Page 71 - World of Darkness

The relative speed of vehicles is also a factor in deter- makes a chance roll on the driver’s behalf to see if he re-
mining who is likely to get away or be caught. An 18- tains control of the vehicle, as explained on p. 125.) Only
wheeler isn’t likely to catch a sports car, for example, but a driver who possesses a supernatural power or the Stunt
a sports car could probably catch an 18-wheeler. For ev- Driver Merit can maintain a pursuit and be able to per-
ery three points of difference between competitors’ Ac- form a separate action in a turn.
celeration traits, the faster one gets a +1 bonus on pursuit Passengers in either vehicle can perform other ac-
rolls. Remainders are rounded down. So, if a pursuer has tions, however. Most likely they shoot back and forth at
an Acceleration of 22 and a quarry has an Acceleration each other. If combat between pursuing vehicles breaks
of 13, rolls made for the pursuer get a +3 bonus. If a pur- out, roll Initiative for all combatants. Regardless of
suer has an Acceleration of 15 and a quarry has an Accel- whether drivers contribute to the fight, their Dexterity +
eration of 13, neither party gets a bonus (the difference Drive + Handling rolls are made at the beginning of each
between Acceleration traits is less than three and is turn. Actual combatants’ places in the Initiative roster
rounded down). are then addressed in order until the next turn gets under-
Example: Serge seeks to elude mobsters who are out way and new Dexterity + Drive + Handling rolls are made.
for his blood. He has 3 Dexterity and 2 Drive, and a The Vehicle rules in Chapter 6 (p. 141) help you
compact car with a Handling of 3 and Acceleration of 15. handle combat between cars. Important to that process is
The pursuing driver has 2 Dexterity and 4 Drive, and a the range between quarry and pursuer at any point in the
sedan with a Handling of 2 and an Acceleration of 14. The chase. That distance is based on the difference of total
difference between their Acceleration traits is not sufficient successes achieved thus far between vehicles. Each suc-
to give either a bonus (it’s less than three, so is rounded cess is worth about 20 yards. So, if Serge has eight suc-
down to zero). Eight dice are rolled for Serge (3+2+3), and cesses and the mobsters have four, Serge is 80 yards ahead.
a total of 14 successes must be accumulated for him to get Of course, the Storyteller can set another standard for what
away. Eight dice are also rolled for the pursuer (2+4+2), that difference measures. If opponents race through rush-
but he need only accumulate a number of successes that hour traffic, each success between them could represent
equals or exceeds what Serge has in any turn. Thus, if Serge only 10 yards. Or, if the pursuit occurs across a prairie,
gets three successes in the first turn and the mobsters get each success between subjects could represent 30 yards.
three or more, they catch him right away. If by the fifth turn The distance between quarry and pursuer must be com-
Serge has eight successes and the mobsters have five, and the pared to the ranges of firearms used in a “shooting pur-
mobsters’ total successes from turn to turn have never suit” (see “Ranged Weapons Chart,” p. 169).
equaled or exceeded Serge’s total, he has always maintained If a pursuer’s total successes ever equal or exceed a
the lead. If by the ninth turn Serge has 14 successes and his quarry’s in any given turn, the pursuer catches up. The
pursuers have 10, Serge gets away. Maybe he turns a corner race comes to an end. The pursuing driver (and only the
and the mobsters can’t keep up, or Serge narrowly avoids a driver) is allowed one free action against the quarry, such
vehicle that blocks the pursuers completely. as ramming the other vehicle. The quarry is fully aware of
the threat and is not surprised. Otherwise, if Initiative
If the quarry of a pursuit has a head start, he gets a
number of automatic successes at the beginning of the has not yet been rolled in the pursuit, it is now. If it has
chase. Any successes rolled for him throughout the ex- been rolled previously in the scene, rolls are now made
tended and contested task are added to that number from for the vehicle drivers and they’re added to the existing
turn to turn, giving the quarry an advantage throughout. roster. On their actions in each turn, drivers can now try
As a rule of thumb, a full 20-yard head start is worth one to ram each other or perform other maneuvers as outlined
automatic success. So, if Serge were 40 yards away from under “Vehicles,” p. 141.
the mobsters when the pursuit broke out, he would have a Note that a simple drag race in which opposing driv-
foundation of two free successes on which to add his own ers seek to be the first to cross a finish line is handled like
throughout the chase. That bonus would make it all the a conventional extended and contested task. Successes
harder for his pursuers to accumulate an equal or greater for each participant are accumulated and all seek the same
number than he has in any given turn. total number. The first one to get that total is the winner.
Negative modifiers to rolls due to hazardous terrain Roll Results
or dangerous conditions apply equally to opposing par- Dramatic Failure: The driver loses control of his ve-
ticipants. A desperate escapee can intentionally incur a hicle and crashes, wrecking the car and possibly injuring
negative modifier (driving into oncoming traffic, going occupants, or he attempts a maneuver that immobilizes
over a median, navigating a trash-strewn alley) to force his vehicle (say, attempting to drive a short distance on a
the pursuer to cope with the same conditions. sidewalk and blowing out all four tires by running over an
A driver’s actions must be dedicated to conducting a ornamental fence). The pursuit is over.
pursuit. If a driver performs a different action in any turn, Failure: The driver gains no ground in the pursuit.
such as firing a gun, his Dexterity + Drive + Handling roll Success: The driver gains some ground in the pur-
for that turn is forfeit. The pursuit still continues, but the suit, whether fleeing or chasing.
character accumulates no successes. (The Storyteller also

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Chapter 3- SKILLS