Hunting Etiquette ~ Chasing
The following is a post I made on the Gemstone message boards in response to a post from a GM during a long discussion on whether or not it's okay to chase creatures during your hunt.

Chasing

A chase verb?

Would is solve or add to the problems? In Manticores for example, 2 people chasing the same on because it is running so fast.

My philosophy has been, if I already hit it hard , and someone wants to chase it that bad, and finish it off, my PC is still going to learn, so I let them.

I just never understood the desire.

Sage Khaladon

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The problem is too many people see it as a cut and dried thing. Never chase. Always chase. Always tell people you are chasing. Just swing, don't tell them. If someone is there walk away. Scream at people for poaching. Etc. etc. etc.

I personally don't think there are hard and fast rules. In a place like manticores, chasing becomes a silly pastime. Other places it's the only way to get a kill. Some professions are slower to get kills than others and end up chasing more. Some people only care about the experience and thus if they did their share of damage they are satisfied. Others love the hunt and get their satisfaction from making the actual kill.

There is room for all flavors and tastes as long as you aren't a jerk in whatever your style is. If you are a jerk in how you chase things down it's no worse than the jerk who insists that no one should ever chase anything.

Be aware of the area and the type of creature. Be aware of who the other hunters are there. Pay attention to each others' styles and adapt a bit if need be. For instance if I realize there's an ambusher in an area I will either search when I find a creature or pause a moment to see if someone leaps out of hiding. If creatures don't gen really fast but tend to run, I know to look for people running after the creatures and don't get upset when someone runs in swinging. If creatures gen fast and run a lot I swing at everything that runs by me and assume others are doing the same.

My rogue doesn't have to chase as much because she kills things quickly. But she also gets things killed from under her hidden nose. My cleric can take a long time to kill something and will chase it, but people see her.

See? There is no one answer. The answer is, it depends. The other answer is, pay attention and allow people their various styles unless they are being a jerk about it.

Robin