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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Ilbranteloth" data-source="post: 6521001" data-attributes="member: 6778044">I'm going to test out a new initiative tweak this week. I'm currently using 5e, but it would work in any edition.To keep things simple, I've been going with group initiative. The problem I have with group initiative, and to a lesser degree individual initiative, is the feel of everything being turn-based. This tends to be accentuated when using miniatures and grids, but I'll save that discussion for later.Anyway, the problem I have is along these lines:Initiative Order (using individual initiative)RogueRangerOrc #1BardOrc #2Orc #3ClericOrc #4Round 1 example:The rogue moves toward Orc #3 but readies his attack for after the Ranger’s attack.The Ranger moves into and attacks Orc #3. The Rogue then completes his attack against Orc #3.Orc #1 moves and attacks the rangerThe bard attacks orc #4Orc #2 moves to attack the bardOrc #3 attacks the rangerThe Cleric moves in to attack Orc #3 and kills it.Orc #4 attacks the bardSo orc #3 and 4 were the first to be attacked, but they don't retaliate until later in the round which can be some time later in real world time. This is one of the shortcomings of splitting what is essentially simultaneous actions into turns.My tweak, which I'm calling Reactive Initiative, is that creatures who are attacked get to take their turn immediately (that is, out of turn) if they are attacking the creature that attacked them. The rest of the initiative order stays the same, and it doesn't alter the initiative order in subsequent rounds.Example:The rogue moves toward Orc #3 but readies his attack for after the Ranger’s attack.The Ranger moves into and attacks Orc #3. The Rogue then completes his attack against Orc #3.Orc #3 attacks the ranger (out of the normal initiative flow)Orc #1 moves and attacks the rangerThe bard attacks orc #4Orc #4 attacks the bardOrc #2 moves to attack the bardOrc#3 has already has his attack.The Cleric moves in to attack Orc #3 and kills it.Orc #4 has already attacked so it starts the second round with the same initiative order as above.Essentially, the idea is to complete each conflict in turn. Like popcorn initiative it allows the PCs to control the flow of the combat a bit based on who they attack and when. I think it works even better with group initiative, and this is how I intend to go with it.Example:Initiative order:PCsOrcsSince the PCs can determine who goes when within their group initiative, the ranger can go first this time. This would change things a bit. Looking at just the rogue, ranger, and orc #3:The rogue can still choose to move in and ready his attack for when the ranger attacks. This has the benefit of giving him his sneak attack, but it also turns it into a reaction. If they go with this option, then it's the same as the other two:Rogue readies, ranger attacks, rogue attacks (reaction happens before another action), and the orc attacks the ranger.But if the ranger goes first it works like this:Ranger attacksOrc #3 attacks rangerRogue sneak attacks orc #3, and still has his reaction available.It's a minor change, but I think it will help with the feel that combat is fluid and that retaliation is immediate, not 10 minutes later. It presents additional tactical decisions without relying on a grid or exact placement, and still allows the simplicity of group initiative.It can also be used with popcorn initiative, where an attacking character would have to hand over the initiative to the creature he attacked. Once that creature has attacked back, they could choose anybody to pass the initiative to that still hasn't gone this turn.It sounds a lot more complicated than it is. Ilbranteloth</blockquote>

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