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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Ilbranteloth" data-source="post: 7017092" data-attributes="member: 6778044">So your initial example is one of the exact things that I disliked and why I eliminated initiative.It's not really "everything happens at once." It's "everything happens in a logical order." At my table, as the players are declaring their actions, they are also asking questions. I will tell them what the monsters are visibly doing. In your example, the bard would not know that the goblins will scatter and look for cover. However, as he starts running toward them, he'll see that and can make a decision about what to do.An initiative contest would not be called for here, because it takes longer for the bard to run 30 feet than it takes for the goblins to start to scatter. I use an initiative contest for a split second situation. Did this occur before that? Like did your killing blow against the goblin occur before their killing blow struck your ally?In your second example, if the goblins are shooting first, I still maintain that it would take the bard longer to get to the goblins than the goblins to shoot at the paladin. But they wouldn't have had time to start to scatter. The bard could attempt to jump in front of one of the arrows if he really wanted to, and that would be an initiative check. Also, the goblins might change their action and scatter when they see the bard start to charge.  It's a good tactic because to fire a bow (or a crossbow) while aiming takes a few seconds. Long enough that they can't easily get away before the bard gets there. They do have their Nimble Escape ability, so they would be able to dash after their attack, leaving the bard some number of feet away, but goblins are cowardly so I'd probably have them make a morale check (Wisdom save) to make their attack before running.The round starts with the declarations and questions, but it doesn't mean they can't react (in real time) as the actions are taking place. The point (for me) is to eliminate the start-stop and artificially sequential nature of combat. Bard: I charge the goblins.DM: OK, they start to scatterBard: I'll go after the largest one, or if two are closer together I'll charge them.DM: OK, two went to your right, one to the left, so you charge toward the two on the right. The one on the left shoots the paladin from behind cover (rolls) and hits. The other two race into the brush on the other side. Make an initiative check.The bard and the two goblins make an initiative check. The bard wins by 7 and 9. Since they are the same speed, that's the amount of ground he's gained on them so he's now 23 and 21 feet away from those two goblins. With the bard chasing them down, however, they aren't comfortable attempting to shoot the paladin so they keep running. The bard can opt to use a different spell if he'd like, since he's not in range for thunderwave, or he could use a thrown weapon, continue chasing, opt to dash to catch up (and I allow all characters to charge, and one of the options when charging is to tackle, push or whatever. He wouldn't be able to cast a spell, though). If he chooses to dash, they would probably make another initiative check to see if they Dash too, but he'd have advantage on the check.In this case, the goblins stop and draw their weapons, counting on their ability to get away. They launch their attack, the bard casts thunderwave, who succeeds first? Another initiative check. If the bard wins, the thunderwave spell may knock the goblins out of melee range, preventing their attacks. If the goblins win, then they might kill or disable the bard before completing the spell (or, in my campaign, interrupt the spell which still has at least a 50% chance of success, but might have a wild magic effect). Of course, the paladin wouldn't have just been standing there, but I think that should give you the general idea.</blockquote>

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