What if every round was a suprise round

[punkorange]

If I deemed, for simplicity sake, that every round each player could make one action: move, attack, pull something out of a pack, quaff a potion, read a scroll, etc. In actual gameplay how big of an impact on the game would this have?

 

[llamatron2000]

If you do this, suddenly AOO's become more important than they already are. It becomes very hard to deal damage and stay mobile. Spiked chains get more godly, spring attack and shot on the run, mounted combat and such get really powerful....

 

[punkorange]

okay, lets cut AoO from the game, then what.

 

[llamatron2000]

Are you still allowing full-round actions? Because without them, archers don't have to fear being charged. What about readying actions?

 

[frankthedm]

Are you still allowing full-round actions? Because without them, archers don't have to fear being charged. What about readying actions?

If limited to a single action, you can charge your speed.

 

[Stalker0]

Fighters get hosed, as they can no longer full attack, wizards become lords of the earth (more than they already are). Monks cry.

 

[Land Outcast]

The only problem I see is the BOOM BOOM effect of casters results duplicated with respect to non-casters...

I like your idea, but you'll need something to make up for that.

 

[punkorange]

I wouldn't at all take away the fighter's multiple attacks, maybe I could treat additional attacks the same way 2nd edition did and allow a fighter to act twice in one round. For example if bob the fighter gets two attacks and joe the rogue gets one, then on initiative the players act in order then I run through the initiative again and characters with a second attack get to attack again.

 

[robberbaron]

I quite like the idea but I played 1e for 20+ years where everyone but fighters only got to do one thing per round (plus a little shuffling).

This was the way we dealt with multiple attacks, and I think it would work for your suggestion. Basically, attacks are equally spread throughout the turn:
Say your Initiative was 21.
If you had 2 attacks they would happen in 21 and 11, 3 attacks = 21, 14, 7.
A Flurrying Monk with 5 attacks = 21, 17, 13, 9, 5.

2 attacks when you rolled 1 = 1 attack.

Works fine as long as your players are capable of basic arithmetic.

 

[punkorange]

That would increase the usefullness of improved initiative and "fixing" your initiative.