Air and Sea Chase Complication Tables

I’m fond of chase sequences. The fifth edition Dungeon Master’s Guide has introduced some great chase mechanics for DMs to use in their Dungeons and Dragons games. I’ve had an article published about running chase sequences in EN World EN5ider Magazine which you can read if you pledge a single dollar a month to the Patreon campaign (though I recommend you contribute another buck or two to get their sweet adventures and more). On this very blog I’ve posted the sewers and treetop city chase complication tables. Today I want to add a few new complication tables to the mix, but they’re beyond the usual foot race. I’m talking about chases up in the sky and through water. Below are chase complication tables for a flying chase and saltwater chase.

Flying Chase Complications

d20	Complication
1	A massive gust of wind blows against you. Make a DC 15 Strength saving throw. On a failure, the wind pushes you back 10 feet at the start of your turn.
2	A flock of birds blocks your path. Make a DC 15 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. On a failure, the birds count as 15 feet of difficult terrain and you take 1d10 piercing damage.
3	Suddenly the air around you becomes very thin. Make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw. On a failure you suffer one level of exhaustion which lasts until the end of the chase.
4	You pass by a giant eagle. Make a DC 15 Wisdom (Animal Handling) check. On a failure the eagle joins the chase and chases after you with hostile intentions.
5	A random atmospheric disturbance occurs around you. Make a DC 15 Dexterity saving. On a failure you are hit by a small jolt of lightning and take 4d6 lightning damage.
6	A cloud is in your path. Make a DC 10 Strength (Athletics) check or use 10 feet of movement to move around the cloud. On a failure the cloud counts as 10 feet of difficult terrain and you are vulnerable to lightning damage until the end of the chase or until you take fire damage.
7	A passing peryton decides to make a meal out of you and joins the chase.
8	You fly into a weak magic zone. If you are using magic to fly, make a DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) check. On a failure you hover in the air and cannot move by means of magical flight until the start of your next turn.
9	A random atmospheric disturbance occurs around you. Make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. On a failure you take 1d6 thunder damage and are pushed 10 feet in a random direction determined by the DM.
10	Violent winds assault you. Make a DC 10 Strength (Athletics) check. On a failure you are moved 15 feet in a random direction (determined by the DM).
11 – 20	No complication.

Saltwater Chase Complications*

d20	Complication
1	A giant octopus joins the chase and chases after you.
2	You run into a patch of seaweed. Make a DC 10 Strength (Athletics) check. On a failure the seaweed counts as 10 feet of difficult terrain.
3	A sudden riptide grabs you. Make a DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check. On a failure you are pulled 15 feet in a random direction determined by the DM and suffer one level of exhaustion which lasts until the end of the chase.
4	A large piece of jagged drift wood pulled by a fast current speeds toward you. The wood makes an attack against you with a +5 bonus to the attack roll. On a hit you take 1d8 piercing damage.
5	A coral reef lies in your path. Make a DC 10 Dexterity (Athletics) check. On a failure you are hooked my the coral and take 1d4 piercing damage and lose 10 feet of movement.
6	A large swell or wave is headed your way. Make a DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check. On a failure you are pushed back 15 feet at the start of your turn.
7	A reef shark approaches you. Make a DC 15 Wisdom (Animal Handling) check. You make this check at disadvantage of you are not at maximum hit points. On a failure the shark chases after you.
8	A school of jelly fish is in your path. You can spend 10 feet of movement to move around the jellyfish or make a DC 15 Dexterity (Athletics) check. On a failure you take 2d6 poison damage and lose 15 feet of movement.
9	A rock lies in your path. Make a DC 10 Strength (Athletics) check. On a failure you lose 5 feet of movement and take 1d10 bludgeoning damage.
10	A you are assaulted by currents in all directions and a small whirlpool forms beneath you. Make a DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check. On a failure you lose 10 feet of movement and suffer one level of exhaustion.
11 – 20	No complication.

*Note you may make a vehicles (water) check with the appropriate ability in place of an Athletics check if riding in a water vehicle during the chase.

PDF

Would you like these chase complication tables in a PDF along with all the other fifth edition D&D chase complications I’ve designed for this blog? Grab them below.

Chase Complication Tables

Saltwater Chase Complications Table

Flying Chase Complications Table

If you don’t want to grab them now, but decide you want the PDFs at a future date, head on over to the Free Game Resources section of this site where the documents will live along with monsters, magic items, backgrounds, D&D fifth edition rules modules, spells, adventures, and more created by yours truly.

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