means everything, and to the pursued, life depends on evading that capture." 

 

For D&D campaigns, chases are often a NON-LETHAL way of bringing high stakes to an encounter. The players still feel that there will be hell to pay if they fail in the chase. 

 

Now... I admit that I said "the narrative of the chase"... and everything I mentioned was a MOVIE. That's because chases are very visual and cinematic. And while you can of course visualize a chase while reading, movies and shows have the advantage of immersing viewers into a chase. 

 

But guess what? 

 

Dungeons and Dragons combines the best of both worlds, being a unique medium that stresses imaginative visualization AND active immersion!

 

The visualization and immersion of D&D 5e makes it ideal for chases... so why do we never play them? 

 

Why should you add chases to your D&D sessions? 

 

Chases are a perfect part of an adventure because they are fun. Like, REALLY fun. They are an ultimate example of play and something everyone has loved since childhood, finds thrilling as games, and are cinematically fabulous in storytelling. 

 

© Assaf Horowitz

 

A DnD Chase Encounter is Exploration, Not Combat

 

Before I go any further, there is one objection I want to address really quick: "Why have special chase rules? Why not just run a chase like a combat encounter?" It is a reasonable objection... an objection I myself do not object to (lol). 

 

You can absolutely get a REALLY big battle map and have the players chase/be chased across it. You can run a chase using standard initiative, martial attacks, and spells. You can even throw in some random encounters here and there!

 

And for some players and tables, this is PREFERRED. After all, they made intentional choices when filling out their character sheet... makes sense that they would want to use THAT character. 

 

Totally understand the sentiment. 

 

But here is the problem: 

 

Chases are known for being fast-paced

 

A slow-paced chase is not good or fun

 

D&D 5e combat is notoriously slow

 

Therefore, D&D 5e combat rules = bad DnD 5e chase rules

 

Don't believe me? Here is what the Dungeon Master's Guide (pg 252) says before introducing their chase rules: 

 

"Strict application of the movement rules can turn a potentially exciting chase into a dull, predictable affair. Faster creatures always catch up to slower ones, while creatures with the same speed never close the distance between each other." 

 

So you CAN use combat rules as written... but it sounds like the 5e game designers tried that and it did NOT work out. 

 

5e's combat rules are intended for a "set piece" encounter: the players and enemies fight on a limited battle map. For all intended purposes, they are in a cage match; creatures can only go so far. 

 

In this environment, the D&D 5e balance of movement, actions, and bonus actions works GREAT. Spells and attacks are (relatively) balanced. The dice influence, but don't rule. 

 

However, many of the mechanics and combat encounters would stop a chase before it even starts! They make sense in a fight, but not in a pursuit: 

 

• Archer rolls a NAT 20 and hits the enemy in the leg? Doesn't matter... their movement is unaffected. 
• Being chased by faster enemies? Doesn't matter... just create difficult terrain behind you and dash away!
• Spellcaster running haphazardly at full speed? Doesn't matter... perfectly handle material components. 
• Bad guy about to get away? Just cast Hold Person. Boom, chase over. 
• Does your character have faster movement speed? Then CHASES don't apply to you... you'll always win!

 

Dnd chases don't work/feel right as combat encounters. 

 

In a previous blog post, I argued that exploration can be defined as "seeking, investigating, wandering... out of a desire to discover something." I also argued that an essential element of the exploration pillar is that the ENVIRONMENT plays a major role... more so than in the other pillars. It is the environment that the players interact with, not a silly NPC or terrifying monster. The environment becomes a character of its own. 

 

Well, in a chase... 

 

• Players are WANDERING and INVESTIGATING an area.
• Players are trying to DISCOVER a solution. 
• Players are interacting heavily with the ENVIRONMENT. 

 

Dungeons and Dragons chases work best when they are considered a form of EXPLORATION. 

 

And once we consider them as exploration encounters, we can build appropriate rules and mechanics. Once in context, we can establish the particulars. 

 

If you still feel some resistance to the idea of chases as exploration, there is a chance it is because you are not used to exploration encounters being well-defined SCENES. I encourage you to read this blog post, which explains why scenes/encounters are a big reason exploration is such a forgotten pillar in D&D 5e. 

 

 

© Wizards of the Coast

 

Official D&D 5e Chase Rules (And Problems)

 

We've established that chases are GOOD for our D&D adventures. We've established that it is best to NOT use the standard combat rules when running a 5e chase. A chase is an exploration encounter, not a combat encounter... combat rules would be inappropriate. 

 

So what are the official DnD 5e chase rules? 

 

Well... despite WOTC's admission (above) that you can't run 5e chases like combat... they sure don't change a whole lot. They take away opportunity attacks... but keep attacks, spells, terrain, and cover rules all the same. 

 

All that they add is a simple mechanic that encourages... but limits... the Dash action: 

 

• The amount of times you can take the Dash Action is 3 + your CON modifier. 
• After that number of times, if you still want to take the Dash action, you need to first succeed a DC 10 Constitution saving throw. 
• If you fail, you gain 1 level of exhaustion. 

 

D&D 5e chase rules = high CON score wins. 

 

You might be thinking: "That doesn't seem very different than combat..." and you'd be right. All it does is limit how much you can take the Dash action. Otherwise, it is almost exactly the same, including leaving all the same spells that would immediately end a chase. 

 

The Dungeon Master's Guide admits that a problem with movement rules in D&D is that faster creatures will always beat slower ones in a chase. All these chase mechanics do is make that problem sliiiiiiightly better by making it so that faster AND durable creatures will always win a chase. 

 

The result? Chases are reduced to Constitution saves. There is very little room for players to role-play or use tactics. Which is surprising given WOTC was trying to avoid leaving chases "a dull, predictable affair." 

 

Long story short: tabletop RPG chase rules from OSR to Pathfinder struggle to satisfy. 

 

So... how can we do better? 

 

 

Goals for Our Homebrew DnD 5e Chase Rules

 

Chases are a fun form of exploration for our adventurers. But the current D&D 5e combat chase mechanics will NOT make them the high-stakes thrill rides we are looking for. 

 

So... what do 5e chase rules need in order to be better? 

 

1. Solve the Current Problems 

 

First and foremost, it has to be better than what we already have. If it isn't, then what's the point? That means that A) the faster/slower movement speed of characters cannot automatically ruin the case, and B) we should be cautious about allowing spells and character abilities to function in a chase as they do in combat. 

 

2. Keep as Close to the Rules as Possible

 

Perhaps the best thing about D&D 5e is its simplicity. It is what has attracted so many new players. So while that simplicity can be to its own detriment, we still want to keep the rules as simple as possible. Wherever possible, we should ADD to the current dnd 5e rules rather than CHANGE or violate them. (Spoiler... limited success in this area...) 

 

3. Environment Plays a Role 

 

Because Dnd 5e chases are part of the exploration pillar, by definition the environment is sorta-kinda a character. The players are exploring and using the environment in order to help them escape... but the environment does not necessarily cooperate! The environment should have active actions: obstacles that cause roadblocks and complications that change a player's game plan. 

 

4. The Chase Encounter Should Feel Exciting

 

To run a slow and plodding D&D chase is self-defeating. When being chased, a person doesn't have time to come up with a grand strategy. There should be an emphasis on ACTIONS... things happening... and not on character development or "cool factor." 

 

5. Distance Matters

 

In combat, Health Points are a precious resource... but chases are all about DISTANCE. The player's actions only matter "because they alter the distance between the characters." It doesn't matter if a spell or attack does damage... what matters is whether or not it impacts the quarry getting caught. 

 

6. Characters Act Heroically

 

Players need to do more than roll and narrate... their actions need to MEAN something. In movies, when the main character is in a chase, there is the assumption that they will fail unless they do something; they are doomed unless they ACT HEROIC or CLEVER. Players should feel that they succeeded in a chase both due to luck AND due to the decisions they made.

 

"Close Quarters" Homebrew DnD 5e Chase Rules

 

These rules are for pursuits that take place across short distances. Maybe the party is running after a rogue across the rooftops of Balder's Gate? Or staying one step ahead of a monster in the sewers? 

 

1. Order and Rounds (Chase "Initiative") 

 

To begin the chase, the DM rolls 3d6s... this symbolizes how many rounds the encounter will last. 

 

You can, of course, choose to roll 3d4s, 2d4s, and 2d6s, or just choose whatever you want. What is best will depend on your party, the map, the story, etc. 

 

In a combat encounter, initiative would be the first thing, but in these 5e chase rules there is NO INITIATIVE. In a chase, individuals do not roll for initiative. Groups act together. The players go as a group and the NPCs move as a group. 

 

There are two groups: the "Quarry" (the ones being chased) and the "Pursuer" (the ones chasing). The Quarry always goes first and the Pursuers always go second. 

 

Why? Because in a chase, creatures react to what is in front of them. And since the Pursuers need to react to the Quarry, the Pursuers go second, reacting to what the Quarry is doing. 

 

The Quarry always starts 30ft ahead of the Persuer, whether it be the players or NPCs. 

 

There are some options here... you can have players go in a specific order in their group, or they can go in a different order each round. But regardless of what your table prefers... they all have just 60 seconds for ALL of them to take their turns. 

 

Players resolve their movement and actions as a group. 

 

Why? Because a chase is CHAOTIC! It is a hectic mess of activity. And the best way to get players to feel what their characters are feeling is to put some of that into the gameplay!

 

So whether your table has players take 6-10 seconds to say what they do or everyone just shouts all at once... they get 1 minute! I suggest putting a timer down, and once the timer ends, the DM moves and quickly summarizes all the activity/resolves any actions (see "Player Actions in a Chase"). If you want to make it even MORE chaotic, have players also make all their ROLLS during this period as well.

 

Players have 1 minute to take ALL their actions. 

 

One final note... I suggest you only tell your players the number of rounds if THEY ARE THE QUARRY. The idea is that the quarry knows where they have to go/what they have to do to escape. Maybe they know of a cave or a safe house. But if the players are the pursuers then DO NOT tell them how many rounds the chase will last. This will create a sense of urgency... which will help make the chase encounter exciting!

 

To sum it up: 

 

• Chases last a pre-rolled number of rounds 

 

• Quarry always starts 30ft ahead of the Pursuer

 

• No initiative; players move and act as a group

 

• Players have limited time to act

 

© Gengar1991

 

2. Movement in a D&D Chase Encounter

 

In a chase scene the characters are in constant motion at high speed. They can of course choose to speed up or stop moving (more on that later), but they do not have to tell anyone they are moving: it is assumed that they are in motion. Doesn't matter if they are on feet, a steed, or in a vehicle... they are going as fast as they possible can. 

 

But... in order to keep players excited and creative, the NPCs are always 5ft faster per round than the standard 30ft movement speed of player characters. The consequences of this is that if the players did nothing but run, the enemy NPC would either catch up (if they are the Pursuer) or get away (if they are the Quarry).

 

Why? Because this too will create a sense of urgency. The players start the chase knowing they cannot outrun or out roll the problem... they have to ACT and do something to change their situation. 

 

In a chase, NPCs are (nearly) always 5ft faster than player characters. 

 

(Optional rule: if you are dealing with a larger map, you can have them be 10ft faster, and have movement be 60ft). 

 

HOWEVER... not all player movement speeds are the same. And after listening to my own player's feedback, I agreed that one should be rewarded for choosing a faster character and hamstrung for choosing a slower one. Thus: 

 

• If a player has a movement speed less than 30ft per round, then they move only 25ft per chase. 

 

• If a player character has a movement speed faster than 30ft per round, then they move 35ft per chase. 

 

A slower character will struggle to catch/be caught, and a faster character will basically maintain distance from the enemy NPC. In both situations, the tension of the chase remains, while still respecting the character and racial choices of the players. 

 

However... a DnD 5e chase is about stamina as much as speed!

 

Chases are sometimes won by the fast character... but sometimes they are won by the more physically fit character. The longer the chase, the more likely the stout, durable halfling will beat the quick, nimble wood elf. 

 

The obvious solution: players need to make Constitution saving throws. But instead of players DASHING 3 + CON modifiers, they instead start making CON saves after 3 + CON modifier rounds. 

 

Players roll CON saves after 3 + CON modifier rounds. 

 

Remember, a chase is about DISTANCE, not HP. And in these chase rules, it is assumed every creature is already running at full speed... they are already "dashing"! 

 

And since a chase is all about distance, not HP, the consequence for their failure is losing ground in a chase. Every time a player fails a CON save, they lose 5ft of distance to their movement that round. 

 

To sum it up: 

 

• In a chase, NPCs are (nearly) always 5ft faster than player characters. 

 

• Players roll CON saves after 3 + CON modifier rounds. If they fail, they suffer by 5ft. 

 

3. DnD Chase Complications + Environmental Hazards

 

Before the characters and NPCs take their turns in each round, there is "something" else we forgot to include in our order... the environment! Remember, "the chase" is part of the EXPLORATION PILLAR. And what's essential to exploration is the environment being explored!

 

So how do you actively include the environment? 

 

ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS. 

 

The players are interacting with the environment as they run, dodge, climb, slide, etc. But there are all sorts of stuff that can thwart your ability to get/get away. The hazards also have the narrative benefit of getting characters in holes... which they have to get themselves out of again. 

 

An active environment allows players to get themselves out of holes... which is exciting! 

 

So who does the environment act upon? 

 

Just take a die that represents the number of creatures involved in the chase. Roll. The environment acts on that creature. If you want, use a larger die and leave some spaces blank, meaning no environment complications take place. Or make the die smaller and have the environment only affect player characters. 

 

And how does the DM decide what will happen? 

 

Depends... 

 

The DM can either look at a detailed map and choose something that might happen OR they can refer to a random table. However, if you use a random table, make sure it is appropriate for the setting of the chase. 

 

Thankfully, WOTC and the 5e community has created several hazard lists for you to choose from: 

 

• Rooftop chase complications (Dragon Heist, pg 72). 
• Urban and wilderness chase complications (DMG, pg 254). 
• Ideas for coming up with obstacles on the fly. 
• Exotic environment complication tables. 

 

To sum it up: 

 

• Roll to see which creature is affected by the environment. 

• Roll on a chase complication table. 

• Play out that complication before anything else. 

 

Awesome Dice Image

 

4. Player Actions in a Chase 

 

So far, we have established WHEN players go, HOW FAR they can move, and WHY the environment gets to act. Now we should clarify WHAT players can do during their turn. 

 

Reminder: chases are all about SPEED. Characters in chase scenes are moving as fast as they can, with the world whirling by them. As a result, they have little TIME to act; they must make very quick decisions or simply act on instinct. Our goal is to bring that sense of speed and lack of time into the game. 

 

Obviously, the standard D&D 5e economy of actions, bonus actions, etc. for combat encounters would NOT achieve this goal. Not only do turns take forever, but players spend tons of time strategizing, and there is an idea of what they can accomplish in 6 seconds if they were as efficient as possible. 

 

Instead, I propose an alternative "D&D 5e Chase Action Econony": 

 

1) Players can take a single action: physical, arcane, survey, environmental, social, tactical, martial class, or "dash." 

 

That's it. 

 

They can choose to do ONE thing each round. 

 

And they have seven options to choose from. 

 

Chases should last many rounds, and yet chases still need to move FAST. If players had to make all sorts of actions, the chase would become a boring crawl across a map instead of a high-speed pursuit. 

 

Awesome Dice Image

 

So that said... what options do players have when taking an action? 

 

• Physical Action: Physical actions would include climbing, sliding, jumping, breaking, dodging, hiding... anything that focuses on the body (athletics and acrobatics checks, martial attacks). 

 

• Arcane Action: Players cast a spell. I suggest only allowing players to cast each of their spells once per chase encounter. Due to the hectic nature of chases, players cannot cast any spell of 4th level or higher. I also suggest making it so spells used in a chase do not consume spell slots. Some spells function normally, but many work differently in a chase (see "Special Chase Rules" below). 

 

• Survey Action: The best chases involve characters using the environment to their advantage; THEY are acting upon the environment. A survey action is when a player assesses the environment for a route or thing they can use (perception or investigation check) or to predict what the enemy NPCs will do next (insight check). These can be things already on the battlemap, in the mind of the DM, or the DM can allow the player to come up with a creative option.

 

• Environmental Action: Sometimes it sucks to suck. If the environmental hazard acts on a player, then they use their action overcoming that obstacle or complication; the ENVIRONMENT is acting upon them.

 

• Tactical Action: Sometimes players are running up toward something and know it is going to be a difficult physical action. If that is the case, they can "formulate a plan" (make an intelligence or wisdom saving throw) to give themselves advantage on their action in the next right. Players get advantage on this roll if they choose to reduce their speed by 10. 

 

• Social Action: Anything that involves talking or communicating. They can convince the enemy NPC to give up (persuasion or intimidation) or offer advice or encouragement to an ally (provide the Help action). 

 

• Martial Class Action: Martial classes are physically geared, and thus each have a special advantage in a chase. If a character is multiclassing, they must have at least 3 levels in a class to use this ability. Note: unlike spells, any abilities that renew on a short or long rest ARE CONSUMED in the chase:
• Barbarian: Has advantage on all CON saves or skill checks, and can stay raging if they smash through physical objects.
• Fighter: Action Surge can be used to gain one additional "Dash" special action.
• Monk: Has advantage on all checks associated with vertical surfaces and advantage on any Environmental Actions. 
• Ranger: Has advantage on any roll associated with the Survey Action.
• Rogue: Has advantage on any roll associated with the Tactical Action.
• Paladin: If they are in the same space as an enemy, they can use a smite to automatically drop the enemy's speed to 0 for a single round.

 

• "Dash" Special Action: They are already running at full speed, but sometimes the adrenaline kicks in! For one round, a player character can turn on an extra burst of speed and gain an extra 10ft of movement. They can only do this once during the entire chase. 

 

Seven simple and intuitive options. Doing something with their body... action. Looking at stuff... survey action. Want to move faster... dash action. Talking to someone... social action. Casting a spell... arcane action. Forming a plan... tactical action. Dealing with hazards... environmental action. 

 

Under these new rules, Dungeon Master's can mark the end of the round once all the Quarry and Pursuers have taken their respective actions.

 

Awesome Dice Image

 

5. Special Rules for Chases

 

And I WISH I could stop there... but there are a few things we need to clear up. As mentioned several times in this post, transplanting the combat encounter rules into a chase would ruin most high-speed pursuits. We can't have a chase and allow attacks and spells to function normally! After all, this is exploration, not combat! 

 

That said... a great thing about these special rules is that they work well with my homebrew chase system AND if you just ran a chase like a normal combat encounter!

 

What About "Dash As a Bonus Action"?

 

Some spells, racial abilities, and class abilities allow a player character to Dash as a bonus action. These player characters can use the Dash Special Action one additional time during the chase. This includes the "Step of the Wind" Monk ability, "Cunning Action" Rogue ability, as well as the Expeditious Retreat spell. 

 

 

Sleight of Hand Checks for Attacks and Spellcasting

 

It would be easy for characters to fumble their material components or weapons because they are moving at high speeds. Therefore, anything involving using an object with their hands first requires a successful sleight of hand check. If they fail, they take no action for that turn. It is for this same reason that players cannot cast any spell that is 4th level or higher.

 

Teleportation-Based Spellcasting

 

Based on the spell level limiation, there are only three teleportation spells available to players: 1) Misty Step, 2) Vortex Warp, and 3) Thunder Step. All of these spells function normally, and consume the player character's action for hat round of the chase.

 

If player characters are the Quarry, once the rounds of the chase have ended, players can use any teleportation spell to automatically succeed in escaping.

 

 

Spells That Impact MOVEMENT

 

The following movement spells are slightly augmented to maintain a chase while still providing a massive advantage for player characters: 

 

• Longstrider: Players move an additional 5ft per round.
• Jump: Players automatically succeed in any physical action that requires leaping.
• Feather Fall: Players can slow a descent to the point where they are NOT injured by a fall, but still maintain their speed.
• Freedom of Movement: Players are unaffected by any spell or environmental effect that creates difficult terrain.
• Expeditious Retreat: Players can choose to take the Dash Special Action two additional times. 
• Haste: Players move an additional 5ft per round and can choose to ake the Dash Special Action two additional times.

 

 

AOE Spells That Create Difficult Terrain

 

The whole point of difficult terrain is that it makes movement difficult... making it perfect for slowing down an enemy creature, whether they be Quarry or Pursuer. However, we want to change two things with the rules as written: 1) if the player manages to get the spell off, the enemy creatures automatically fail the saving throw, and 2) it reduces their speed by ½ for only one round. In other words, after it reduces their speed, it is assumed they have moved through the area of difficult terrain. 

 

All Other Spellcasting

 

Every other spell impacts the bottom line of a chase: DISTANCE. If a character successfully casts a spell and can justify that it would impede the enemy creature in the chase, then that spell reduces the movement of the affected creature by 5ft for that round. It does not matter if the spell does damage. 

 

What About Invisibility?

 

Invisibility spells would automatically ruin any chase, and either cannot be used or are not as effective. Here are my two proposed solutions:

 

1. If a Quarry chooses to turn invisible, the pursuers must make a DC13 Perception check to continue to follow (the idea is that the chase is so hectic that the Quarry is leaving all sorts of environmental evidence of their path).

 

2. A Quarry cannot attempt to hide until the chase has exausted a number of rounds. However, once the rounds have been exhausted, they can choose to go invisible and AUTOMATICALLY succeed in avoiding being caught.

 

Disadvantaged Ranged Attacks

 

If pulling out a knife is hard while running, try drawing, notching, aiming, and loosing an arrow! Ranged attacks are nearly impossible when someone is being chased. As a result, players must first pass a sleight of hand check AND make their attack at disadvantage. 

 

Armor

 

If the armor a player character is wearing imposes disadvantage on stealth, they must succeed a strength check each round or their speed is reduced by 5ft for that round.

 

Stopping Movement to Attack

 

Players choosing to stop their movement to make a ranged attack are taking a VERY big risk. However, it should pay off. If a player does not move for their round, they not only roll to hit with advantage, but they also reduce the enemy creature's speed by 10ft (rather than 5ft). 

 

6. What About Enemy Creature Actions?

 

Now, you might have noticed that so far I have mentioned only players taking actions... I haven't mentioned the rolls that you, the DM, make on behalf of the enemy creatures and monsters. 

 

That is because we want the focus to be on the PLAYER'S ACTIONS. We want the player to feel like they are responsible for the chase. What PLAYERS do determines the outcome.

 

Also, it is assumed that the enemies ARE doing things, which is why they always have 5ft faster movement speed. But that said, chases are more fun when enemies do stuff. So here are the limited choices. 

 

Whether they be Quarry or Pursuer, enemies have limited actions. After they use an action, they must roll a d6 each round, recharging their ability to act on a roll of 5-6: 

 

 

• Dash Special Action
• Spellcasting (whether on self or player characters)
• Ranged Attack

 

7. When Does a D&D Chase End?

 

The chase encounter comes to an end when either A) the Pursuers catch up to the Quarry, or B) the number of rounds for the chase ends. 

 

If the Pursuers catch up, you can choose to simply have the Quarry captured or transition the chase into a combat/social encounter. Dynamic encounters FTW!

 

If the rounds come to a close, it is assumed that the Quarry escaped. Maybe they made it to a safe house or sanctuary. Or maybe they lost the Pursuers in a crowd. Or maybe they turned a corner and hid in an alley as the Pursuers ran by them. Regardless, simply narrate the ending of the chase and move on with your adventure. 

 

 

© Embracer Group

 

Running a "Long Distance" DnD 5e Chase Sequence

 

The above rules are perfect for a D&D chase through a dungeon, forest, or urban environment. They were built with the idea of players and NPCs chasing each other across hundreds of yards. But what if your chase takes place over miles and miles and miles? 

 

In that case, we want to give our players an experience akin to the "Wyvern Sprint" Brennen Lee Mulligan talks about in this clip. 

 

You can, of course, revert back to the standard D&D 5e chase rules on page 252 of the DMG. But in a long distance chase, the enemy creature will be waaaay out of range for them to use most of their spells and abilities normally. 

 

So, here is an alternative I used for my games that involves more than just one lucky dice roll. 

 

Simple Long Distance Dnd 5e Chase Rules 

 

Basically, the long-distance chase is a skill challenge where players will be rolling CON save after CON save after CON save. I would start the DC really low... like 2... and have them roll a CON save for morning, evening, and night. Every new roll, raise the DC by 2. I would have them roll at least 10 times. If players fail 3 (or 5... up to you) times, then the Quarry escapes/Pursuer catches up. 

 

What the Players Can Do

 

A character can take on another character's fail (carry them). 

 

You can choose to gain advantage and gain a level of exhaustion. 

 

Endurance running is both physical and mental. The merely-strong and merely-determined alike will fall to the ground before those that have both. As such, players should be allowed to make some STR and WIS/CHA checks to help them run across the country. 

 

Furthermore, characters have all manner of racial and class traits that might impact their ability to withstand enormous strain and resist the temptation to stop and rest. Their background might make them more motivated than their compatriots. Not to mention any number of the hundreds of spells at their disposal! 

 

So... rather than clarifying what can and cannot work... I'm just going to say "DM decides." 

 

If a player can justify WHY their racial or class ability, background, or spell would help them in the chase, then let them roll their Constitution saving throw with advantage. 

 

Of course, they must decide to do this BEFORE they roll. And even if it is a short rest ability, it requires a LONG rest for it to be recharged. Yes, this is kinda unfair... BUT mechanically it is necessary if you want to run a chase over wide expanses of countryside. 

 

Narrating a Long Distance D&D Chase

 

A close-quarters chase across rooftops or city streets is quick and snappy... but a chase over a vast expanse of land requires evocative narration. Every morning, evening, and night, the DM needs to describe what the characters see... how the landscape changes. It's almost like a montage, but with players rolling before the camera cuts. 

 

Furthermore, I would encourage the DM to be equally descriptive of what the chase does to the characters' bodies and minds... because as they run, they will begin to BREAK. I looked up the injuries that occur if you run too much and... damn... they are gruesome. Every time the players fail a CON save, I would randomly select one of these injuries and describe in detail how it is causing pain. This little narration tactic will go a LONG way to raise the stakes and get the players sweating with every CON save. 

 

© Embracer Group

 

How the Long Distance Chase Can End

 

For the short-distance chase, I was clear: the chase ends when the randomly rolled rounds end. In my games, that is not the case for these longer chases. Similar to the skill challenge, there should either be a negative consequence if they fail OR the chase should transition into another type of encounter. Mine usually transition into combat encounters or a close-quarters chase. 

 

HOWEVER... if players are the Quarry, they can choose to end the chase by DECEIVING their Pursuers. If they break the line of sight, I would allow them to attempt to have the Pursuers "lose their tail" and head off in the wrong direction, effectively ending the chase. 

 

I would have them succeed 4 group skill checks, chosen from the following: Deception, Stealth, Nature, Survival, Performance, Animal Handling, and Arcana. If they fail even 1, the chase is back on!

 

How to Run a Chase in DnD 5e (DM Tips)

 

After surveying the wisdom of the world wide web, these were the chase rules I came up with. After ample thought and play-testing, I have found them to create a unique and fun D&D experience for everyone at the table. 

 

Admittedly, they are more complex than the standard ones in the DMG. Some players and DMs may grumble over having to learn something in the middle of a session. 

 

But they are needed... role-playing is simple, combat is complex, and exploration encounters are riiiiiight in the middle. The exploration pillar needs rules if we are going to play it more in our games!

 

Before I go, I just want to end with some suggestions for Dungeon Masters; tips to make sure they make the most of chases in their games: 

 

1. Set the stakes and make them DIRE
2. Have quick, sensory-filled descriptions 
3. Give a CLEAR goal to the players 
4. Initially give players limited information about the environment 
5. Use lots of verbs and action-oriented words 
6. Focus on the 5 senses when narrating
7. Maintain the sense of SPEED 
8. Give advantages to creatures with more MOTIVATION
9. Don't set the DC too high 

1. Give advantage to people who know the environment

 

© Kobe Sek

 

Don't Worry! We Put the DnD 5e Chase Rules in a PDF!

Click Here to Get the Player Version...

And Here to Get the DM Version Now!

By Riley Rath - Freelance DnD Copywriter