D&D 5E Have you actually read the 5e DMG?

[Maxperson]

Actually, individual initiative isn't even a variant. That's right, check the DMG. I thought it would be there too but there's nothing saying you can RAW do identical creatures with separate initiatives. It's actually more of a house rule than automatic success ability checks and injury tables since the books at least provide those two as variants.

If you look at the Speed Factor rules, it says "everyone rolls initiative" and "on its turn a creature..." That would seem to allow individual monster initiatives. It also says, "Under this variant, the participants in a battle roll initiative each round. Before rolling, each character or monster must choose an action."

As it's an optional rule, it replaces the rule in the PHB and says nothing about rolling all monsters of the same type together.

 

[noko]

If you look at the Speed Factor rules, it says "everyone rolls initiative" and "on its turn a creature..." That would seem to allow individual monster initiatives. It also says, "Under this variant, the participants in a battle roll initiative each round. Before rolling, each character or monster must choose an action."

As it's an optional rule, it replaces the rule in the PHB and says nothing about rolling all monsters of the same type together.

I'm pretty sure the rule as intended is that the DM can roll blanket initiative when convenient. If I (as the DM) want to be fancy, I can determine what my lot are doing and blanket roll initiative. I actually almost never do that as it makes combat quite dull and lowers the chances on individual PC rolls.

 

[Maxperson]

I'm pretty sure the rule as intended is that the DM can roll blanket initiative when convenient. If I (as the DM) want to be fancy, I can determine what my lot are doing and blanket roll initiative. I actually almost never do that as it makes combat quite dull and lowers the chances on individual PC rolls.

Sure. I was just pointing out that the DM doesn't have to create a house rule to roll individual initiative if he goes that route.

 

[Asisreo]

Sure. I was just pointing out that the DM doesn't have to create a house rule to roll individual initiative if he goes that route.

It is a houserule if you don't constantly roll initiative every round, since that's the speed factor variant.

 

[Maxperson]

It is a houserule if you don't constantly roll initiative every round, since that's the speed factor variant.

The default rule is one roll per combat for each PC and 1 roll for each grouping of DM monsters.

 

[Hussar]

The default rule is one roll per combat for each PC and 1 roll for each grouping of DM monsters.

Right. And a "grouping" of DM monsters is the DM's choice. It's not like if I have 5 orcs, I must roll only one initiative, but, if I have 4 orcs and a goblin I roll twice. What constitutes a group is entirely up to the DM.

 

[Hussar]

Y'know what? I apologize @Asisreo, you are 100% correct. Huh, imagine that. I had no idea.

Now, to be fair, since I play on a VTT, and all my initiatives are 100% tracked by the computer which also tracks pesky things like durations and concentration, I'm not going to change now. I can see though, if you're playing analog, that it would make life a lot simpler. Helluva lot more deadly though. Yikes. I would obliterate PC's with this.

 

[Bitbrain]

Read it cover to cover.

Only parts that were of any use to me were the XP Threshold page, the Monster Creation pages, and the page about other worlds in the multiverse.

 

[Asisreo]

The default rule is one roll per combat for each PC and 1 roll for each grouping of DM monsters.

It doesn't even say the DM is allowed to group monsters for separate initiative. Just that identical monsters have the same initiative PHB 189.

And the wording says the entire group of identical monsters, so you include the entire group of identical monsters.

I'm not saying it's impossible to play a good game with individual initiative, I'm just saying it's a houserule more infamous than monopoly's free parking money.

 

[iserith]

I'm not saying it's impossible to play a good game with individual initiative...

In my experience, it is. It's a red flag when I see the DM using individual monster initiative. If I see it happen, I don't play a second game with that DM. Combats run too slowly by comparison to someone who uses group initiative for like monsters.