D&D 5E Side Initiative

[Iosue]

Side initiative more or less per RAW:

1. GM declares monster initiative: "Beat this DC to act before they do".
2. PCs roll init checks per RAW.
3. Those who beat the monsters' init DC get to act.
4. All Monsters act.
5. All PCs act in any order.
6. Go to #4.

*GM can eg make one unmodified d20 roll for all monsters, or use their lowest bonus, or use d20+monster
leaders' DEX or CHA bonus, or take 10+leader CHA bonus, etc - whatever floats your boat.

You seem to have set up a loop where those who beat the Monsters' initiative only get one turn.

 

[Kaychsea]

You seem to have set up a loop where those who beat the Monsters' initiative only get one turn.

Really? I read that as the players that beat init get an extra go before the monsters.

 

[Iosue]

Really? I read that as the players that beat init get an extra go before the monsters.

Ah, right! I didn't catch the "all PCs act."

 

[JeffB]

Some interesting variants here. Food for thought.

 

[Bupp]

I do individual initiative, re-rolled every round. Monsters I do as groups of similar monsters.

I'll look at my highest monster roll, and announce "anyone have over a __?". Any players that have a higher roll can act in whatever order they want.

 

[fjw70]

I use side initiative when playing with the kids. There are typically only 2-3 playing at a time so it works fine. I don't like side initiative with a large group of PCs.

When playing with my adult group I use the normal individual initiative.

 

[The Grassy Gnoll]

I use these tents from Jack Abrasion, hung over my screen. I use photoshop to make monster tents, and make double/triple/quadruple ones for bigger beasts (just cos their faces when you bring a big one out...he he he). I use normal initiative, with monster groups as others do. The tents make it easy to track whose next up. I also don't use minis so a good monster pic helps!
http://www.enworld.org/forum/rpgdownloads.php?do=download&downloadid=1193