better wilderness pursuit rules for B-X D&D

published : 2017.01.22

The rules around wilderness pursuit in Basic/Expert Dungeons and Dragons never made much sense. Here's a revision, where I adopted three rules based on three of the four steps from a post 18 months ago on fixing the pursuit rules in version 5e runagame.net.

Wilderness chase

Step 1. Disengage the enemy.

ConditionBase likelihood
Prior detection85%
Surprise encounter70%
Ranged combat55%
Hand-to-hand melee40%
Suggested modifiers
- 25% if the fleeing are wounded
- 10% is making a fighting retreat
+25% if supported by covering fire
+20% conditions: fire, rain, etc

Step 2. Flee line of sight.

TerrainBase likelihood
Reg desert5%
Lake10%
Grassland20%
Erg desert20%
Hills30%
Mountains40%
Ruins, badlands60%
Wetland70%
Suggested modifiers +40% night
+25% heavy rain
+15% light forest
+15% rain forest
+25% dense brambles
- 25% pursuit by predator on its turf

Step 3. Find path out of search area or distract pursuers. Monsters or player characters with a strong affinity for a certain environment will evade pursuers on 1-5 on 1d6. E.g. Erdei seeking to evade non-erdei pursuers in the wilderness. Otherwise, evading characters must successfully roll less than or equal to their WIT score on 2d8 to escape.

leave a comment

By submitting this form you agree to the privacy terms.

rand()m quote

There's a fine line between participation and mockery

—Scott Adams