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<blockquote data-quote="Blue" data-source="post: 7465201" data-attributes="member: 20564"><p>There is a gaming convention at Princeton University that's been going on for 43 years and counting that recently switched to 5e. You create a character when you register and they advance over the course of the weekend, with shared setting and a dozen DMs with 4-6 sessions each one their own theme and furthering the convention-wide plot. For decades it was running on their own (evolving) system based on early D&D and later d20. One of the things they had was a phase system, where each type of action happened in sequence:</p><p></p><p>Here it is from PCon 40.</p><p></p><p><strong>Phases</strong></p><p>Each character may act in each combat round. Certain actions are faster than others, so the combat round is broken into phases. Actions within a phase are usually resolved simultaneously, but take effect before actions in the following phases. In general, each character acts in only one phase of the round, though there are several exceptions to this principle.</p><p></p><p><strong>Phase Summary</strong></p><p>I. <strong>Declaration</strong>: This phase is mainly a time for players to decide how to act and declare their intentions for the round. This is generally not binding, except for two cases:</p><p>• If you are dropping saving throws for the round, it must be announced now.</p><p>• A mage or guardian casting a spell must declare the spell being cast (though not the target or modifiers).</p><p>There is only one action which takes place during this phase: Mage spells cast with the Power Word modifier are resolved.</p><p>II. <strong>Powers</strong>: Innate abilities such as breath weapons and gaze weapons are resolved. Regeneration and continuing damage (e.g. poison) are applied.</p><p>III. <strong>Combat</strong>: All attacks with missile and melee weapons are resolved. Natural weaponry, unarmed strikes, and grappling attempts are included. Most combat is simultaneous. AC modifiers for defensive fighting, charging, or the Combat Maneuvers feat take effect now and apply for the rest of the round.</p><p>IV. <strong>Prayer</strong>: Prayers are announced and take effect in order of increasing prayer point cost, although clerics cannot be distracted by effects suffered in this phase.</p><p>V. <strong>Spell</strong>: Spellcasters choose the modifiers and targets of the spell they have declared, or else drop the spell (taking no action and spending no points). Spells take effect in order of increasing spell point cost, although casters cannot be distracted by effects suffered in this phase.</p><p>VI. <strong>Item</strong>: Characters may switch weapons, get things out of packs, etc. General manipulation of objects (e.g. opening or closing doors) takes place now.</p><p>VII. <strong>Movement</strong>: All characters who have not done anything else may move. Characters with the Halfmove feat take their partial move now. Characters who are dodging take their retreat now.</p><p></p><p>For more than a decade III. Combat was broken up into a missile phase and then a melee phase.</p><p></p><p>Oh, and all spells - including healing, buffs and other helpful spells - had to get past a character's saves. So the reference to "drop saves" is that a character could voluntarily fail all saving throws for the round. This probably wouldn't be part of a 5e phase system, but I figured I'd explain it.</p><p></p><p>Another point was for most years any damage prior to casting in the round would prevent spellcasting. For divine casters they just didn't cast and did something else. For arcane casters since they had declared a spell they didn't get any other action. Though I don't think they lost the spell points needed to cast the spell though.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Blue, post: 7465201, member: 20564"] There is a gaming convention at Princeton University that's been going on for 43 years and counting that recently switched to 5e. You create a character when you register and they advance over the course of the weekend, with shared setting and a dozen DMs with 4-6 sessions each one their own theme and furthering the convention-wide plot. For decades it was running on their own (evolving) system based on early D&D and later d20. One of the things they had was a phase system, where each type of action happened in sequence: Here it is from PCon 40. [B]Phases[/B] Each character may act in each combat round. Certain actions are faster than others, so the combat round is broken into phases. Actions within a phase are usually resolved simultaneously, but take effect before actions in the following phases. In general, each character acts in only one phase of the round, though there are several exceptions to this principle. [B]Phase Summary[/B] I. [B]Declaration[/B]: This phase is mainly a time for players to decide how to act and declare their intentions for the round. This is generally not binding, except for two cases: • If you are dropping saving throws for the round, it must be announced now. • A mage or guardian casting a spell must declare the spell being cast (though not the target or modifiers). There is only one action which takes place during this phase: Mage spells cast with the Power Word modifier are resolved. II. [B]Powers[/B]: Innate abilities such as breath weapons and gaze weapons are resolved. Regeneration and continuing damage (e.g. poison) are applied. III. [B]Combat[/B]: All attacks with missile and melee weapons are resolved. Natural weaponry, unarmed strikes, and grappling attempts are included. Most combat is simultaneous. AC modifiers for defensive fighting, charging, or the Combat Maneuvers feat take effect now and apply for the rest of the round. IV. [B]Prayer[/B]: Prayers are announced and take effect in order of increasing prayer point cost, although clerics cannot be distracted by effects suffered in this phase. V. [B]Spell[/B]: Spellcasters choose the modifiers and targets of the spell they have declared, or else drop the spell (taking no action and spending no points). Spells take effect in order of increasing spell point cost, although casters cannot be distracted by effects suffered in this phase. VI. [B]Item[/B]: Characters may switch weapons, get things out of packs, etc. General manipulation of objects (e.g. opening or closing doors) takes place now. VII. [B]Movement[/B]: All characters who have not done anything else may move. Characters with the Halfmove feat take their partial move now. Characters who are dodging take their retreat now. For more than a decade III. Combat was broken up into a missile phase and then a melee phase. Oh, and all spells - including healing, buffs and other helpful spells - had to get past a character's saves. So the reference to "drop saves" is that a character could voluntarily fail all saving throws for the round. This probably wouldn't be part of a 5e phase system, but I figured I'd explain it. Another point was for most years any damage prior to casting in the round would prevent spellcasting. For divine casters they just didn't cast and did something else. For arcane casters since they had declared a spell they didn't get any other action. Though I don't think they lost the spell points needed to cast the spell though. [/QUOTE]
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