Rules on Intercepting a Running Enemy

[Maelynn]

I've been trying to figure out the rulings regarding something that once happened during a session. For objectivity, I'm not going to say if I was the DM or the player. I'm mostly curious if it was handled correctly, or if an interception has certain rules that I haven't been able to find. How would you have ruled this situation? I very much prefer RAW rules, but if they don't exist then I'd very much like to hear how you think it should've happened.

Scenario: an enemy runs away from PCs

- at some point during the chase, one of the pcs comes within reach to use Misty Step. They tell the DM that they teleport to the space right in front of the running enemy, to attempt a collision.

- the DM on their turn lets the enemy use Misty Step as well to teleport 'around' the pc and keep running.

Should there have been a collision of some sort? Is it enough to assume that someone using their full move to run as fast as they can will still be running the moment someone teleports in front of them? Should there have been at least something like a DEX saving throw? Or is the fact that Misty Step is a bonus action enough to rule that a collision can be prevented this way?

[BloodSnake'sCha]

There are chase rules in the game.

The most important part here is that the DM already ruled and outcome.
This manover may had work better if it was a ready action but it happened before the enemy turn so he had his full turn to adjust to it. There is no rule for momentum and extra speed up from sprinting like there was at 3.5e for example. There is no reason to believe he would have a problem with it.

I will try next time to ask the DM before acting how he will rule such a thing.

[Maelynn]

I will try next time to ask the DM before acting how he will rule such a thing.

I'm asking how people would rule this. The 'ask the DM' part is irrelevant - especially because I didn't state if I were the DM or the player. I just want to know if anything was overlooked and how it should be handled if it were to happen again.

The chasing rules kind of mention it: the table 'urban chase complications' on page 254 lists a few obstacles and the check required to pass it. This was also the argument presented: the pc wasn't making an attack, they merely teleported to the space immediately in front of the runner to present a 'surprise obstacle'.

Another argument was that the teleport was instant, so the runner couldn't see the obstacle in advance until it was already too late. Would this warrant a (DEX) saving throw, because it suddenly appears?

Question is if the Misty Step could be used to circumvent such a check or saving throw, or whether it should've been rolled first before any other actions could've been taken.

[BloodSnake'sCha]

I'm asking how people would rule this. The 'ask the DM' part is irrelevant - especially because I didn't state if I were the DM or the player. I just want to know if anything was overlooked and how it should be handled if it were to happen again.

The chasing rules kind of mention it: the table 'urban chase complications' on page 254 lists a few obstacles and the check required to pass it. This was also the argument presented: the pc wasn't making an attack, they merely teleported to the space immediately in front of the runner to present a 'surprise obstacle'.

Another argument was that the teleport was instant, so the runner couldn't see the obstacle in advance until it was already too late. Would this warrant a (DEX) saving throw, because it suddenly appears?

Question is if the Misty Step could be used to circumvent such a check or saving throw, or whether it should've been rolled first before any other actions could've been taken.

I will probably make the NPC save if this is the case.
The PC is like the bagger, he is trying to stop the runner for an obvious reason and in the way.
I will use the bagger obstacle without the charisma option.
Maybe up the DC base on the character abilities or even a contest roll vs the PC.


From the chase rules:


Characters can create their own complications to shake off pursuers (for example, casting the web spell in a narrow alleyway). Adjudicate these as you see fit.

I can see it going both ways.

[Contrast]

If we were using combat rules at the time I would have probably treated this as a bonus action teleport followed by an action to either grapple or shove prone (possibly with advantage if they'd been dashing due to the unexpected nature of the obstacle).

In the case of the grapple they opponent would have simply misty stepped out of it and continued on their way. I would probably have someone misty stepping coming out in the same stance they went it so if they have been shoved prone I'd probably still require them to spend move standing up as per normal.

If you didn't have an action free I would say no interaction.


It's worth remembering there are chase rules for a reason - the combat rules don't represent a character moving at a full sprint really they represent someone moving quickly while being combat ready. A normal human dashing is 60ft/6 seconds. Thats about 7mph or a jogging speed.

[Waazraath]

I've been trying to figure out the rulings regarding something that once happened during a session. For objectivity, I'm not going to say if I was the DM or the player. I'm mostly curious if it was handled correctly, or if an interception has certain rules that I haven't been able to find. How would you have ruled this situation? I very much prefer RAW rules, but if they don't exist then I'd very much like to hear how you think it should've happened.

Scenario: an enemy runs away from PCs

- at some point during the chase, one of the pcs comes within reach to use Misty Step. They tell the DM that they teleport to the space right in front of the running enemy, to attempt a collision.

- the DM on their turn lets the enemy use Misty Step as well to teleport 'around' the pc and keep running.

Should there have been a collision of some sort? Is it enough to assume that someone using their full move to run as fast as they can will still be running the moment someone teleports in front of them? Should there have been at least something like a DEX saving throw? Or is the fact that Misty Step is a bonus action enough to rule that a collision can be prevented this way?

I think I'd make an opposed check out of this, or a save, or an attack roll. What the player was trying to do (if I get it correctly) is timing the misty step perfectly so that he appeared right in front of the running person. Time it just wrong, and appear too far away (allowing the chased npc to avoid collision), or apprear behind the npc, or even in its space. This isn't exactly standard use of the spell, so something like dex (arcana) seems in order to pull it off as a player (dex because timing, arcana because spell), or maybe just an attack roll. I might also give the npc a saving throw. Especially if he has misty step prepared himiself, which would drasticly reducing responds time (only utter a word instead of making a curve while running to avoid an obstacle).

Then again, I can also see a DM ruling each creature making a teleport while running at full speed to make a dex check to avoid falling prone.

I could also live with this decision: no checks for anybody. Seems fair.

[Bobthewizard]

I think by RAW, if you misty step next to them and do nothing, they can just run around you, provoking an opportunity attack. As the player, the answer is to misty step next to them and attempt a grapple with your action. Even then they should be able to misty step away.

[Zhorn]

I think by RAW, if you misty step next to them and do nothing, they can just run around you, provoking an opportunity attack. As the player, the answer is to misty step next to them and attempt a grapple with your action. Even then they should be able to misty step away.

So going by the specific Misty Step scenario:
Bonus action Misty Step in range of the target
Attack Action Grapple to prevent then running away from you with movement, then assuming you have extra attack, see if you can make a follow up check to blind them in some way (cover their eyes, throw pocket sand in their face, pin them face first into the ground, etc). If they cannot see another location, then they cannot Misty Step to it.

[Bubzors]

In this exact scenario where the player just teleports in front of the enemy, I would have the enemy make a DeX save, probably something fairly low, or fall prone. However the baddie would then just misty step himself, stand up and keep running. Chase isnt over but that PC just delayed the enemy long enough for the rest of the party to get closer.

If the PC still had an action I would make it an opposed grapple check or something like that. Probably would end with the same situation of the baddie misty stepping out, but the opposed check might be better for the PC.

Either way it's not that big of a deal. Doesnt end the encounter, but is one more step towards the party's success.

[Tanarii]

Off the cuff as a DM (which is how I'd have to be doing it during a game), I'd probably make it an opposed Acrobatics check to time it right, with the enemy having to move around them if they pulled it off (-10ft of movement). If they want to impeded more than that, they need to make a grapple attack.

[StoicLeaf]

I feel that simply letting the guy counter misty step is incredibly lame.
Players want to feel they have an effect upon any given outcome and this deprives them of that.
I'd definitely go for some sort of rolling. Some ideas:

NPC roll ideas:

- dex save (pseudo initiative) to see if they can react in time to get their own misty step off.
- arcana check to see if they know it's coming. They can cast the spell as well and it would fall in line with the optional rules from XGTE.

PC roll ideas:

- perception/investigation check to see how well they can time their misty step.
- athletics check to see if they get bowled over.
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[Mellack]

Was it handled correctly? Yes. There are no concrete rules for this situation so however the DM ruled was correct. For me, it would depend on if it was considered a chase or still in combat. In chase, I probably would have required a DEX check. In combat, they could run around the person fine, but would provoke an opportunity attack.

[th3g0dc0mp13x]

Afaik there aren't direct rules for this situation. As a DM what I did would have been dependant on what the player said they were doing, if he just says I Misty step in front of him and then ended his turn I'd do the exact same as in your scenario. If the player told me what they were attempting to do the I would have done either a. Required an acrobatics/athletics
check for the chased character to dodge out of the way or a spellcasting ability check to see if they can cast the spell fast enough. In either situation failure is they fall prone on the ground.