Wow.
I have to say I'm stunned that my group is SO FAR into the minority here.
As I said at the beginning of this thread, we experimented with single initiative when we switched to 3.0, but quickly returned to init each round.
Here are some reasons;
Gives rightful advantage to high-dex PC/NPCs; A rotten roll with single init can doom a PC, although I guess they could delay to the next round, but then they miss a movement/attack. With init each round, on average, the high-dex rollers will GET that benefit.
Increases tension; As one poster mentioned, combat IS a variable activity. Rolling each round MAKES it that again. As a DM, part of the fun is taking the players init, then showing them the monster Inits, and having the look on their faces as they see they are ALL after the monsters. As well, having two attacks in a row is just as nerve-racking, on BOTH sides. I don't have to have lived it to know that in the middle ages, swordsmen didn't take turns swinging...
Does NOT slow down combat; You would thing that, logically, an extra roll would slow things down a TON. And that WAS the case. But I built an initiative board. It is magnetic with little icons for each PC. BBEG monsters have solo icons, and groups of monsters have a group icon. I make matching foldup minis for the battleboard. When we get near the end of the round (last one or two to go), the person running the board calls for the init rolls. By the time the DM is ready for the next round, most inits are on the board waiting.
I hope that DMs out there don't roll separate inits for EACH NPC/monster! As a DM, I rarely roll more than 2 or 3 inits. It truly doesn't make the combats go slower, and it CERTAINLY makes them more exciting.
BUT... to each group their own way....
The ONLY time I don't make inits each round is when it is one-on-one battle OR when it will be a quick fight.
Anyway, thanks for all the input, everyone....