Running

An alternative to the Running die

We find the way core SWADE treats the running die is rather anaemic and makes it difficult for melee characters to close up on ranged ones in a modern setting. (YMMV on if you want that to be possible, but our streetsams carry katanas, and we like the Rule of Cool.) These house rules aim to address that.

Normal movement

Non-running movement is unchanged:

The character can move up to the Pace stat in inches without taking an action.
They can intersperse movement with taking their actions freely - for example, moving to take a shot before returning to cover.
Movement over Difficult Ground is at half-rate.
Moving while Prone (ie. crawling) is also at half-rate.

Running

Running becomes an action that increases the character’s movement distance by their Pace stat. It can be done multiple times via Multi-Actions as usual, and stacks with further increases to Pace.

Same as with non-running movement, other actions can be freely interspersed. For example, a character can use one action to Run and one to shoot; move 1/3rd of their overall distance; shoot; then move the remaining 2/3rds.

If one or two Running actions are combined with a melee attack that ends the characters turn, they can take a special +2 Charging In bonus to their damage roll. They cannot use this bonus if they continue moving after the attack; this represents the character fully committing to using their momentum to help land a decisive blow.

A character can run over Difficult Ground at their full Pace, but they must pass an Athletics check at -2 plus any Multi-Action Penalty that applies. Failure results in the character losing their footing; they fall prone and are Shaken.

Modified Edges

Fleet Foot loses the effect it has on the Running Die, but its +2 to Pace apples to each Running action.

Free Runner allows normal movement on Difficult Ground at full Pace without having to use a Running action. It also provides a +2 bonus to any Athletics checks required for running on Difficult Ground.