Hriston
Dungeon Master of Middle-earth
D&D's system of initiative was first introduced with AD&D, 1st Edition. Before that, many of the rules of combat were found in Chainmail, a set of rules for medieval miniature wargaming. The initiative system had evolved from the "Move/Counter Move" system of turn sequence found in those rules, but Chainmail also contained an alternative system for "Simultaneous Movement". It is from this that the following has been adapted for 5th Edition.
Simultaneous Initiative
1. When combat starts, every participant writes orders for the character or monster (or group of identical creatures) they control, including direction of movement and action to be taken.
2. Every participant takes up to one-half their movement and any actions they can take according to their written orders, checking for opportunity attacks and other reactions due to movement. Conflicting movement and actions are resolved with contested Dexterity checks. Participants who are targeted with a melee attack and haven’t already used their action may use their action to make a melee attack in return after the triggering attack. Then the remainder of movement and remaining actions are completed as ordered, with conflicts resolved and melee attacks returned as above.
3. Steps 1 and 2 are repeated for each round of combat.
I'm posting this for peer review. Let me know if there's anything I've overlooked or haven't explained well enough.
Thanks!
Simultaneous Initiative
1. When combat starts, every participant writes orders for the character or monster (or group of identical creatures) they control, including direction of movement and action to be taken.
2. Every participant takes up to one-half their movement and any actions they can take according to their written orders, checking for opportunity attacks and other reactions due to movement. Conflicting movement and actions are resolved with contested Dexterity checks. Participants who are targeted with a melee attack and haven’t already used their action may use their action to make a melee attack in return after the triggering attack. Then the remainder of movement and remaining actions are completed as ordered, with conflicts resolved and melee attacks returned as above.
3. Steps 1 and 2 are repeated for each round of combat.
I'm posting this for peer review. Let me know if there's anything I've overlooked or haven't explained well enough.
Thanks!