Hello.

I just wanted your opinion on how I was thinking about using the existing mechanics for running.

The problem is, as some here have pointed out in other threads, that since running basically amounts to characters performing multiple movement manoeuvres in a single turn, then no characters is going to be able to run very fast for any amount of time, since they'll accumulate too much fatigue too fast for them to sustain sprinting speed.

Therefore, I was thinking of limiting movement manoeuvres to 3 in a single turn. This would be to prevent an average character from a sudden and extreme burst of speed (say taking 6 fatigue to move 7 times) but then being unable to move more than once per turn without falling unconscious, a situation which i find rather ridiculous, and which I experienced in our early playtest of the game. In any case, limiting the number of manoeuvres you can accomplish in a given turn is already covered in the core rules, they simply don't mention a specific limit for movement.

However, I will also allow a character who concentrates on running faster or for a longer amount of time to use the Perform a Stunt action to accomplish it. This would most likely be an Athletics test, or perhaps a resilience test for long distance runs. The character uses his free manoeuvre to initiate movement or keep moving. He the uses the Perform a Stunt action which, if successful, allows him to perform 2 other movement manoeuvres at the cost of 1 fatigue. So, basically, the character moves 3 times for only 1 fatigue, but can't perform any actions (other than running) this turn.

Also, the roll results will modify this as follows:

- 1 success: move twice, suffer 1 fatigue

- 3 successes: as above +1 free manoeuvre which should usually be another move (so total of 4 moves, 1 fatigue)

- no success: move only once, suffer 1 fatigue (as normal extra movement manoeuvre)

- 1 boon: recover 1 fatigue (so move at no fatigue cost for 2, 3 or 4 moves!)

- 1 bane: suffer 1 fatigue (so suffer 2 fatigue for 2, 3 or 4 moves)

- Chaos star: Counts as bane, but if no success, character trips and falls prone after 1 move)

So, fit characters get the chance to move a bit faster and at a much lower fatigue cost, and on the whole, can probably maintain a run for a while by recovering fatigue from time to time, at the cost of performing no other action while doing so. Best thing is, none of this is changing anything in the core rules! Just a more standard war of handling running characters.

What do you think?

I have house ruled a limit onto manoeuvres per round too (all manoeuvres in fact not just movement).

I haven't really found the need to use any kind of sprinting mechanics other than the fatigue rules for extra movement as defined in the basic RAW, and would probably handle any longer term sprinting or running mechanics using a progress tracker concept.

You perform a stunt rule seems fine though, I'm just not sure how much it would be used, at least at my table...

pumpkin said:

What's your limit? I too have found the image of characters and monsters rocketing across the encounter from a dead stop to 30 miles per hour by spending all their fatigue absolutely ridiculous but have been shot down when I propose some sort of limit since other players claim it would stop monster from being able to catch players. Is there a good limit and have you experienced any problems with combat because of them?

Radish said:

You can only buy two using fatigue, so that's a normal total of 3 per round (with the odd exception where you get an additional one due to the result of an action).

3 works well because it limits the movement range bands you can go through, while still allowing quite a bit of leeway in what you wish to do tactically.

We also require 2 manoeuvres to disengage from an enemy instead of one, AND allow the optional GM toolkit rule about swapping an action for a manoeuvre in a round, so that if needed you can disengage without spending fatigue (you just can't do anything else that round..)

pumpkin said:

That sounds fair. I think I'll try to propose that next time we meet up.