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View Poll Results: keep same initiative every round or let it roll every round?

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  • stay the same every round

    18 50.00%
  • let the dice roll and see where they lay

    18 50.00%
Page 2 of 2 First 12
  1. #11

    Join Date
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    In face to face I would not roll initiative every round for time reasons, but with FG I do since it is fast and automatic. There is a free extension by Celestion that updates durations to match the new initiative order each round here: https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forum...Update-Effects

  2. #12
    My players opted for a one time initiative roll at the beginning of the encounter, and I am glad.

    They each roll their own die, and I roll once for the enemies.

    Speeds up play, allowing everyone to settle into a set arrangement, giving everyone time for their battle plan (which may or may not change as others take their turns...you know how d&d often goes.)

  3. #13
    I think this is definitely a question for each individual group, as well as each individual game system. I'm sure some players prefer the predictability of having the same initiative each round, and others might enjoy the chaos from new initiative each round. I'm the kind of person that enjoys both sides of this, so I would probably be fine either way, but I also know several players that would each have a very strong preference for one or the other.

  4. #14
    I agree that this is different for each group. I have yet to play a game with re-rolling each round as all my players vote for once due to 5e rules or something lasting one round.

    If my monk hits someone with a stunning strike and I am one of the last people in the round, then first, then it is a total waste of a ki point and a waste on beating up the baddie. In fact, more I think about it, I don't think I would like to play a game where we are re-rolling each round.

  5. #15
    I dislike any mechanic that allows the player to "game the system" by magically knowing when someone else will absolutely be going and make plans that depend on that.

    Roll every round. Don't be a clown.
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  6. #16
    I want to reroll every round. My players either do not, or are neutral. So we don't do it.

    Combat should be chaotic, not nice and neat like with cyclical initiative. If you do go that round, I suggest you adjust encounters to be slightly easier than normal since it does hurt the players more than the enemy.
    Fantasy Grounds Unity Lives! Good job, Smiteworks!

  7. #17
    I generally leave these sort of things to my players, as I don't really care fixed or random. My players picked roll every round as it better simulates the randomness of a battle and find that randomness makes things a little more exciting.

    As for bios and that, anyone can call a bio-break at any time and we all just take 5.

    The group has played together for 40 years (longest) to 23 years (newest) so we kind of have a system.

  8. #18
    I used 1 initiative roll per PC forever until recently, a player of mine asked about it so i tried it. I gotta say i like it.

    Especially for 5e which is all i play atm.


    5e is not the most exciting ruleset for combat if we are all being honest.

    There's 10 baddies and 5 other players in the CT that player who rolled a 1 for init might take a nap after a while especially if you go beyond the 3rd or 4th round.

    Changing it up each round keeps players on their toes. In game terms its justified as "in an actual RL fight the participants dont go ...ok i have to wait for jim to punch someone first before i can punch someone else again..."

  9. #19
    I use a side initiative. Group goes, NPCs then respond or vice versa depending on the circumstance. I have the players describe what they are attempting to do and weave it in with the NPCs reaction to it. I don't keep track of initiative and just follow the cues the player's actions leave. This also works in reverse with the NPCs going first and I ask how the player wishes to respond. I keep initiative bonuses in mind for both sides to help with who responds when. I even break an NPC action if a player's initiative bonus would dictate them responding first. Not exactly the rulebook way to run combat, but keeps it cinematic and flows not slowing down combat. The biggest slow down is turning combat into a board game. I keep it a story with the way I approach combat.
    Dominic Morta
    Ruleset Developer
    Smiteworks

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