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Alternate Initiative Method
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<blockquote data-quote="Jonathon Robinson" data-source="post: 7411559" data-attributes="member: 6950524"><p>Have you considered the "Ready an Action" action? It seems like you're readying your action at the start of every round of combat, before initiative is rolled. So will you allow conditions such as "when the monster walks through the door I cast my cantrip" and what will you do if the trigger has already passed by the time the player's initiative comes up?</p><p></p><p>When do death savings throws occur? 1d10+1d8? What if they get healed (or expect to be healed) before their initiative begins? Should they declare their move as if they will be healed? What if the healer rolls a lower initiative?</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Heavy weapon users get a 2.5 modifier so casters will typically be much slower (with non-cantrips). If that is your intent fine, but note that it is worse than the DMG variant by ~2.5 on average. It also seems that light weapons get a pretty hefty bonus (average 6.5). Running up to and stabbing a spell caster with your short sword will be the winning move 75% of the time against a level 1 spell (whose caster doesn't move), or 86% of the time against a level 3 spell. Monks will be rewarded greatly here. Some casters can potentially "cheat the system" by throwing a dagger before casting their bonus action spell. Maybe that is the intent... but a cleric who really wants to make sure his healing goes off before the monster kills his buddy would rather stand still, throw a dagger and cast healing word than run up to the wounded and use cure wounds. The initiative difference is pretty significant (1d10+1d12 ~ 11 versus 1d6+1d4-1 ~ 5). Administering a potion would be much faster than cure wounds.</p><p></p><p>Spells above cantrip will always be slower than a heavy weapon attack. The worst possible non-spell action you can take is move and attack with heavy weapon. (1d6+1d4 ~ 6). This would be on par with casting a level 2 spell <em>while standing still</em> (1d10+1d4-2 ~ 6). The casters will typically go last which I think <strong>will</strong> hose the casters (especially the healers if they are hoping to save someone).</p><p></p><p></p><p>If you are trying to get the players to think more tactically and spend more time considering things like "what happens if the monster moves..." or "should I prepare that heal spell in case the barbarian gets killed" then this will get them to do that. If you are trying to get the players to work together, perhaps the lightweight "side initiative" variant is what you are looking for (where the players go in any order they choose).</p><p></p><p>I personally don't like this variant because, as a player, anything that slows combat is frustrating because it just means I'm waiting that much longer for my turn. I think the encouragement of higher order tactics will slow things down more than the die rolls ever could. </p><p></p><p>Overall, if you're trying to turn the game into D&D Tactics then it's a good variant. If not then I would ask what are you trying to accomplish with this variant?</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Jonathon Robinson, post: 7411559, member: 6950524"] Have you considered the "Ready an Action" action? It seems like you're readying your action at the start of every round of combat, before initiative is rolled. So will you allow conditions such as "when the monster walks through the door I cast my cantrip" and what will you do if the trigger has already passed by the time the player's initiative comes up? When do death savings throws occur? 1d10+1d8? What if they get healed (or expect to be healed) before their initiative begins? Should they declare their move as if they will be healed? What if the healer rolls a lower initiative? Heavy weapon users get a 2.5 modifier so casters will typically be much slower (with non-cantrips). If that is your intent fine, but note that it is worse than the DMG variant by ~2.5 on average. It also seems that light weapons get a pretty hefty bonus (average 6.5). Running up to and stabbing a spell caster with your short sword will be the winning move 75% of the time against a level 1 spell (whose caster doesn't move), or 86% of the time against a level 3 spell. Monks will be rewarded greatly here. Some casters can potentially "cheat the system" by throwing a dagger before casting their bonus action spell. Maybe that is the intent... but a cleric who really wants to make sure his healing goes off before the monster kills his buddy would rather stand still, throw a dagger and cast healing word than run up to the wounded and use cure wounds. The initiative difference is pretty significant (1d10+1d12 ~ 11 versus 1d6+1d4-1 ~ 5). Administering a potion would be much faster than cure wounds. Spells above cantrip will always be slower than a heavy weapon attack. The worst possible non-spell action you can take is move and attack with heavy weapon. (1d6+1d4 ~ 6). This would be on par with casting a level 2 spell [I]while standing still[/I] (1d10+1d4-2 ~ 6). The casters will typically go last which I think [B]will[/B] hose the casters (especially the healers if they are hoping to save someone). If you are trying to get the players to think more tactically and spend more time considering things like "what happens if the monster moves..." or "should I prepare that heal spell in case the barbarian gets killed" then this will get them to do that. If you are trying to get the players to work together, perhaps the lightweight "side initiative" variant is what you are looking for (where the players go in any order they choose). I personally don't like this variant because, as a player, anything that slows combat is frustrating because it just means I'm waiting that much longer for my turn. I think the encouragement of higher order tactics will slow things down more than the die rolls ever could. Overall, if you're trying to turn the game into D&D Tactics then it's a good variant. If not then I would ask what are you trying to accomplish with this variant? [/QUOTE]
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