confused with initiative

[Nathalantha]

Something's just not right about initiative.

Imagine a duel in an arena between 12th level fighters. Both opponents have a melee weapon in hand and are both within move range. None of them are surprised or readying. They are just standing in. None of them have spring attack.

One of the fighters gets the higher initiative and takes his move action to get closer and then makes one attack.
Now, the other fighter acts, and since he didn't move, takes a full round action and makes 3 attacks against the initiative winner.

Now, tell me. Where is the advantage of winning initiative? Where is the advantage over flatfootedness if you are to receive a full round attack if you try to close in? Winning initiative should not mean doing less melee attacks than your foe. Do both fighters have to circle endlessly and wait for the other's move?

Does anyone has a solution to fix that problem?

 

[IceBear]

That's the problem with segmented combat. The fighter that won the initiative could have readied an action to attack the fighter that lost should that fighter come with in range. This way neither fighter gets a Full Attack the first round, the the fighter with initiative gets to go first the next round with his FRA.

IceBear

 

[Sigma]

Hold an action to attack the guy once he closes with you. He'll get the charge bonus, but you'll still get to hit him and stay on top of initiative. Next round, you'll get your full attack before he does. Alternately, you could delay your action if his iniative is within 10 of yours. There's nothing that says you have to act first when you win the iniative, you can always choose to wait and let your opponent go first, either by delaying, holding, or refocusing.

 

[smetzger]

Since you get to attack first you could trip, disarm, or sunder the other guy.

Even if you just attack him its an advantage because you did get one chance to hit him at your highest BAB. So you probably hit, so your opponent has an extra hit against him and will probably go down first.

 

[Artoomis]

The fighter who won intiative gets to decide when to act.

He could Delay, if he wanted to. Accept the first, single attack and respond with a full attack.

Of use teh Spring Attack or Ride-By Attack (if mounted) feats.

The one who wins the intiative gets act - the one who loses gets to react. Sometimes it's better to not take your turn and just wait - well, you get the choice to do that if you win initiative.

 

[mikebr99]

Well...
if the defender is flat-footed, then he doesn't get his DEX bonus to his AC... he can't make any AoO... there are other feat stuff that he can't do also.

 

[Lord Ben]

In a situation like that I'd do partial actions the first round. Then the winner can partial charge, and also attack with the full-round first too.

 

[IceBear]

Edit - irrelevant as I misread the post

IceBear

 

[kreynolds]

Does anyone has a solution to fix that problem?

Yeah. Just remind yourself that it's a game.

I've seen the "two fighters endlessly circling" thing before, but it's not that big of a deal. Wanna know what's worse? The "two fighters endlessly readying an action against one another" thing.

 

[Lord Ben]

The system is set up for group combat, not duels. You'd have to do some serious changing to allow for a decent arena combat rules.