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<blockquote data-quote="Hriston" data-source="post: 7412875" data-attributes="member: 6787503">I don't perceive it as a pause in the &quot;narrative&quot; that's any different from any other time I ask for an ability check to resolve a creature's actions. I do try, however, to always begin combat in the context of the basic pattern described on page 6 of the PHB under &quot;How to Play&quot;. An initiative roll would be called for at the end of step 2 to resolve the timing of monster or player-declared actions that will happen in combat. Here are some examples:Monsters Initiate Combat1. DM: You see a band of 20 orcs cresting the ridge of the nearest hill about 100 feet away. They spot you as well and begin positioning their archers to the front of their ranks to open fire. There's a cluster of trees where you could find cover about 20 feet ahead of you. What do you do?2. Players: We move up to that cluster of trees to take cover and return fire, and the wizard casts his sleep spell on the archers.&nbsp; &nbsp; DM: OK, roll initiative.3. DM: The archers fire their volley before you have a chance to move...Players Initiate Combat1. DM: You see a band of 20 orcs cresting the ridge of the nearest hill about 100 feet away. They spot you as well but don't seem interested in you and continue moving in an easterly direction. There's a cluster of trees where you could find cover about 20 feet ahead of you. What do you do?2. Players: We move up to that cluster of trees to take cover and fire on the orcs. The wizard casts his sleep spell.&nbsp; &nbsp; DM: OK, roll initiative.3. Before you get to the trees the orcs change direction and move out of range of the wizard's spell. They've also positioned their archers in their back-rank and begin to fire on you...</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Hriston, post: 7412875, member: 6787503"] I don't perceive it as a pause in the "narrative" that's any different from any other time I ask for an ability check to resolve a creature's actions. I do try, however, to always begin combat in the context of the basic pattern described on page 6 of the PHB under "How to Play". An initiative roll would be called for at the end of step 2 to resolve the timing of monster or player-declared actions that will happen in combat. Here are some examples: [B]Monsters Initiate Combat[/B] 1. DM: You see a band of 20 orcs cresting the ridge of the nearest hill about 100 feet away. They spot you as well and begin positioning their archers to the front of their ranks to open fire. There's a cluster of trees where you could find cover about 20 feet ahead of you. What do you do? 2. Players: We move up to that cluster of trees to take cover and return fire, and the wizard casts his sleep spell on the archers. DM: OK, roll initiative. 3. DM: The archers fire their volley before you have a chance to move... [B]Players Initiate Combat[/B] 1. DM: You see a band of 20 orcs cresting the ridge of the nearest hill about 100 feet away. They spot you as well but don't seem interested in you and continue moving in an easterly direction. There's a cluster of trees where you could find cover about 20 feet ahead of you. What do you do? 2. Players: We move up to that cluster of trees to take cover and fire on the orcs. The wizard casts his sleep spell. DM: OK, roll initiative. 3. Before you get to the trees the orcs change direction and move out of range of the wizard's spell. They've also positioned their archers in their back-rank and begin to fire on you... [/QUOTE]

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