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dco
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That "artifical" pause comes when someone throws dice, the only solution is to play a pure narrative game.
We don’t use initiative at all, resolving things in what seems a logical order. I don’t “go around the table”, just tell me what you’re doing, and go ahead and start doing it. They can talk to each other, etc. I can listen to several people at once, and if I have questions I’ll ask. We like combat to be fast, chaotic, and just part of the flow of the game.
It’s usually not important to know who hit first, and if it is we do an opposed initiative check between the relevant combatants.
Once I used an initiative variant where each PC and NPC had their names written on blank playing cards. Then during combat the cards where shuffled and play went in order the cards were drawn. It was quick, easy, and I loved it. However the players hated not knowing the order ahead of time.
I don't see the narrative speed-bump, isn't there often a 'set the scene' moment in a narrative, right before a fight stops? You'll get a description (or shots) of all involved, or a few moments of tense dialogue before someone makes a move...
...I mean, sure a fight can start in media res, too...
However, I started doing this because to me the standard turn taking feels quite stilted and gamey, not because I had anything against initiative rolls per se.
I've found the best way to "ungamify" the combat round is to narrate in and out of each characters turn. Rather than saying*:
"OK Jim (or the PC name), you're up"
I'll say:
"Jane just deflects the blow from the Orc but she's on her last legs. Jim what do you do?"
For TotM combats especially I find it essential to keep refreshing the state of the combat for the players and the narration helps to integrate that smoothly.
(*Note: I'm not saying that this is how you narrate - you just gave me a jumping off point)
I have never heard of this before. How does that work?
I guess for me, rolling initiative seems to force the combat outcome. Rather than a fight organically developing (or not) from the narrative, the DM decides OK a fight is about to break out (even if the players don't actually want that) and everyone needs to roll initiative.
By having the initiative pre-rolled it allows a fight to break out when a PC draws their sword or the wizard blasts a firebolt or a guard grabs one of the PCs or whatever.
The initiating action starts combat (whether from the DM or PC side) not rolling initiative.