The rules for movement in combat don’t translate to every situation. In particular, they can make a potentially thrilling chase seem dull and predictable. Faster creatures always catch up to slower ones, while creatures with the same Speed never close the distance between each other. Use the following rules to introduce random elements that make chases more exciting. Know the capabilities of the characters in your party before you make a chase an important feature of an adventure. A character with a high [[Physical Capabilities#Movement Speed|movement speed]] or the right spell (such as [[Arcane Spells#Dimension Door|dimension door]], [[Arcane Spells#Fly|fly]], or [[Cursed Spells#Hold Monster|hold monster]]) can often end a chase before it begins. ___ ### Beginning a Chase A chase requires at least one quarry and at least one pursuer. When a chase begins, the DM determines the starting distance between the quarry and the pursuers which is usually short-range (30ft), medium-range (90ft) or long-range (150ft). The chase is broken into 3d6 rounds, rolled by the DM. At the beginning of each round, the chasers and the runners both choose on character to represent them that round (no character can be chosen again until all allies have made a check). The characters representing each team roll a contested Dexterity ([[Abilities & Skills#Athletics|Athletics]]) check. Whichever team rolls higher reduces or widens the gap by half their movement speed. The winner of the contest is then presented with a Chase Event, which may give them the opportunity to gain or lose more ground. <br> ___ ### Running the Chase During the chase, the pursuers and their quarry both have 1 action that they may perform on their group's turn, chosen by the character representing their team. This action is used before the contested Dexterity ([[Abilities & Skills#Athletics|Athletics]]) check, and the quarry's action always resolves first. Participants in the chase are strongly motivated to take the [[Actions in Combat#Dash|Dash]] action every round. Pursuers who stop to cast spells and make attacks run the risk of losing their quarry, and a quarry that doesn’t take the Dash action is likely to be caught. <br> ##### Dashing If during their turn a chase participant chooses to use the [[Actions in Combat#Dash|Dash]] action, the gap between both groups immediately reduces or widens by half that creature's movement speed. The turn then resolves as normal. Each group can take the [[Actions in Combat#Dash|Dash]] action up to 3 times during the chase. Each additional Dash action their group takes during the chase requires the current lead creature to succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw at the end of its action or gain 1 level of [[Conditions#Exhaustion|Exhaustion]]. A participant drops out of the chase if it has 5 levels of [[Conditions#Exhaustion|Exhaustion]]. <br> ##### Spells and Attacks A chase participant can make attacks and cast spells against other creatures within range. If they would be capable of doing so, chase participants can’t normally make [[Making an Attack#Opportunity Attacks 🛠|opportunity attacks]] against each other, since they are all assumed to be moving in the same direction at the same time. However, participants can still be the targets of opportunity attacks from creatures not participating in the chase. For example, adventurers who chase a thief past a gang of ruffians might provoke opportunity attacks from the ruffians. <br> ##### Splitting Up Creatures being chased can split up into smaller groups. This tactic forces pursuers to either divide their forces or allow some of the quarry to escape. If a pursuit splits into several smaller chases, resolve each chase separately and track the distances separately for each group. <br> ##### Stealth During the chase, the quarry may attempt to end the chase early using stealth. The quarry may attempt to make a Dexterity ([[Abilities & Skills#Stealth|Stealth]]) check on at the end of each round, after each participant in the chase has taken its turn, and after the chase event. If the quarry is never out of the pursuer’s sight, the check fails automatically. Otherwise, compare the check’s total to the [[Abilities & Skills#Passive Checks|passive]] Wisdom ([[Abilities & Skills#Perception|Perception]]) of the pursuers. If the quarry consists of multiple creatures, they all make the check separately, so it’s possible for one quarry to escape while others remain in the chase. If the total of the quarry’s check is greater than the highest [[Abilities & Skills#Passive Checks|passive]] Wisdom ([[Abilities & Skills#Perception|Perception]]) of the pursuers, the quarry escapes. If not, the chase continues for another round. Escape doesn’t necessarily mean the quarry has outpaced its pursuers. For example, in a city, escape might mean the quarry ducked into a crowd or slipped around a corner, leaving no clue as to where it went. <br> ___ ### Ending a Chase A chase ends when one side or the other stops, when each quarry escapes, or when the pursuers are close enough to their quarry to catch it. If the pursuers reduce the gap to zero before the end of the last round, the quarry is caught and the chase ends. Otherwise the quarry escapes. Participants who fall beyond long-range are considered out of the chase. If they are still able to move, and they know where the chase is headed, they may continue moving towards that goal, but they will arrive long after all of the other participants. The quarry can gain [[Abilities & Skills#Advantage & Disadvantage|advantage or disadvantage]] on its checks based on the circumstances, such as entering a very crowded, or uncrowded area. Other factors might help or hinder the quarry’s ability to escape, at your the DM's discretion. For example, a quarry with a [[Primal Spells#Faerie Fire|faerie fire]] spell cast on it might have disadvantage on checks made to escape because it’s much easier to spot.