Whether Storm Knights are racing motorcycles through the crowded streets of Tokyo or outrunning a raging smilodon in the Living Land, these rules will keep your chase scenes exciting and fluid. Chases aren't dogfights or standard combat use the vehicle rules for that. In a chase, one party is attempting to escape the other. In game terms, chases use Dramatic Skill Resolution. If the prey completes Step D first, he escapes. If the hunter completes Step D first, the prey is cut off, cornered, or otherwise forced to stop and fight.
Chase Steps
Each step on the Drama Deck card represents a character, creature, or vehicles relative position in the chase. If the hunters on Step A and the prey is on Step C, the prey is ahead and close to escape.
Track each vehicle separately. All passengers in a single vehicle are on the same step. To advance to the next chase step (A, B, C, or D), it must be available on the current Drama card. Hunters or prey test the relevant vehicle skill test (air, land, or water vehicles), or Dexterity if on foot. Note that advancing to the next step is optional; a hunter may want to stay on the current step to get a better shot at her prey (see Distance, below). Participants may not go backward except as the result of a Dilemma.
The DN of each step is the Top Speed value of the fastest participant involved. Participants gain a bonus for their vehicles speed as well (as listed in Chapter 5: Gear).
Speed Modifier
| Bonus | Speed Value | Speed Categories |
| +2 | 11-14 | Fast: Motorcycles, cars, biplanes |
| +4 | 15-16 | Very Fast: Racing bikes, sports cars, airplanes |
| +6 | 17+ | Ultra Fast: Jets |
Distance
Chases are about outracing and outmaneuvering a foe, so subtract 2 from attacks and stunts for every dramatic step between the attacker and the target. A Tokyo detective at Step C shooting a ninja at Step A, for example, has a -4 penalty to his attacks. This isn't strictly distance, but reflects relative positioning during the round, advantageous positions, and obstacles.
Interactions aren't affected by range, except for maneuver, which can only be used between individuals on the same step.
Dilemmas
All of the usual Dramatic Step dilemmas are in place during Chases. Here are some ways the Game Master might interpret each, and a special consideration for Critical Problems. Mishaps on maneuvers to avoid dilemmas may result in a Collision just like any other vehicle test!
- Possible Setback: The driver faces an obstacle that slows her down or forces her off the regular path. Failure means she loses a step (from B to A, for example).
- Complication: If the skill test fails, the vehicle suffers minor damage that makes it harder to control. It might mean a flat tire, a sputtering propeller, or some other mechanical problem. Further skill tests for this vehicle suffer a -1 penalty for the rest of the chase. This is cumulative, so failing multiple complications can be devastating.
- Critical Problem: The driver must make a skill test on her action. Failure means she drops back to step A.