Post/Author/DateTime	Post
themind 07-19-05, 01:26 AM	I've been working on the next half of my campaign recently, my group ran through the 3 schema adventures and have gotten up to 11th level now. At the monment taking a break from the game while getting ready for the next part. So, anyways, I want to kick off the game again with chase scene in Sharn. This is to do two things. 1) Give a new player to the group an oppurtunity to do something, and 2) introduce a friendly NPC that can help the PC's in the future. The only probelm I have, is I've never done such a chase scene. The other factor that this is in Sharn and with Lv 11 Characters. I was thinking of a Rogue type taking a book or something from a sage(NPC friend). The PC's are in the immediate vicinity, and he asks them to help. How do I set this up to run well?
Splendide 07-19-05, 01:46 AM	Listen checks please. You hear a sound coming from a flat, one level up from you, it sounded like a muffled scream. A shifter carrying a box has just jumped & tumbled off that level and is now sprinting ahead of you at great speed.
Guide D'Jorasco 07-19-05, 01:48 AM	The infamous chase scene! The first thing that comes to mind when trying to introduce a new character is have the new character being chased by some type of gang. You could have that be one way to introduce your character, by having the other PC's try and help him, either quietly or kill them all. (This also could introduce a new enemy organization) Now you could have the enemy organization sneak in and take equipment, somehow strip the 11th level PC's of their favored weapons, armor etc. Make it difficult for them by also making this during the day and in a heavily populated gang area (Boromar Clan controlled or something). You need to make a chart of possible turns. Start off with the beginning, then have 3 options to go at first and then give each of those options a few options, so the PC's actually feel like they have a choice and it's not so linear and unbelievable. A web of paths the PC's can go while chasing. Also make skill checks all the time to show the skill needed in pursuing someone. (Climb checks over walls, spots vs hides, move silently to sneak behind the PC's, Gather Information on his whereabouts even make him a Changeling which could be very difficult, and very entertaining!) I think a few of us should get together and write articles on how things like this could be done. It could be a vital resource to a DM using Eberron as the setting. If anyone is interested in attempting this, IM at Chazam05 or email at chazhall1987@gmail.com I hope that helps themind!
themind 07-19-05, 02:02 AM	Thanks, that helps quite a bit. I like the gang idea, but I want this to be one time encounter, just to add a little variety to the game. Regardless, you gave me help I needed. I willl implement the "flow" chart for the scene. You know, I envision a part where the theif jumps onto an air skiff, or whatever those are in Sharn, and one of the PC's follow and the have little scuffle on it. Any other ideas that may come to mind, please share them. I work best with multiple angles of ideas. I just had an idea for the theif. I like the Changling Theif idea, and he has a Warforged buddy. They are'nt bad or anything, just doing what they can for gold to keep from being broke. And their recent contract was to get something from the Sage NPC. The Changling goes to get the item, and his WF buddy stands nearby in case things go south, llike his buddy getting attacked. When the PC's catch up with the thief, and I presume attack him, the WF comes out and to help his buddy get away. Maybe, before teh PC's kill them, if it goes that far. the watch shows up to stop the fight. And the Changling and WF gets arrested. I can then use these guys later to either harrass the PC's, being they were the ones that got them caught. Of course, when the see the big picture of what is going to be happening in my game, they may want to help the PC's in any way they can.
Guide D'Jorasco 07-19-05, 03:12 AM	I'm working on a 7 page chase adventure now for all you Eberron DM's. Thanks for the influence themind. I'll post it as soon as I can finish it along with NPC's Stats, maps and of course, the adventure.
themind 07-19-05, 03:16 AM	Heh, glad to be the catalyst of something like this.
Cloud Divider 07-19-05, 10:31 AM	Since you've never done a chase scene before...and you're going to be using Sharn, might I suggest a Skycoach chase (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=443591)? I'd recommend that by FAR over a simple foot chase... Rather than mapping out twists and turns, just come up with a few set-piece "stunt areas". Have a few flying buttresses to fly through. Or two closely-spaced Towers. Or a Tower with a large open breezeway through the middle that the Skycoaches can "Thread the Needle" with. Have a marketplace and/or some banners or billboards that can be crashed through for dramatic (and entertaining!) collateral damage. You'll also want to have the PC's try to swing or jump from one Skycoach to another...so plan for some daring rope acrobatics (up to and including screwing up and the PC finding himself dangling behind a speeding skycoach by his fingertips or a fraying rope). You can definitely go for the high pulpy action here... When I did it, I definitely used a more narrativist style (I basically ran through a list of cool set-pieces). If you wanted to get clever about things, I'd use something like a HeroQuest-style chits-and-bidding mechanic. Give both participants (chaser and chasee) 10 chits. Whoever gets to 20 first, wins. Bid a number of chits based on how daring and risky your maneuver is, and assign a DC (or whatever) appropriately. So "Threading the Needle" may be a 5-chit risk...doing it at high-speed, and after a blind turn may be worth 10 (if you screw up, you crash...if you win, the other guy likely crashed). Taking what you think is a "shortcut" might be a 3-chit bid. Something like that. Alternately, you could do something simpler, based around contested Use Magic Device (or whatever you choose to use for "piloting"), and saying N "victories" are required to win the chase. A third option (I JUST got the inklings of the idea just now, so it's really rough) might be to run the chase as something kinda like a combat. HP represent the lead (and the integrity of your Skycoach), AC is determined by the DC of the maneuver you choose ("Take a Shortcut!", "Thread the needle!"), Damage is based on how effective that maneuver was at closing/opening the distance. When HP=0, that Skycoach has been defeated (it's destroyed, captured, or it's totally lost the trail).
cmanos 07-19-05, 12:11 PM	I am so seeing skycoaches speeding through sharn with people dangling from moorling lines and trying to jump between ships. Combine chase scenes from The Fifth Element, Indiana Jones, Clone Wars and many more movies. Will have people rapidly putting skill points in climb, jump and other skills.
The Rooster 07-19-05, 12:20 PM	I don't know if you have the DMG II, but in there are some good rules for setting up chases as well as using the new mob rules. With a crowd or mob in the way, which would befit the city streets, you could make it more difficult for the high level PCs: they won't be able to fire off so many spells due to the threat of harm to bystanders and the need for concentration checks within the crowds. Just a thought, Rooster
Naudachu 07-19-05, 12:59 PM	I used the chase rules from City Works in the opening of my first campaign with limited success. I think mostly I wasn't too familiar with the rules, but it was over too quickly. I definitely want to take a look at the new rules in the DMG II. Basically a chase is between to characters (or groups) who have the same Speed. If one is faster than the other and there aren't too many things in the way, well the faster one gets away or catches up. Chase over. If speeds are the same and they are farther apart than a double move (normally 60ft) than you have a chase. The rules I used were a simple modified d20 roll for each side, gaining or losing ground until they were out of sight or within a double move. I don't remember what skill or attribute was used, but I was thinking of adding a bonus if you had 5 or more ranks in Knowledge(local). Of course things like crowds, windy streets and other obstructions modified the roll also. And the pursued could give up a little speed to make obstructions, like knock over a cart of fruit or send a cart rolling free down a hilly street. I'd be interested to hear what you all come up with though. I'd like to have a satisfying chase scene myself.
yrogerg 07-19-05, 02:15 PM	Basically a chase is between to characters (or groups) who have the same Speed. If one is faster than the other and there aren't too many things in the way, well the faster one gets away or catches up. Chase over. If speeds are the same and they are farther apart than a double move (normally 60ft) than you have a chase. The rules I used were a simple modified d20 roll for each side, gaining or losing ground until they were out of sight or within a double move. I don't remember what skill or attribute was used, but I was thinking of adding a bonus if you had 5 or more ranks in Knowledge(local). Maybe a constitution check, with modified for Endurance and similar abilities, if you're making the check after a decent time frame? The knowledge (local) bonus for knowing the area is a pretty good idea, though. I'd also point out that a foot chase through Sharn is plenty exciting- our campaign has had a couple of them so far- nothing too long, so far- as well as some horse and airship chases. But in Sharn, there's plenty to make use of- jump checks to dive to a bridge at a different level, picking your way through crowds, maybe having to take off in a skycoach if the guy hops into one, as well. The changeling idea poses an additional challenge, too- if you lose the guy in a crowd, how will you find him again? (I propose some reasonably tough spot checks to recognize his clothing). It's also fun to have them nearly catch the guy, and then have him throw a spell at them to slip them up. (Incidentally, a well-placed fireball in a horse chase can really screw things up for the pursuers ;) . For airborne chases, you'll have reflex saves to avoid collision with obstructions like those previously mentioned- buttresses, towers, billboards, banners, and the like. And even if you narrowly avoid things, the passengers still need to make reflex saves vs. falling down on the really tight turns. More relevant when there's simultaneous combat, granted. Also, there's always the possiblity that the chase is just an attempt to lure the PCs into some sort of ambush :devil:
themind 07-19-05, 11:57 PM	Thanks for all of the responses. I like the idea of turning it into a skycoach chase, it would give my players a dumbstruck look. I forgot all about the DMG 2 chase section. I should have remembered it too, it was of the first things I saw when I opened the book and got my attention. I will try and work out a few things to see what I can do. I only want this to be a one time encounter for the time being. I have a much larger plan for my campaign.
zambuka 07-20-05, 12:14 AM	I go with dex rolls for city chases. I assign a base DC for each "encounter" depending on the traffic, crowds, location, size of the street and any potential obstructions. An encounter could be a stack of crates partly blocking an alley way, a small crowd milling around a popular merchant's stand, a drop from one walkway to another, a spiral staircase or path leading to a higher level. Perhaps the fleeing person tips over a crate of oranges (a DC to tip the crates and keep moving with a higher DC for the persuer ) You don't have to plan it out, most of this can be done on the fly. And Sharn provides plenty of opportunity for interesting and exciting events. If both make the roll then the faster character gets further away, if they are the same speed then there in no change in distance. If the chaser makes it and the chasee doesn't then the gap is closed by 10 feet. If the chaser fails and the chasee doesn't then the gap opens up another 10 feet. If they both fail then the highest roll wins and closes or opens the gap by 5 feet. If the gap is closed to melee range then the persuer can make an attack (strike with a weapon or grapple roll). Don't forget the rules for running however. Someone can still get winded and be out of the race quite quickly. Other things can modify the rolls. Like an intimidate roll to part a crowd, a bluff roll to gain a little space when the persuer is to close (feint left and then duck right into an alleyway). Other rolls can be used instead of dex, depending on the circumstances, a jump roll for droping from one level to another, a strength roll instead of dex to push through a crowd, a knowledge roll to find a shortcut etc. And to determine the starting gap I usually go with contested initiative rolls. The gap is 5 foot per point of difference plus the starting gap. If the chaser has the higher initiative then there is no extra gap beyond starting gap. If chaser and chasee are nearby (in melee) then the starting gap is 10 foot.